Terry Read online

  CHAPTER VII

  THE PYTHON

  Nothing could be more impersonal than the manner in which the Majorinspected the company. He was very curt and official: no detail eludedhis attention, no fault of equipment, quarters, drill or trainingescaped comment and correction. The command was in fine shape but itis a service in which there is but one standard--perfection, andperfection may never be attained. The inspection consumed the morning,but when they sat at lunch in Terry's quarters, rank had perishedagain.

  At two o'clock they set off leisurely for Lindsey's, Terry quiet, theMajor jovial at the prospect of a drive at the wild boar. They joggedthrough the hot afternoon over a trail winding under a canopy offoliage shrill with the plaint of myriad insect life. An hour out andthe Major was nearly unseated as his pony shied violently from athree-foot iguana that scurried across their path in furious haste.Farther into the woods, and they drew rein, listening to the mystictone of a Bogobo agong rung at minute intervals: Terry judged the gongto be six miles distant westward, the Major contended for half a mile,north of them. Such is the weird quality of the agong in the forest.

  At four o'clock they drew up at Lindsey's roomy, thatched house set inthe middle of his clearing and in a few minutes Lindsey, soaked withperspiration, hurried out of the tall growth of hemp ripening in hissouth field.

  "I feared you might not be able to make it," he smiled. "You can nevertell what the next day may bring you Constabulary fellows!"

  He called his head native, a stocky Visayan, and ordered him to startthe beaters out, explaining to his guests that they would take theirplaces in an hour. The three then strolled through the streets of thelittle village Lindsey had built for his laborers and their families,a double row of neat bamboo huts, grass roofed, of which he was veryproud. Returning, they passed a huge machine rusting under a roughshed, Lindsey's ill-fated hemp machine, introduced a little too earlyto an ignorant people.

  Lindsey unlocked a trunk and brought out three high-powered rifles,two of them borrowed, contrary to the law of a land where firearmsmust be zealously protected against falling into hostile hands. He ledthe way through the long rows of abaca which drooped listless frondsin the quivering heat, and into the cool woods which surrounded hisfields. They went on for a half-hour into deeper jungle, emerging intoa strip of natural clearing from which they could hear the beatersconverging toward them. Lindsey stationed Terry at the left end of thebreak, Bronner in the center where the shooting should be best,himself taking the right end.

  As the beaters approached, crashing the underbrush and shoutinglustily, the three stood motionless, guns ready: the suspense grewtense and the beaters grew silent as they hurried, unseen, from theline of fire. A moment of dead silence, then Lindsey heard to hisright a dry twig snap and turning saw a big boar slip out from thebrush and pause, its ugly tusks foam-flecked. His heavy gun crashed,the boar leaped convulsively across the clearing, falling at a secondshot. As it dropped he whirled to cover a big buck which sped acrosshis field of fire: as it fell he heard the cracking of a lighterweapon to his right and thought, as he shot again and again, that hisguests were not being disappointed in their sport.

  It was fast work while it lasted. Lindsey inspected with keensatisfaction the bag of two pigs and one deer that had fallen to hisgun: he had missed one boar and another, which he had wounded, hadescaped down the trail which led to his house. He turned to see howhis friends had fared.

  The Major was known as a crack shot but no game lay before him.Approaching him, surprised, Lindsey saw that he was absent-mindedlyputting his rifle at safe the while he stared at Terry.

  "Major, I'm sorry you had no chances--" Lindsey began but the Majorinterrupted him.

  "Chances! Chances? Sus-marie-hosep! Some of those pigs almost ran upmy breeches!" He was as nearly excited as Lindsey had ever seen him,and they had served together in a Kansas regiment.

  "Lindsey, I'm sure glad you asked me to come--I've seen somethingworth seeing. I've seen him shoot!"

  He pointed to Terry. His borrowed rifle stood nearby against a treeand he was busy clipping fresh ammunition into his pistol magazines.Five wild pigs lay in front of him near the opposite side of theclearing. Lindsey looked his unbelief.

  "Yes, he did!" asserted the Major. "I watched him do it--that's why Idrew a blank. Five pigs, five shots,--and after each shot he holsteredthe gun till the next pig hove in sight! I've seen good shooting, butsuch drawing--such certainty--

  "Sus-marie-hosep!" he wound up, lamely.

