1939-10-20 — Page 16

THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 20, 1939

SHÖRT STORY

•

DARK MOVES By F. Morton Howard

The landlord of the "Cutlass and Cannon" tucked his thumbs into the armhples of his waistcoat, and, turn- ing his eyes to the ceiling, fell to whistling in a' markedly sarcastic

manner.

Whereat Mr. Samuel But- cher, of the not-so-good ship "Help- ing hand," removed his elbows from among the glasses on the counter, and drew himself erect to scowl in high offence.

ed.

'im, should happen to come across p'raps you'll Bring him along 'ere to: prove all you've been saying?”.

"Yes, and then p'raps you'll erpolo- gis?" growled Mr. Butcher.

"On me bended knees," humorously promised the landlord. "What's more, I'll stand you fellers all the drinks you could tackle."

"Safe offer," sneered, Mr. Butcher, "when you knows we ain't likely to

"Dontcher believe me?" he demand- meet 'im!"

The landlord substituted one form of musical expression for another. ""Tell me the old, old story," he gent ly crooned.

"Awright, then!" roared Mr. But- cher. "Ask my mate, 'ere!"

"Pitch dark, it was!" supplied his colleague, Mr. Joseph Gabb, without awaiting interrogation. "And the seas was running mountains 'igh!"

"And 'e dived overboard, and stab- bed the shark?" softly querried the landlord.

"Abserlootly!" declared Mr. Gabb. "And saved the nigger from drown- ing?

"Eld 'im up in the water for more'n an hour, while we was cruisin' round in the ship's boat, searchin' for 'em," replied, Mr. Gabb. ward for word, like 'e's been tellin' you

"On far was 'e from the boat when you spotted 'im?"

"Just what I was thinking," said the landlord, sweetly.

And the swing-door closed behind the two companions of the "Helping Hand," muffling from their ears the ribald mirth with which their depar- ture was hailed by the company that remained

Tacitly Mr. Butcher and Mr. Gabb discussion of the re- forebore from cent affront to their veracity until the hospitality of the "Flag and Pennant" should succeed in quenching some of the fire of their resentment. So, for awhile, Mr. Butcher crouched scow- ling over his drink and Mr. Gabb sul- lenly played. himself at darts till at last Mr. Butcher roused himself to re- mark, "Oh well, blarst 'im, any way!" "E couldn't 'ave took 'is oath that to the neether of us 'ad ever been tropicals," argued Mr. Gabb. "That's 'ow I look at it. What right 'ad 'e got to be so sure there wasn't a nigger or a shark, eh? Like 'is blessed sauce!"

"Fd like to take 'im down a peg or two," said Mr. Butcher, with a sort of fierce yearning. "My gore, wouldn't 'e look a perishin' fool if I was to take 'im the nigger to prove me words!"

"What nigger, Sam?" asked Gabb, gaping.

ceeded quite dem lenth's, but-"

"If ever that 'ad 'appened to you," said Mr. Butcher, slowly, "It 'ud be worth-free drinks to you for the rest of the evenin. Are you sure, it ain't 'appened to you?”.

With perplexed mien, Mr. Washing- ton gazed upon the seaman.

"You did once 'ave a little adven- ture like that, you know,”, insisted Mr. Butcher draping his features into one vast wink. "Remember now,. don't you? Why, it was me what saved you!"

"Ah don't 'member nothin'——" "Maybe not," said Mr. Butcher, "but you're going to!”

And, aided by his shipmate, he went on to elucidate something of the situation to the coloured gentleman.

"So, you sees," he ended up, "it 'ud only serve that there landlord right for bein so unbelievin if we fixed things so as drinks was on him for the rest of the evenin.' As I told you, I've never seen again, from that day to this, the darkie 'ose life I saved, but what's to prevent you takin' 'is place, just for to-night? No one but us two won't know no better."

"But" said Mr. Gabb.

"You oughter know by now, Joe, it's no good argyln' with me when me mind's made up. Come on, Darkie, there's the 'Cutlass and Cannon,"along there, on the' other side of the rond."

"Whatebber yo' says, bawas," smiled Mr. Washington, obligingly.

Leaving the gentleman of colour outside the hostelry, Mr. Butcher and

" 'Ullo,

"ave you?" come back, Mr. Gabb made a cold, dignified entry.

didn't like my 'ouse?" observed the landlord. "Thought you

"Free country," briefly mentioned Mr. Butcher. "What are you going to 'ave, foe, old man?"

