THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, MARCH 18, ·
+1938
Snakes First
(Continued from Page 1)
evening; but something occurred to change his intention. Lindsay appeared in the office and started to go through the reports cases heard that day.
of
"This is intolerable!" he said, banging down the papers in front of the cadet. "Half of this is quite illegible. How do you sup- pose I'm going to give judgments to-morrow when I can't make head or tail of your scrawl?”
"One hasn't much time for cop- per-plate, you know," protested Dyke mildly.
“Don't argue!" snapped Lind- say. "I say your handwriting is foul, and you'd better do some- thing about it. You can come back here to-night and go over the stuff, ready for the morning. It will keep you from paying visits where you are not wanted.”
He stamped out of the place, leaving Dyke furious, half in- clined to complain to the D.O.
• Upon consideration, he overcame his resentment and decided to humour his cranky superior, who, after all, had scant reason to be polite to him. He would come down after dinner and write out the reports more clearly.
Then he remembered that this was Joe's night for catchings the mamba. It would be awkward, but perhap not unamusing: he ̈ could work until the snake made its appearance and then, once again, assist Joe at his exciting trade. He felt quite safe ander the direction of the expert. He sent a chit to the old man, noti- fying him that he would be work- ing late, and received the assur- ance that it would be “O.K.” with Joe:
Dyke took dinner early, arriv- ing at the office before eight. Joe was smoking his pipe outside, waiting for him. "I've got a saucer and a bottle of milk,” he said. “All you've got to do is to keep quiet and not move much, so he'll come out."
too
Joe used his torch to make a careful inspection of the floor before he would allow Dyke to enter and light the lamp. It was a large, oblong room; at one end was the A.D.O.'s desk, at the other Dyke's. The cupboard, tem- porary residence of the mamba, was in a corner near Lindsay's deck; Dyke would be well zway from the danger spot, able to bolt out of the door if need arose.
Joe set his saucer of milk near the cupboard, the badly fitting · door of which provided an exit. He settled himself on a box be- hind Lindsay's desk, with his im- plements handy.
"Now you work away quietly," he advised, "while I watch for bis nibs. I'll hiss when I see him, and I expect he'll hiss when he sees me."
Dyke began his work, striving to concentrate, but unable to re- sist glancing up every now and then at the expanse of bare floor dividing him from the dim out- line of the cupboard door; and the other desk which shielded the cronching form of old Joe. The lamp was above Dyke's
had a clear view dead; he
2 short
radius; all else was in shadow. He could not help feeling that a long, black, ropelike body was
în movement towards him out of the obscurity, and be found it impossible to divide his attention. between his work and the instinct of self-preservation. Finally, he gave up the writing and leaned back to watch, ready to leap for safety at the first sound of slithering scales on the boards.
An hour passed; Dyke consume ed several cigarettes Once he asked Joe if he were there, and received the testy reply, “Of course I'm here. You didn't think I'd dissolved, did you?”
Dyke asked no more questions. Presently he heard footsteps on the path; the door opened to ad- wiit Grant Lindsay, in dinner clothes..
you
"Quite a change to see working overtime,” he said short- ly, and crossed the room to stand nearly his desk, staring at Dyke out of the shadows.
“I thought you were dining with the D.O." said Dyke.
"I was. But I same away for a moment; I wanted to see you."
This was awkward. Dyke could tell from Lindsay's peculiar man- ner that he was going to talk about his domestic troubles, and Joe was sitting undiscovered immediately behind him. Neither Dyke nor Joe was ready to quaint the irascible A:D.O. with their highly irregular procedure.
ac-
"I won't discuss anything here, Lindsay," said Dyke firmly. "Come up to my house if you want to talk.”
"I don't," was the calm reply. "I am just going to ask you if you know what this is, then I shall act" He had taken something from his pocket which Dyke knew to be a pistol. "It has a silencer." he said. "Very neat idea."
"For God's sake don't be mad, Lindsay!" said Dyke hurriedly. "That's perfect nonsense; you know there was nothing serious in the affair. I tell you, you're making a ridiculous mistake.”