  Terry, having replenished his magazine, clipped it into the bigautomatic with a deft snap, and turned round toward them. Noting theirattitude, he colored boyishly.

  "Pretty lucky, wasn't I?" he said.

  "Yes," agreed the Major, drily, "you were pretty lucky!"

  The beaters had come up. Lindsey ordered them to carry the game fordistribution among his villagers. The sun was dipping behind the hillsas the three started back the trail through the dense woods, Lindseyleading the way and searching for signs of the wounded boar. Every fewrods he found a pool of blood where it had paused in flight.

  They entered the deep shadow cast by the spread of a great banyan treefrom whose thick branches a score of accessory trunks were sent downto seek root in the soil. Rooting, they grew into smooth, heavysupports for the wide-spread limbs which towered above the surroundingforest. Terry paused a moment in the twilight of the tree, studyingappreciatively the miniature forest of trunks parented by the oneancient growth. Suddenly a warning cry escaped his lips as he saw oneof the long dark trunks, a foot in diameter, loosen from a branchwhere it hung suspended high over the Major's head.

  "LOOK OUT, MAJOR!"

  He leaped forward, expecting to find the Major crushed, butinvoluntarily halted midway in his stride as the heavy trunk, landingat the Major's feet with a slithering thud, writhed a terrible lengthinto massive folds. No eye could follow the inconceivably swiftcontortions that wrapped the Major in a triple fold.

  Two heavy coils prisoned his legs, a third passed round his back upover his right shoulder to curve to the trail in front of him and rearagain in a length which terminated in a massive head poised six feetfrom the Major's blanched face. Demon-eyed, unwinking, its thin lipsbisected the thick-boned jaws in frightful, moist grimace.

  Lindsey, horror-stricken, stood helpless while the hammer headcatapulted at the sickened face of its victim. The Major's free leftarm, raised instinctively to blot out the sight of the living horror,took the terrific impact, then dropped to his side, paralyzed. Stillbearing that hideous grin the flat head drew back for another blow atthe exposed face. The Major, faint with the terror of his helplessnessand the crushing weight of the quivering masses of muscle about him,would have fallen but for their dread support. His consciousness fastdeserting him, fascinated, he watched the monstrous leer as the headdrew farther back, poised. He felt the agonizing pressure as thegreat muscles steeled for the blow, and in the moment before hissenses departed, heard two crashing shots that sounded from behindhim. With the smashing reports the poised head thudded to the ground,the folds fell from about him and he slid down among the greatquivering coils.

  Recovering consciousness, the horror crept back into his face butreceded when he saw Terry standing by him. Still faint and sick hestruggled to his feet, leaning against the trunk of the banyan andstamping his feet weakly to restore the still numb legs. Terry helpedhim hobble over to where the Bogobos, who had come up at the shots,were grouped about the dead monster. Lindsey, kneeling to examine thehead of the great reptile, struck a match to point out the jaggedwounds that had shattered the base of the head.

  "Cut the spinal cord," he explained quietly. He was as pale as theMajor. "Any other wound, even fatal,--it's death struggles wouldhave--I hate to think of it, Major."

  At the Major's questioning look he pointed toward Terry: "He shot it.Pistol."

  The Major surveyed Terry steadfastly, striving for appropriateexpression of what was in his heart.

  Then, "Terry,
I am much obliged. If I ever--if ever you--I'm muchobliged!"

  It was dark when they reached the house. Later they heard thetriumphant shouts which announced the arrival in the village of themen bearing the carcass of the snake, which had haunted theneighborhood for a generation. The celebration of its passing lastedfar into the night. After dinner Lindsey and Terry strolled to thevillage to measure the python, and Lindsey ordered it skinnedimmediately.

  You may still see the trophy in the Davao Club, its scaly lengthstretched along the molding on two sides of the library, where theMajor asked Lindsey to place it with this legend:

  This python attacked Major John Bronner, P.C., on the Lindsey Plantation.

  Length................24 feet, 9 inches Greatest diameter.............14 inches

  Major Bronner owes his life to the wonderful pistol marksmanship of his friend,

  Lieut. Richard Terry, P.C.

