San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-24

| lamp light glintcd squarcly on his face
as he stood just outside the window
glaring at Jim with an expression in
which surprise seemed to be the pre-.
dominant characteristic.
All this took only a few seconds
Then | recovered my voice and my
power to move and rushed forward Ia
the window shrieking:
It's TGrasov. Be careful, Jim. It's
Tarasov."
Who the dickens is Tarasov:'
growled Jim as the man turned his
big head slowly and fixed his attcn
ton OF me. He was puzzled, evidently
struggling TO understand. He looked
like a big angry bull shaking his head
from side TO side and getting ready
to charge. | knew that Jim and
between us would hardly be a match
for the giant if he were infatuated
and on mischief bent. 1t came TO me
with ar almost humorous force that
it served me right for not telling Jim
all about this long before now, and
that Id brought it on myself and
ought TO find some way of meeting il,
But there were no weapons at hand.
l had no way of meeting the danger
or of warding it off from jim. I could
only share it. Dcfiantly ] tool: my
place at Jim's side. nut NV arIu
around him and demanded:
what do you want herCT'
The giants lips parted in e..
which revealed his teeth, tragic token,
of the Ignorance that is not able to
handle ii blessing of glorious physical
perfection. Most of his teeth were
stumps. They made his grin scnilc,
lccble-mindcd. And then prepared the
way for his rumbling, puzzled:
You no Lingard. She no Lisa.
You put him out. You come. YcST'
What does he mean? asked Jim
under his breath and without taking
his eyes from the giants face.
Let me explain, | understand" /
replied III an equally low tone.
Jim made an odd sound in his
throat, and the giant came a step
nearer as if Jim's eyes were drawing
him.
You no Lingard? She no Lisa?'
he repeated.
Can't you see I'm not Lisa?" |
asked.
"Lingard make me TO go when he
come to build big house for Lisa. My
ROsinc she die because / have for to
go" the man said half to himself.
Lisa died. ] gaid conversation.
ally. They took her away from
Lingard and then she died"
The mans face parted in a crafty
grin.
You take this house away from
Lingard like he take shack from me-"
he asserted. 80 his Lisa she die
Just like ROsinc. That right. That
lie Bon Dieu to make punish
! didn't stop to argue theology
with the primitive giant. | felt that
he was having a moment Of sanity dur
ing which it would be wise for us
to convince him that we had no con-
nection with the death of his Rosinc.
| was almost rcgrctful at the thought
that all the exciting mystery was
over. 1t had not seemed possible that
the mystery of the Red Palm" would
be so easily solved. But there was the
assurance that Jim and / would have
a good laugh over the situation. And
then life would settle down again to
the routine of simple days. At least
so | thought. And to Clinch things,
| said gently:
Don't you know you shouldn't
throw stones and break our window
panes?"
II kill BERTHE Lingard for why he
make my ROSine shall die when | no
have shack here TO hide her." the
giant explained imperturbably.
But we don't even know BERTHE.
Why should you throw stones and
startlc u.s." / asked.
Il never throw stones" the giant
asserted placidly. See? This | use.
You look for yourself. When | find
BERTHE this | use. He die for mGtP
my RoSinG die"
He took long. thin dagger out
Of his belt. and turning the hilt to-
ward Jim handed it to him politely.
Then you didn't throw the stone
the other timc?' |
asked. hoping Jim was too absorbed
in his study of the knife of strange
workmanship to hear me.
II don't throw nothing. We Cos
sack use knife" the man asserted
proudly. Il use him on BERTHE. To-
night | think some one going take
away my pleasure ! shall kill BertiC
] see man throw stone through win.
COW. yell. He run. You see me
hold rock he have tic to stone. To
rock is paper fix. See? I can't read |
him. You read him maybe"
well read him I'll right" Jim !
broke in suddenly and with curt tcrSc-
ness. But first you come along in
horc. There's lot for us To discuss. |
There are n few things I've got a
right to know"
And as the giant lcaped through the |
window Jim turned to me with a
bitter:
"And most Of those things nv wife !
has taken queer. ncrvcrse joy in |
from me-" a.
Ny heart sank. Is nv ''mvStory' |
going to cost me Jim's devotion?