Evening star., 1921-05-08

ribbon of smoke rolled back from
the Liberta's belching funnel and
streamed across the face OF the .fhite
moon.
"The Marias,' Gonelli said. are
Indians and Spaniards before the
Italians landed in Magella at all.
There is a piece of gold in the ca
thedral that came from the NINA Ia
pada of the upper Marias-l nave
seen it. Signor Pug. and l can safely
destined to fall into American hands.
The Magellans will die. every last
peon. Spaniard. Portuguese. and
Italian. every Indian, every babe in
shaft on the slopes of the Marias.
We hold the old trail-where you
Americans hope to build railway.
tell you. you cannot throw the Ma
gelian bull. We are great fighters.
We fight for the fun OF it. We know
| mountains every hiding place. every
trail. no matter how steep how dan
eerous. or how terrible. We Masel
lans fight for the fun of the thing.
| for adventure. we can march hftv
miles a day on Il meal of rice and
coffee: we sing as we die. II you
| fight Maeella you fight an imposing
enemy. Mind you. my frie I'd. there
are only a few of us, but we aren't
afraid Of anything. Some of US are
idealists. many OF us are Missionaries
all Of us are fighting men. The
Marias belong to US. racially. moral
ly and by conquest. We intend to
hold them and to deny Bian"his false
claim until the bitter end. Signor
Fug we were polite enough when
Eianchi sold our heritage to the Fair
child Company. But the Marias you
shall never have,
Pug's infectious grin might have
meant nything-stupidity. arrogance,
or the cocksure Americana brand OF
defiance Gonelii knew and despised.
do you understand"
81 understand" Pug answered in
sleepy voice. It's too bad YOU and
I cant he friends. You believe in
your cause as believe in mine. We
are both used 20 having our own way.
Praise God. Signor Gonelli. for such
an enemy as you.
foneili smiled and bowed. II am the
leader of the nation1lis's," he said.
with u@. it is Magella first. last and
always We resent the exploitation of
our wealth hy YOU Americans. We will
oppose YOU. even if You send for a
feet and an army to deal with us"
eft would be much easier Pug sug-
gested mildly. ito surrender to me"
Gonel'i shrugged his shoulders and
glanced around the crowded deck
y here grouns oF somnolent Magellans
lay stretched fun length. their conical
straw hats tipped over their eyes.
These men are aii nationalists." he
said 'They could pe-suade you to
swim back 10 P2uHma. 7 dare say. Rut
propos" to let lou 60 on to Magella.
You will have time to regret many
thi~ gS.
"Thanks" said Pug.
Not at all"
CONELLI nodded and walked away
with the leisure!y. dsdainful
tread of his class. Fug stared after
him until he disappeared into the
cabin. Then he drew back his head
and whistled softly. He couldn't re-
!, member when he had been so happy.
Dad has sent me down here to lick
Msgeila single handed" he thought.
The wonderful old sport
Then for three days Pug watched
Gonelli and his nationalists. While the
little steamer sprawled down the hot,
glittering sea toward Magella they
squatted in the meager shade Of the
awnings stretched over the Liberta's
dirty decks. playing mysterious games
with greasy packs Of dog-eared cards.
he HfsH III @dS hjuSUQS ny tHSiE
nasal caterwauling at the moon. They
were sullen, childish and absurd. and
Pug thought: IF these are a fair
sample of the Magellan fighting men
! | could lick their whole army with
popgun.'
The days passed in the deadly
| monotony Of glaring sky and sea.
The crawling Liberia reeked vilely Of
crowded and unwashed humanity. She
St y1xy <x1o
face of the water. leaving scarcely a
ripple to show her passing. Always
behind her a cloud of ravenous gulls
| wheeled and dipped, watching tire
it was deadly dull. it was unending.
Pug heard the words Columbia" and
| "Bianchi" rise from the babel of Ma
gellan tongues like sparks, never
| failing to kindle roar Of invective.
| Once he heard his dads name spat
| Portuguese. And he remembered what
his dad had told him: The Magellans
have no respect for Fairchiid." Ap-
parently not Yet Pug was left alone.
! eventual assassination the straw
! HATED nationalists were immensely
! patient.
Night after night the red hot sun
rolled down into the brown sea and
| Pug slept unmolested in the hammock
forward deck. All about him the
; Magellans slept side by side in gro
| tesque. oddly collapsed attitudes of
profound repose. their arms out
spread, their upturned bare feet
pointing heavenward like the feet Of
SO many pathetic corpses. Faint
sighs, snores, broken whispers rose
from the sleeping men. Here and
| there a cigarette glowed, little spot
| of ardent crimson in the purity of the
brilliant night. Pug lay still, watch
ceptibly against the stars. listening
to the rustic Of water against the
Liberta's rusty sides. He waited,
| even while he slept. for knife thrust
through the hammock. Such things
didn't happen in the padded luxury of
New York clubs. But they happened
out here. Happened and were forgot
ten. Pug closed his eyes and trusted
to luck and to the divine paftiality
of his guardian angel.
One morning he opened his eyes to a
gaudy sunrise and sat bolt upright to-
stare across the polished sea at a blue
lar. hazy, as unsubstantial as a mir
age. Land. Magella probably! All
his life Pug had dreamed Of those
saw -toothed mountains, the fabulous
peaks Of the Santa Christina He had
heard Of them when ne was in his
cradle: they were the substance of
his boyish lonEings. He slipped out
of the hammock and went to the rail
to stare at the ghost Of them floating
on the horizon. half lost in the glory
of the early morning light. He
his head. This was going to be the
hieoasf hoop IF and he didu't in