New-York tribune. [volume], September 19, 1920, Page 4, Image 68

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Last jf La?tvard
trc Jam Russell
- <
FEW persons ?rer attain any
precise knowledge of the im?
memorial East, its ways or
its meanings, its wickedness
or its mystery. But Tnnstal was a
young man with a cherubic smile
and a plethoric letter of credit, and
he had traveled far and wide to
Honolulu to Yokohama, to Macao and
even to Singapore, which is very far
indeed, besides being axtremely
wicked.
That was how ho cam? to And
himself alone in the smoking room
one breathless hot morning some
days out from Singapore, amid the
dead cheroots and the empty glasses,
with a pile of ill-gotten profits be?
fore him, a very dry throat and a
great call for swifter action and
yet newer worlds. It was all too
easy. This globe trotting thing
threatened to become monotonous.
He stumbled out on deck in the
dawn that came pouring up from
behind the earth like a cloud of
luminous, pearly smoke. The Lom
bock had made harbor some time
during the night and now lay
anchored in a river mouth off the
fringe of a toy town?one of those
island cities apparently built of
matches and cigar boxes that have
a thousand years of history behind
them and no sense of dignity and
not so much as a brick block to sup?
port the same.
Wherefore he yawned In the face
of the immemorial East and moved
toward the lowered gangway to meet
the first mate, a lean and leathery
mariner, whom he hailed with bois?
terous outcry.
"Hello, chief I You're the very
chap I need!"
The mate paused to turn his
pstlent, almost mournful regard that
seemed never to focus short of the
horizon.
"I'm going ashore," announced
Mr. Tunstal, "for a taste of local
ginger."
"Ginger?" inquired Nivin.
"Some kind of tropic spice."
"Spice?"
"I didn't come all this way," ex?
plained Tunstal, "to waste my op?
portunities with a lot of fat koop
mans, who talk of nothing but cali?
coes and tho rate of exchange. I'm
a humble seeker after truth, right
enough, but I want it fresh and
snappy. I've got the price and, be?
lieve me, chief, I've got the ap?
petite. . . . What port is this?'
Nivin told him. The name does
not matter. It might have been on?
or another about that coast. II
meant little to Tunstal beyond th<
fact that they would lie there til
midnight.
"And plenty long enough, by th<
looks. Ill just collect three thrills
and a shock and be back for tiffin
All I want from you, chief, is th<
wise tip. Tell me, chief, tell me. Is
there anything ? you know ? any?
thing specially worth seeing here?
abouts?"
*! should hardly think so?for ?
gentleman of your experience. The
fact is, sir, you're off the traveled
track here, so to speak. A town like
this has no use for tourists and
provides no class to fatten off the
likes. Music, dances?all the giddy
frolic made up for a show?they
don't lower theirselves to that cut
o' business."
"Why, they're only natives, aren't
they?" asked Tunst?l, and the whole
philosophy of his kind was rolled in
the phrase.
"Only natives, as you say, sir,"
returned Nivin slowly?"which is
Malay and poor to jest with, besides
frequently carrying a crease.
They're a sober-minded breed, b??\
Quite superior and fit for respect in
their way."
UT Tunstal had been leaning to
watch the river traffic, and
here he prodded tbo other to
look. Just passing them at the
moment came a clumsy proa that
had worked upchannel on the last of
the tide under sweeps?a singular
blot of color. Alow and aloft, from
her tub cutwater and forward slop?
ing rail to her languid wings of mat?
ting, she was grimed an earthly,
angry red, Her sailors were smeared
with the same stain, their head rags
and kilts and their bare arms and
knotted fingers at the oars, so that
i she and they seemed to swim in a
j sullen, an infernal conflagration,
I and the sunrise slanting across the
j river reached picked spar and rope
! and Bavago dyed group with dabs
of ruby and vermilion and dull
citrine.
"It's a cinabar boat," said Nivin
as they stared down at that silent
crew of ensanguined devils.
"From tho mines. I know," nodded
Tunstal. "Up the river?what? I
heard about those mines. Van Goor,
that pop-eyed little chap?an agent
for some mining company, I believe
?he was telling us last night
around fourth-drink time. It ap?
pears these mercury miners are im?
ported Kwangsi coolies. About as
low a race as crawls, with peculiar
customs of their own. They trade
with tho country peoplo for sup?
plies, and they drive some queer
trades. Did you ever happen to hear
yourself, chief?"