  The ride home through the dewy night stiffened the Major's soremuscles and strained joints intolerably. Terry called in the HealthOfficer, fat Doctor Merchant, who looked him over and pronounced himuninjured, leaving some vile-smelling liniment. The Major winced underMatak's too efficient rubbing of bruised areas.

  "Horse dope!" he snorted.

  Later, dozing, he waked to see Terry's door close and open again aftera few minutes. Puzzled as on the preceding night, he fell asleep overthe problem.

  * * * * *

  Governor Mason had dropped the Major at Davao while he went on toMati, planning to return for a short stop at Davao in forty-eighthours, but as they finished their leisurely breakfast they heard thewhistle of his cutter approaching Davao from the south.

  "Wonder what's up," said the Major. "He's twelve hours ahead of hisschedule."

  They walked slowly to the dock, the Major still stiff-legged, arrivingjust as the launch was lowered over the side of the trim white boatwhich lay anchored a half-mile offshore. As the launch neared shorethey saw the Governor standing on the stern seat.

  He stepped up on to the little dock and greeted the Major, then turnedhis smile upon Terry, apologizing:

  "I planned to spend a day here with you all, but have been recalled.As usual my departure from the capitol was the signal for a dato tostart a row!"

  A group of officials and more prominent natives had gathered at thepier. He shook hands with each, calling each by name, then gatheredthe officials about him in a brief conference which disclosed hisgrasp of conditions in the Gulf. At the end of the short discussion hedrew Terry aside.

  "No trouble yet with that gang of roughs--with Malabanan?"

  "No, sir."

  The Governor's face bore a look Terry had not seen in it, anunrelenting determination, a grimness: "Major Bronner has told you howI want this matter handled?"

  "Yes, sir. Wait, let him make the first move, then move againstthem."

  "Exactly! I want to demonstrate for all time that this province is asunhealthy now for criminals as during Army days!"

  For a moment he studied Terry keenly, then his gaze traveled over thesplendid vista of the Gulf appreciatively, mounting higher and highertill it rested on Apo's dim crest. A moment and he turned to Terryagain, to find that he, too, was lost in a rapt contemplation of theHills.

  "Lieutenant, some day ... somehow...."

  "Yes, Governor."

  The Major fidgeted uncomfortably in the presence of the two dreamers.Two short blasts of the cutter's whistle restored the Governor's urbanmanner. In a minute he and the Major had said their good-bys and werebobbing over the little seas toward the ship.

  The group of Americans and natives split up as they returned towardthe town but Terry lingered at the dock watching the cutter as it gotunder way and raced toward the horizon, leaving a white ribbon of wakeon the blue gulf waters. Three large bancas were approaching theshore, belated fishermen returning with the night's catch: a fleetvinta, bearing Moro traders, bore toward Samal, its little sailglaring white in the actinic sunlight: the morning air was hot andfilled with the heavy odors of sea and shore. It was a fair spot,Davao, productive, peaceful.... He looked up the coast toward thenorth where Malababan had settled with his unsavory crew.

  * * * * *

  He spent the day at the _cuartel_, correcting all the little defectsthe Major's stiff inspection had uncovered. The Macabebes respondedeagerly--they, too, wanted to be perfect. They felt trouble in theair, scented impending combat, and Macabebes thrive on combat.Sergeant Mercado, veteran of seven campaigns in Samar and Cavite,drilled them tirelessly, his eyes afire with the old fighting glint.And that night he donned his starchiest uniform, pinned on his brightservice medals, and made the round of the tiendas, throwing chests atthe black-haired girls behind the counters. Great fighting blood isusually great loving blood.

  * * * * *

  Terry ate dinner alone. The house seemed too big without the Major.Restless, reading failed of its usual absorption. After a while hetook up a letter the last mail had brought from Deane and reread it.

  DEAR DICK:--

  Your letter telling of transfer to the Moro Province has just come. I had to study the map to find out where it is! If it means advancement I am glad--though we had all hoped that when you left Sorsogon it would be to come home.

  Your letters are so funny, so interesting. You write such nice things about the natives that I am becoming fond of them too. But the other day I read an article written by a cynical woman who has lived in the Islands only a few months. I read part of it to father, the part which says that "the Filipinos are a worthless, shiftless, lazy people; improvident, untrustworthy and immoral!" After I had read that he thought a moment and then said:

  "Well, Deane, people are just about the same as that around here!"