"Well, I dunno," said Mr. Gabb, and while he was still apparently consider- ing the question, the door opened to admit a coloured gentleman in a brown bowler hat and scarlet scarf.

Mr. Butcher glanced at him with af- fected unconcern, and then stared, and "Well, if it ain't!" murmured nudged Mr. Gább. Mr. Gabb, wonderingly. "But it can't be!"

Mr. Abram Lincoln Washington ad- ashore," vancing towards the counter, started two "You've only just come

out

"and dramatically at view of the Mr. Gabb, pointed

"Waal, waal, waal!" he cried, and you might never come 'ere again after mariners. to-morrer, so you'll be well out of that "It all 'appened,

'e learns the stood for awhile, blinking incredulous- landlord's way, if ever

And we shall be off, on the ly. Then he became dynamic again. truth. tide, first thing in the mornin', so we "Drinks for ebb'ry one in the room!" shall be all right. And 'e can't go back he commanded, planking down Mr. note upon the counter. on 'is word, promisin' us them drinks Butcher's

to us 'andsome. served!" in front of the company, to say noth- "Ah'll tell yo' all for why when dey're "Reckon I know the reason," said ing of apologizin' Come, are you game?”

Mr. Gabb,' "and it's a dam' good one, too! Mine's a double whisky!"

"A couple o' miles, at least.” "And 'ow did you manage to see Im, if it was pitch dark?" persisted the landlord.

"There was-there was the lightnin', of course," said Mr. Gabb. after a just-perceptible pause.

Mr.

a

I

"You never said nothing about "I-I mean, if there 'ad been

nigger 'ose life I saved," explained Mr. lightning".

"Well, anyone what knows the Butcher. "When I think o' that land-

take that the tropicals 'ud

for lord's blinkin' hinsolence! Oh, grawnted, contended Mr. Gabb. "Of would like to take 'im down a peg course it was lightnin.' It never stop- or two with a ruddy good bump!". ped, bein' the tropicals. The sky was just bide with lightnin' the 'ole of the time."

"Must a-been a dark night," com- mented the landlord.

"So it was," stoutly maintained Mr. Gabb, "for them parts."

"Well, and then what 'appened?" asked the landlord, yawning behind polite finger-tips.

"Damme, what more do you expec' to 'appen?" cried Mr. Butcher.

"Well, Ah don't know if Ah could do ma share well enough to get past

"Same 'ere," said Mr. Butcher, him," demurred Mr. Washington.

The landlord, refraining from com- "We'll teach you so's you could de- -

"Gents all," said Mr. Washington, ceive your own mother!" declared Mr. ment, swiftly filled all orders, Butcher, exultantly.

one

But of a sudden Mr. Gabb became

"Alf a mo,' Sam!" he exclaimed. "Just thought o' something!"

And he detained Mr. Butcher in tense whispered conversation while Mr. Washington politely waited for them a yard or two away.

"Dat's right!"

A hush held the room. Mr. Butcher cocked his chin proudly...

"Now p'raps you'll erpologise et cetery?"" he suggested to the land-

lord.

"You-you don't mean to say he's really?”

Ten minutes later, Mr, Butcher and "Ah asks yo' to drink to the healf of gent, right heer! Dis Gabb quitted the "Flag and this seafarin' Mr. Pennant" with their new friend. They gent's a hero, fo' sure! Say, does you "Can't see there's much 'ope progressed joyously, and so evidently know what he once done?"

said the landlord, pushing "Yes," entered into Mr. Gabb was saying, when the door had Mr. Washington

ter to the gentleman of colour. "He opened, and the two mariners auto- the spirit of the affair that his smile some odds of change across the coun-

of happy anticipation was not matically looked that way.

In the apartment there sauntered an whit less happy than the louder mirth dived overboard in a gale," he recited, on a slightly watery note, "and stabbed whose head was a of his companions, individual upon battered brown

a shark, and rescued you from drown- bowler hat, and

ing." whose throat was twined a serious. round scarlet scarf. But it was not these "articles" of apparel that prompted Mr. Butcher and his companion to stare at the newcomer. It was the space "I dunno," said the landlord. "That's between hat and scarf that gripped up to you. I thought praps you went their attention, for clearly was it to

"Aye, well, if that's so, Joe," even-. back and saved the blessed shark!" be there noted thất thế newcomer was

"Sam, old man," remarked Mr. incontestably a gentleman of colour. tually said Mr. Butcher, out loud, Gabb, with reluctant conviction, "'e Two minds språng to but á single “Tii "ave to think of something to do don't believe you!"

thought. There was no need for about it.”