"There's no lack of tales."
"Maybe, but this is the only real
one I got a smell of?pity Van Goor
wasn't a bit thirstier. He said a
j famine has been raging in some
i coast district or other and tho vil?
lagers aro keen to sell. At the same
time tho commodity naturally lose;
weight, through starvation, and the
coolie gangs buy by the pound. Sc
a canny village will pool its food tc
fatten up a few?Ah!"
The ore boat had drawn level with
them, so near they might have
tossed a biscuit to the rude decks.
And there under the break of the
poop they saw three women, scarcely
more than girls, crouched against
the bulkhead. One raised her face
for an instant, a faco struck out like
a pallid, sharp-carven cameo from
its ruddy setting?struck out with
the poignant, mute intimacy that
sometimes springs between craft
and craft across a widening gulf. A
vivid and unforgettable face!
THE head boatman snarled, and
the ragged creatures huddled
from sight like nestlings under
shadow of a hawk, while the proa
swept in toward an upper jetty.
"Couldn't ever be proved," mut?
tered Nivin at last,
"Of course not," agreed Tunstal
genially. "Who wants to prove it?
And anyway, the; commodity is still
in transit?coming in from those
coast villages, very likely."
"What would they be doing here?"
"Oh, they probably have a local
clearing house for the trade," said
Tunstal, learned in wickedness.
"Why should you think so?"
"Well, observe the commodity
\JIVIN stepped into the
L * circle about the palm,
stepped up to the crouching, \
sinister captive. A knife \
wrought swiftly in his hand
with little flashes
again. It hasn't been delivered, has
it? You'll notice it shows no stain
of cinnabar?yet!" . . .
The mate's face was stony as he
stood gripping the rail, but Tunstal
only smiled with the proper cynical
detachment of the globe-trotter.
From a silver case he drew a fat
and sophisticated cigar to adorn
that smile.
"And so much for your superior
Malay. Chief, I'm surprised at you,
trying to string me. Fancy a native
how you like, but don't put it on
grounds of respect?because I know
'em. I've seen 'em pretty much, and
I've no more respect for any coffoe
shade tribe using two legs instead
of four than I have for so many
monkeys. Monkeys?that's what
they are. Apes!
"Play with 'em? Sure. It's all
they're fit for?cute little rascals
sometimes too. But they simply
have no moral sense. I take 'em as
I find 'em; always ready for any of
'their cunning little games, you un?
derstand. Now here's this burg. 1
don't expect a complete Arabian
Nights' Dream, but I'm dead sure of
finding a joint of some kind, and I
mean to look it over?the place
where the monkeys perform for
you."
"I can't help you," said Nivin,
tight-lipped. "You may be right?
and yet I swear these people have
never been spoiled. There's so few
whites come here. You see, sir,
you're pretty far East"
"Too far for a 'sailors' rest'?"
laughed Tunstal. "Pshaw! Come
now; are you going to turn me loose
on my own or will you steer me up
to the ?ocal tropic drink, at least?"
Nivin might have been seen to
wince a trifle, as one sorely tried,
and his melancholy gaze sought the
shore. Was there or was there not
the beginning of a twinkle in, the
gray depths? He would have denied
it?he afterward did deny it.
"A drink?" he murmured. "A
drink? Oh, aye, I could name a
drink if that would fill your need.
Look over yonder on the slope be?
yond the Government House, that
purple blaze. It's a big bachang
tree in bloom, and if you should take
the path that climbs beside it you
might find euch entertainment as
perhaps you're seeking. Local I be?
lieve it is and quite tropic. Keep
always to the left till you reach a
pair o' green gates?three turns, or
it may be four?and mind your foot?
ing as you go, sir"
So this was the way Mr. Tunstal
won his wish in the early morning,
when he came to the garden of Loi
Raman, up from terrace to terrace
above that far, that very far, East?
ern town.