  Everything is going about as usual around Crampville. They are tearing down the old watering trough in the square--it is a nuisance to automobiles. They had some trouble over on the South Side last week among the foreigners but Father Jennings smoothed things out. He told me that he has a harder time keeping them contented since you left. I learned from him that you used to spend a good deal of your time among them, that they idolized you.... Why did you never talk to me about such things, Dick?

  Bruce is earning a great reputation but insists on staying in Crampville. He has been called to Albany twice during the month to perform some special operation. He finds time to run in on us nearly every day.

  Susan and Ellis do not change: they are quite the happiest couple we have--though they both do miss you terribly.

  You never mention the native girls. Are they attractive, lovely? Do not let one of them fascinate you. We need you here, Dick,--Susan and Ellis, Father Jennings, the foreigners--all of us.

  DEANE.

  His deft fingers fumbled as he folded the letter and locked it in thedrawer. Vainly smoothing at the lock of hair which always stuck outfrom the crown of his head, he stared vacantly at the lamp shade,oblivious to the entrance of the silent, morose Matak, who carried thebottle of boiled drinking water into the bedroom and then went out forthe night.

  A hoarse ghekko lizard croaked its raucous six-song from a rafteroverhead: a giant bat flapped through an open window, fluttered,crazy-winged, thrice about the big room and blundered through anotherwindow into the night: the low voweled voices of native passersbyfloated up from the dark street.

  But Terry heard nothing, nor felt the scent-laden breezes which rousedthe heat-soaked town to life.... He was walking up Main Street again,with rifle and snowshoes and fox, of a Sunday morning just as theheavy church doors swung wide to the emerging congregation....

  A strong gust flickered the lamp. He rose, slid shut the exposedwindow and returned to his desk. In a few moments he took pen
andpaper, and wrote.

  DEANE-DEAR:--

  Your letters come to me across the thousands of miles of land and sea, carried by sooty train and boat, buried in a dross of mail in prosy canvas sacks: I open them with the delight one feels when he brushes aside the mat of damp and frosty withered leaves to find the timid beauty of arbutus.

  You think, perhaps, you might grow fond of these people? I know that you would love this Gulf as I do. The humid heat of the day oppresses me but little: I love the sparkling hours of dawn, the cool of the evenings; the great tangled stretches of green which clothe the slopes from sea to the edge of the mountains that loom gray in the distance, like the rim of the world. And I like the courageous planters, toiling that the world may have its hemp: the young-old wild tribes, emerging from their primitive mental shallows, a bit bewildered, pathetic.

  Yes, I think that you would like it all, too, though--sometimes--I am not quite sure.

  The mountains are not like our Vermont hills: more rugged, wilder, more--what shall I say!--unsolved.... Thinking of the home hills I can almost conceive the vast significance of the word "eternity": but thoughts of these primeval hills sweeps my mind backward, to the infinity of creation. Untamed, untraveled, mysterious by day as by night, they threaten as they beckon.

  Nearly every evening, near sundown, I see a pair of wild pigeons homing toward the crest of Apo. "Limocons," the Bogobos call them--"leem-o-sahns": the word falls limpid from their lips, unaccented. They say the limocon never was heard to sing in the lowlands, and tell a strange legend that it is an oracle of the Hill People, its song a harbinger of good or evil tidings.

  An old Bogobo woman told me of this one night, in a little foothill village, when the spell of dusk had unlocked her lips: and she told, whisperingly, of twice having heard the Giant Agong of the Hill dwellers, once when she was a child, again when she was grandmother to nineteen. I wish you could have been there to watch and to listen: sitting near the fire in front of her hut, surrounded by a circle of almost naked wildmen who moved, uneasy, she told quaveringly of how the booming tones had rumbled down the forested slopes, and of how ill had befallen her people both times; when she ceased, they stood breathless, their whole beings strained to catch the dread sound none but she had ever heard. Yes, she moved me, queerly ... I scarce know why.

  I am lonely--a little--at times. But who is not? Yet I have my work to keep me busy, usually happy. Just now I am facing less pleasant duty--but it is, I fear, a work that must be done. It is good to know that one is needed, as I am here,--just now.

  But never a day is born or dies but that I miss you all, as I love you all ... Susan and Ellis, Father Jennings, the foreigners ... all of you.

  DICK.