Lindsay was quiet, almost in- different. "Oh no, I'm not. I'm sick of the whole business; I'm dog, tired, and I've always got a head-ache It will be pleasant to leave this filthy place. Divorce would ruin me. If I'm to be ruin- ed, I'll make a thorough job of it. Get ready. I'm going to shoot all these bullets at you. Ta rotten shot with one of these things."
Dyke said nothing; he held his breath, waiting for the man's hand to rise and give him the signal to dodge.
There was a loud hiss behind Lindsay. He knew what it was well enough; he spun staring into the corner.
round,
A beam of light leapt from behind the desk and focussed on a five-foot mamba. The snake lay in the shape of an S, but a -third of its body was clear of the floor, and its spade-shaped head, hood extended, swayed to and fro menacingly. The light seemed to dazzle it.
Joe rose out of concealment, holding a blanket. Step back a bit," he said to Lindsay, "You're in the way."
The A.D.O.retreated slowly, like a man hypnotised. With swift, noiseless steps, Dyke
ed him, and seized the hand
hich held the pistol
No, you don't cried say fiercely. He grappled his ponent, and, with extraordinary strength, flung him towards the coiling snake.
Dyke was unable to resist that violent shover be blundered for- ward, holding out futile hands to guard himself from the deadly blow he expected. He was within six feet of the mamba; its head swung back, and suddenly shot forward with arrow-like speed.
Dyke made a choking noise in his throat. He heard Lindsay laugh exultantly. Then the thick folds of a blanket descended ben fore his face. He felt the impact of the snake's body, and saw that it had fallen at his feet, writhing under the blanket.
Joe was upon it instantly. He groped and struggled, while the others watched him, fascinated by the spectable. The snake catch- er rose to his feet, holding the snake with both hands behind its head, while its heavy body. flailed and twined about his neck. ·
utes the snake was safely bagged.
Lindsay sat on a corner of his desk and lit a cigarette, offering the case to Dyke. "Phew! That's the first time Pve ever helped to catch a mamba,” he said. He jerk- ed his thumb at Joe grinning. "I wouldn't have his job for a for- tune."
Joe wiped his beared forehead. "It would do you good,” he said severely. "What you want is tak- ing out of yourself with your headaches, and tiredness, and such." His tone was supremely scornful “Coming in here want- ing to shoot people; where would I have been with that wapping mamba. I'd like to know? I've seen a lot of fellows crack up like you, and all I've got to say is, they deserve it. Handling a wo- man is like handling a snake, I say: a bit of quick dodging, and a firm grip, is the right way with 'em. You've neither of you got the makings of a snake catch- er: you're too clumsy.”
Lindsay looked at Dyke, and looked hurriedly away. He mut- tered something, in which Dyke thought to catch the words "crazy behaviour." Then he said, “Here, give a hand!" he snarl-"You'd better leave that job I gave ed, "Can't you see it's choking me?"
Lindsay grabbed the reptile's tail; Dyke, the initiate, ran to get the canvas bag.
"Hold on to him!" cautioned Dyke.
"Right, I've got him?” said Lindsay. "Here, work the bag over him, tail first.” In a few min-
you; it's getting late."
39
“Thanks, replied the cadet cheerfully. "Will you come along for a drink, sir?”
Lindsay got off the desk. "Good idea," he said. Hè glanced at Joe.
"Yes," said Joe. “I could do with one, too. You fair threw a scare înto me with that gun.”
The two officials exchanged glance, then they began to laugh.
Millions of
Gallons maturing
Older and better than ever
$
Never was your White Horse as good or as old as it is to-day. Years ago, exceptionally heavy stocks of the finest whiskies were laid down to anticipate sales which the quality would justify. These stocks are now fully matured. The result is that WHITE HORSE is now older and better than ever before, excellent as it was in 1932 and preceding years.
This advance in quality and age will be mainta, TAR
White Horse is now the equivalent of a fine liqueur.
WHITE HORSE
WHISKY