He met his first thrill when
Ezekiel met his in the vision, withir
the threshold of the gate. The higr.
wall he had been following gavt
suddenly under an arch. There
were the double green doors, stand?
ing open, and he entered a sort o?
open air conservatory. At leasl
he had no better word for a plac?
so crammed with color and scent anc
no word at all for the str?ngt
flowers and improbable trees thai
clustered along the walks. Down bj
the further end of the inclosurc
stood a low house almost lost ir
shrubbery. An arbor with som?
chairs and tables seemed to invit<
the passerby. And just before him
in Buddhistic meditation under i
palm, squatted the reception com
mittee of one?a monstrous orang?
outang, the true red-haired jungh
man, with a face like a hideou:
black caricature of death.
Things happened. At sight of i
visitor the huge beast reared him
self and sprang abruptly into vehe
ment life, bouncing on bent knuckles
Ho started out to the limit of the
chain until the bright steel linki
snicked ominously behind him anc
the leather harness drew taut abou
his shoulders, pumping and roarinj
in the great cavern of his chest t<
top a gale of his own forests. Hi
scurried around the trunk anc
snatched at something?a packet o:
leaves. Ho ran around the othei
way and retrieved a little lacque:
box. Crouching over these treasure;
with every appearance of the mos
frantic raero he beean. swiftlv an<
incredibly?to roll cigarettes!
And meanwhile, impassive as a
wax manikin, a white-jacketed,
white-saronged servitor glided from
space somewhere to prepare a table
and to offer a chair in the arbor, to
set out a square-faced bottle, to
pour a glass of golden yellow liquor
and to collect the tiny, fresh cylin?
ders of tobacco which the earnest
ape was shedding about him in a
l shower?all with the gesture of con
! juring.
Tunstal sat down hard. Ho suc
i ceeded in lighting ono of the ciga
j rettes. Exquisite. He gulped the
i glass of liquor. Delicious. . . .
"I seem," said Tunstal, mopping
his brow, "I seem to have landed as
per invoice."
"Stengah," he observed, reaching
for the bottle. "Manti dooloo!"
The waxen gentleman looked a
trifle more intelligent than an egg?
plant. Evidently his island Malay
was not up to the classical standard.
Tunstal tried him in fragmentary
i Dutch to the same effect and with
the samo result,
i "Damn it?I say I want more anc
i never mind taking that bottle
: away!"
The manikin's face opened.
"Oh, sure. Three dolla' hap'."
i On being paid ?n Singapore silve:
he vanished into space once more
while Tunstal philosophized.
"Too bad about the simple nativ
' that has no use for a tourist!"
The garden had fallen to a drows;
hush. Within its four walls onl;
the great red ape stayed to do th
honors, and he had subsided, apply?
ing himself seriously now to th
cigarette industry. He sat cross
legged, workmanlike, with a bobbin
of his ugly head and a ridiculou
curling tongue above the d?licat
task. Selecting a leaf of the nal
ural weed and adding a pinch fo
filler, ho would somehow twist th
spill and nip under the ends wit
flying fingers. Curious fingers h
had?long and black and muscular
sinister talons that yet were nimbi
. enough to trick the eye. It w?
amazing to watch him. As if
fiend from the pit had been tra?ne
: to do featherstitch!
TUNSTAL watched for a tin
and drank for a time ar
chuckled like a parrot ov<
sugar. The adventure suited hin
it developed well. There was pron
ise in it of something differen
something quite local and tropic ii
deed.
A smooth exhilaration began '
crawl through his veins, a heigh
ened sense of power and perceptio
Ho found a special charm in ea<
detail about him, each to be separat
ly savored. The sunlight, he note
was singularly rich and fluid. Tl
yellow lights in his glass seemed
wink with recondite confidences,
tender spray of vanna showered i
tribute of orange stars upon hir
some glorious rose-pink rhodode
drons drooped seductively towa
his shoulder. He reached to re
them, and at that moment
the leaves parted and he saw t
girl. . . .
If the event had only transpir
a trifle later, as the bard so neai
says, it would never have transpir
at all. Two glasses more of the
golden arrack, one glass, even, and
the subsequent proceedings could
hardly have interested Mr. Tunstal
or anybody else, except possibly
Nivin?Nivin, who had laid his in?
nocent plot to that end. So narrow
is the margin of trouble! He should
have blinked at the lovely vision and
slept peacefully, safeguarded beside
the square-faced bottle until carried
thence aboard the steamer and gone
on to tell another globe-trotting
I yarn. But he was just a snifter
i short on that potent and undisci
| plined drink. And here was the girl
7 . . "By jing!" breathed Mr.