And the trio walked on again. "That's the truest word what's been speech to establish that agreement.

It was just after they had rounded spoken at this bar since you fellers The same rapt, relishing expression come in," observed the landlord. was deepening upon each salforly the corner of the narrow, twisted old breathed visage, both countenances had that side-street wherein the "Cutlass and situated that Mr. same look of a burgeoning faith in Cannon" inn was

Butcher imposed another halt.

"Yes, I see now that you was right "What did 'e say?" gloated Mr.

"E'd erpologise on

'is in what you surgeŝted, Joe," he said. "Indigestchun,"

," he mentioned sim- Butatier.

bended knees, and stand us all the "Owever, I've got that arranged for Well when it comes to 'aving my drinks we wanted!" And to the new- in me mind. My mate, 'ere," he ob word doubted by a pimply publican comer he addressed an easy, affable, served to the gentleman of colour, "na got a idea what I've thought over and with gravy-stains on his weskit-!" "‘Evenin', Jack!”

agrees with. We thinks it won't look roared Mr. Butcher.

too stinkin' life-like if you just rushës: up and shakes 'ands with me as soon Mr. as you spots me. What you wants to do is to give a yell o' surprise, and then "Dat's me, bawss, Off'n de tanker start treatin' everybody in the 'ouse, 'Rushford Two, just in berth down and then hexplain 'ow you've recognis- yonder. Off agen t'mofrer night, but ed me and wants everybody to drink man 'oo' saved who keers? T'morrer still t'morrer, Ah the 'ealth of the

your life. See? When a bloke planks guess!!

down good money, 'e's much more likely to be taken serious!

"You-don't-believe-

Mr. Batchet

The landlord smote upon his chest fairies. with his clenched fist.

ph

"That's enough of that!" snapped the landlord. "And less noise, too, please! Otherwise-"

Mr. Gabb ascertained that the glasses of himself and his shipmate were quite empty, and then took upon himself to reply.

"'Ebenin', gents," returned the new comer. "It sho' feels good to be back agen on dry mud, believe, me!"

"What, a sailor?" exclaimtéd Butcher, charmed.

A

"Thank you, but we don't want to stop 'ere no longer, "he observed with hauteur. "We don't like your 'ouse, "Shore. duds and a bit of a spree, your beer's rotten, and you've got a ch, Jack?". face like a codfish, only not so 'uman. "Yo've said it, cap'n, 'cept dat ma・ “And what 'bout de cash for it?"-de- Come on, Sam, let's get along down to name ain't 'Jack' Abram Lincoin murred Mr. Washington, the 'Flag and Pennant"!"

Washin'ton'-dat's me." "Aye, the 'Flag and Pennant”," "And a swell name, too," approved acquiesced Mr. Butcher, "where there's Mr. Gabb. "And 'ow do you like the a landlord as is a landlord, and the sea as a purfession, Mr. Washin'ton?" beer is beer."

They

mariners

were Teadi

towards the door whith the land rd emitted a sudden delight, ́ed spuitter. "You

and your nigger and share" He derided: “I've"

of your yarns," but now

you

"Guess Ah must be gittin' used to it" gigned the gentleman of colour "Ah've done had fifteen year of it, and An don't hate If much more now than when Ah started.":

Been zound the world a few times. a lot chew Ingmar Mr. Gaup, "Know the

ave tropicule pretty well, I s'pose?"

"I'm seein' to that," replied Mi Butcher, fumbling in his pockets,

'Ere you are → a ten-bobl note!

"Steady on, Sam, old-man!”. pro tested Mr. Gabb, in: startled accents. "That's a pretty 'Igh price to get e apology!" -

There'll be some lange le car give me afterwards. said

Besides which don' a bab” lesson - To sẩy hot

gone to far! I s'pose you ́ ain't get the "Ever been saved from sharks when promised 'ug shark stuffed, over the manmixed, YWYKLEWpYerbird in a gale?” thri 'ome,' as evidence? Or maybe you in Mr Butcher.

could perdooce the nigger? If you

#wali no, baw

80%

"Ain't he proved it hisself? Didn't 'e recognise me at a glance? Didn't me and my pal recognise 'im at once?" "Aye, that's so," agreed the landlord, looking rather chapfallen. "Well, it all them free cert'nly seems up to me to apologise and stand you fellers drinks I spoke about, don't it?”

"That's the idea," agreed Mr. But-

(Continued on Page 17).

I MEAN IT! ↑ WANT THE BABY POWDER THAT FIGHTS GERMS

MENNEN