? Tunstal.
! Truly by any standard, East or
i West, she was very fair. Of her
i face he marked only the oval, the
j delicate bisque tinted skin that
? shames mere white, and the straight
brows, not too broad for a tight
: drawn casque of hair. A striped
: sarong clipped her waist below the
jutting front of her little green
jacket, and he saw the soft swell at
her throat and the fine, free swing
of line as she leaned forward,
startled, downward looking. An al?
luring and timely apparition!
Tunstal thought so?to call it
thinking. "You pippin 1" ho re?
marked, as he pulled himself to his
feet by the table. He fumbled at
liis helmet with some confused notion
of beginning gallantly, but it fell
! from his fingers, and he stood flushed
j and staring. "You pippin!" he sale;
? again.
She belonged in this garden, ir
! the checker of light and shadow ant
? exotic color, slender like a youri?
? bamboo and rounded as a purple pas
j sion fruit. She belonged with th<
I whole affair. She was just the thin?:
j he had been waiting for. He tool
i an unsteady step, and another. Shi
| made no move. She still regarde?
' him as he stayed, swaying. Througl
; the play of sun threaded foliage sb
! seemed even to smile, provocative, a
! if to mock him for hesitating on hi
', cue; and at that he lost his heai
?altogether ? what was left him
; Thrusting aside shrubs and creep
| ers, he reached for her as he ha
i reached to pluck the rhododendror
"D'you?d'you come seeking m<
; m'dear?" ho stammered fatuoush
; "Come right along, then, you beaut
| ?and gie's a kiss, won't you?"
He did not do it well?in fact, b
: the time he arrived at the gestui
he did it very badly.
SMOKING ROOM audiences thr
had hung upon the fervid talc
of Tunstal, globe trotter; h
1 fellow passengers, instructed in spee
! by the same?they must have fe
I somehow cheated if they could hu\
1 seen him then. They must have su
; pected the sad, sad dog, a wolf f<
| theory but a pug for practice, who!
I snap and dash in outlandish par
'? had been harmless enough, after a
There is a technique to such a
fairs. Even arrack cannot supp
; the deficiencies of the amateur?;
Tunstal was and as he present
' knew himself to be. . . .
j He recognized her. His arms we
about the lithe figure, drawing h
close, when he became aware of t
clean, carven-cameo face so ne
him. She was the girl of the ci
nabar boat, the girl that had glane
| upward from the evil decks. Yet t
shock of discovery was not his chi
j reaction, neither amazement at h
fpresence in the garden and her
changed attire. He was looking into
her eyes.
They were wide and brown, deep
; as grotto pools, and strange, with a
: hint of obliquity alien to him by
untold centuries. But he could read
?as they blazed into his own?he
could read their language. Terror
was there and bewilderment. But
| pride, too?pride of soul like the
chill purity of mountain peaks. And
: from that height she feared and
loathed him, the brutish creature of
? another race who dared to lay his
defiling and incomprehensible touch
: upon her.
These things he saw while he
stooped, while his lips pressed hei
; bud of a mouth. For he kissed her
After a fashion he did kiss her?
though the fume was clearly fron
? his brain as haze lifts on the cham
', nel, though he understood how ab
horrent was this caress unknown t<
Orientals?beginning to feel pretty
much ashamed of himself. . .
But a bit too late.
The same instant she broke awa;
from his hold, spurning him, and a;
ne reeled a bunch of hairy, grea
lingers closed on the back of hi:
neck.
He screamed once and clutched i
stout, hanging creeper, and clun?
there while his cry throttled dowi
| to a gasp. Behind him he coul
i hear the click of steel links; befor
I him the sunlight swam. Helples
? as a kitten nipped by the scruff, h
1 fought for life.
Because the chain was fastene
! high and because the beast wa
! yoked between the shoulders he ha
! come within the grip of only or
| murderous paw, which was mei
! luck. But through a long momer
' while his blood beat thick and h
i eyeballs started from their socket
he knew tho agony of those that d
by the garrote. A claw tough as
j metal ring dug into his flesh, worl
? ing for a firmer span, gathering tl
cords and muscles, tightening slov
ly. He could only stare at vacan?
and dance upon the air and clenc
the creeper that brought do?
around him a little snowstorm ?
flower petals from the quakir
branches overhead.
The creeper held. So did not h
! collar when the eager fingers shift
i and found a purchase whereby tl
half of his coat was stripped like
j husk of corn. At the sudden relea
! he lost footing. . . .
He was like one overtaken in
! nightmare, too faint and clogged
will an effective movement for <
' cape. With safety a matter
| inches he floundered on the veri
? entangled by vines and grasses, ti
ging madly at his hip. And t
nightmare was very close, a hori
not to be faced, a red fury w:
gigantic arms that came flailing a
picking at him and tearing 1
clothes to ribbons as he groveled.
It lasted until the ape took a tr:
from the man, swung up on a lia
! and from the vantage caught h
, about the body with his feet. Tl
! Tunstal's revolver came fr
' Crushed in that dreadful embra
he began to shoot.
! When he stood up above the qu
; ering heap and looked about bim
1 was alone. After the frenzy of
! struggle the silence dropped in u]
him like a ram. The walks w
i empty, the thickets were quiet,
j house at the end of the inclos
I seemed deserted. He turned to
| spot where he had seen the girl. I
\ was gone. He turned toward
| gates. They?had been closed.
ran stumbling and flung against
them and found they had been
locked as well. No one came, no
one called. And the garden drowsed
in the warmth of a forenoon bril?
liant, heavy scented, tropical. . . .
The last Tunstal remembered was
1 raving back and forth within thee
' four walls with a useless gun in his
?? fist and the pitiless sun beating upon
. his head.
THERE is no tradition of the
mercantile marine that pro?
vides for following for for
: tunes of travelers who step ashore
I to enjoy the scenery or other ben
'? efits. But a traveler who carries
j an important letter of credit and a
; through passage ticket may present
? something of an exception. In the
' early evening of the Lomboek's stay
? at the port by the river mouth her
? first mate found time and occasion
' for a cryptic word with her captain.
i And the captain was exceeding
? wroth, for the Lombock would finish
I her lading on the ebb, and ho had
! no mind to miss a tide.
! "Who d'y'say? Him? Not back
i yet, d'y'say? Well, what's that to
, me? Have I got to dry nurse every
I glorified pup of a globe trotter that
I takes a sanctified notion to soak
| hisself ?"
Nivin explained at some length.
"To hell with all passengers!'
wished the captain then, a man of
| strictly professional temper. ''Here's
this little rat Van Goor been devilin
me all day about the grub we fee;
his blessed coolies in the 'tweer
decks. He says he'll lose a week's
labor off the lot before they're fil
for work. . . . Well, go on, gi
on. If your blighter's such a foo
as you say you better go get him
But I'll not wait until past midniglv
?mind that. And I wish you joj
| of the job."
So Nivin came ashore at dusk t<
wander through the same streets an?
alleys to which he had directed an
other's erring steps at dawn.
HE SOUGHT a handsome youn
stranger in a suit of cream
colored silk and a dove-gra
helmet with peacock pugaree. I ?run
probably. Even very drunk. Possi
bly violent and uproarious?this wa
Nivin's fear. More likely to b
fever proofed and solidified?thi
was Nivin's hope. Had any sec
such a wonder? None had, thoug
a boatman remembered landing th
white tuan from the Lombock, an
I there was plain testimony that h
I had purchased a bottle of arrack fc
? three dollars and a half Singapoi
j silver. Beyond that point the tra
?evaporated. Apparently the perso
1 of Alfred Poynter Tunstal had di
. solved in local liquor.
It was the hour of lamp lightir
; when the mate arrived at Govern
; merit House to lay his quest befoi
1 a genial and elephantine official ;
i white ducks, who was by way <
being an acquaintance and wl
j beamed upon him from the step.
"You los' somebody? Here? 5!
: dear fallow, do you sink you are
Calcutta or Kowloon? Nosing ha
pens here to sailormen or whoevt
Why, zis is not even semi-civiliz
I wizout one coffee shop! ... I'
less, of course, he actually injuri
ze people."
"Ah," said Nivin.
"In zeir pride," added De Ha:?
reflectively.
"And if he did?"
De Haan smoothed a glossy bea
with a deliberate hand the size of
spade. He was controller in a d
trict of some tens of thousands
brown population and long htdbeta
and his father before him.
"If he did ?I cannot say," ht ta.
swered. "In such affairs we ahwj,
remember zese folk haf been tlft
in ze land a few years before us.
Who shall say? But it would ??
somesing fitting?mos' fitting ?;
op-propriate. Zere was once a aa?
came to steal liddle stone pictn?
from old temples in ze hills,
wanted ze heads for souvenirs, yc5
see?" Ho rocked complacently,
haf seen his head, nicely smoked
Which was alzo a souvenir."
But he met Nivin's meltncho?j
gaze and his tone changed.
"You tell me you los' your fries'
at Loi Raman's? Haf you been?
look:
"Three times. There's no trace. I
found a servant who sold the U
drink: no more.
"Come wit' me, zen," said th? coa
troller. "And do not haf roc:
trouble at heart We will find hta.
He is only sehleepir.g off zat fere:
cure."
They searched high and law,
among the terraces and through the
water front, where De Haan ques
tioned all manner of natives; stolid
self-possessed little men who look?
him between the eyes at answerin:
?hut they found no nook wherei:
Tunstal might be slumbering, nor
any clue, and Nivin's lean jt*
lengthened.
"Your fren' was ccme alone?
asked Do Haan, puzzled.
"Alone and early. There wouldn't
likely be any other customers at thi:
time. No witnesses.'
"It is all right, now?do not !?
tragic. Nosing of ze kind could be.
We will see ze garden again."
But all they saw was no aid to the
case. They entered the garden of
Loi Raman, to find it disposed as
usual, inviting the evening trade.
Paper lanterns swung among the'
trees like phosphorescent fruits and
drew a myriad fluttering moths. A.?
if the glow had drawn 'horn, too, ?
fow visitors lounged at ease abou:
the tables, sipping and murmurinf
languidly. St.me of the Lombock'i
passengers were there, notably i
smallish man with shiny skin and
bulbous eyes, glittering and predi
tory, who bowed effusively to D<
Haan and received a cool nod. Glid?
ing hero and yon and jiirgling ?
tray to serve the genera! need weit
a waxen-faced manikin. Glassy
rhone and sparkled. White garment?
showed fresh and span. And fur?
ther back, amid the shadows under
the big palm, could be seen the vaga?
figure of the presiding genius oftbe
place, the huge red ape, huddled in
the attitude of meditation.
"All ze same, hey?" said De Haa*
"Still we remain a liddle. Pern?!*
we hear somesing. And yon, ?J
dear fallow, drink zis."
He chose a table in the arbornear
a magnificent rhododendron ?rC
poured a measure of golden yd!5*
liquid from a ready bottle, and ft?
mate had need of the same. N'"1
was paying the penalty just tbet
for unprofessional weakness and t?
mellower streak of his nature, *-'
those of his type have often to f*l
here below. He remembered that*
alone had guided Tunstal. He eo&fi
not acquit himself for whatever^
had befallen. And he r(,fflemb**J
something else -another evil nena
cione nothing to check that day
passage of the cinnabar boat *i
her ruddy devils and suspected er?
rand. ... ? . ?st
"What is ze matter wit ??
beast?" rumbled De Haan, frown'1*
over his shoulder. "He don ?*
good to-night. He acts like sic
And also he haf no roll' us ret
single cigarette. Yet here is pie?
tobacco, too"- .y
With his foot he pushed within
circle of the chain a little ????"Vy
and a packet of leaves, but whe8
turned again the kindly official ?
that his attempt to set up a M**^
had failed. Nivin looked leaner
more leathery than ever, and
alaos*1*
eyes had lighted with an aL- .^
due to arrack?that potent
natic gleam which was owj .
potent?! dn?
It's no use. Mister Controller,
?aid. "And I thank you for ?^
Continued on ***** **& ***.
, HH HE ore boat had drawn level with them,
?*? and there under the poop they saw three
women, scarcely more than girls. One raised
her face for an instant. A vivid and unfor?
gettable face!