The Law of the Bolo

TT, CAPTAIN BASIL HAYLE, A

r’s churchwarden in a suburban church—he looked almost ridiculous when he landed on the quay at Igut, attired in a very tight khaki suit, with an immense khaki-coloured helmet on his head. At least,

he was not anxious to have Basil back in Manila, telling all men of what had happened on the mountain-side. Consequently, he had sent Basil fifty fresh men—from the Island of Samar, like those who had been killed—and had ordered him to proceed to the northern side of the range, and build a regular stockaded camp in the neighbourhood o

nish merchant, had told him all about the lives they led—of the mestiza girls at the other end of the town, and the drinking bouts in the spirit shop at the corner of the plaza; with the result that Basil had considered himself perfectly justified in taking the part of Mrs [116]Bush against all the others, in showing his respect for her, and his scorn

like Felizardo’s mountains, where Death is stalking by your side all day, squatting just outside the circle of firelight at night, conventions are apt to lose much of their force. Basil Hayle was in love with Mrs Bush. That would have been very wicked elsewhere, possibly it was wicked in Igut; but w

e had sat down, and drilled his little brown men, and taught them to shoot, and, incidentally, taught them to love him above everything else on earth, and had waited patiently for the coming of Felizardo, or the ladrones, or the head-hunters, or any one else who was in search of trouble, being tired of looking for trouble for himself. Yet, all the time, he was thinking of Mrs Bush, wishing he could write, but not writing for fear of the letter going astray; though, h

Gobbitt turned angrily to John Mackay. “Most scandalous thing! You should have wa

an employé, a mere paid person, smoking in his presence, as Mackay had already divined.

f an unusually vigorous dog-and-pig fight, none of the combatants in which was over-clean. “Most scandalous thing,” he repeated, “most scandalous! I wonder what

he spirit shop with a jerk of his thumb. He was passing on, to see if there were any mails on the launch, when Mackay stopped

o up to the house together. It is only a step. I suppose you’re not going on. No? Well, you must

ddition to that, he had understood instantly that the stranger must be a man of position, probably a weal

her. Amongst men, even amongst those of far better social position than himself, he was able to hold his own by reason of a certain aggressive strength of charac

usiness to discuss,” she said, “so I will leave you till

the Scout officer’s skilful handling, he began to thaw, and finally unfolded the whole of his scheme. After all, he told himself, why not? This American

d it would be most unwise to venture on any interference at that stage. Later on, perhaps, there might be a chance of turning the affair to account; but at the moment it was safer merely to provide the carriers and equipment for which Mr Gumpertz asked, and detail half a dozen Scouts to go al

apsed into silence. When she rose to leave the room, somehow she had to open the door for herself, whereat sh

re. Ever seen a Filipino town at night? No, I don

h Captain Bush had insisted before dinner; it may have been the native spirit which the Supervisor suggested he should taste; but whatever the cause, time seemed to pass very quickly indee

ere vague also, but of two things he was certain—that he had a splitting headache, and that the beauty of the [122]mestizas was not overrated. When Captain Bus

her white with passion. She was used to her husband’s ways—but her guest! It was absolutely abominable. Mr Gobbitt, on his part, was thankful for her absence

n ride so far in a bullock-cart”—Mr Gobbitt had declined the offer of a horse

he thought of the profits he would make out of the

ente, and Mr Gobbitt breathed more freely. He was anxious to get awa

had meant to ask before. “Did you ever meet a son of my late partner, Dunk—Albe

have gone in that way, too. I wonder old Gumpertz didn’t suggest it?…. No, very little news of that sort drifts across the m

wn at the edge of the cocoa-nut grove, lit a cigar, and puffed away contentedly. A few minutes later, a little man, clad in blue jean and we

ing, Senor

is—I am going round this side of his mountain and across the pass with an Englishman. There

l leave the Senor alone, as always. Only

valley. Not on to h

will go;” and the outlaw disapp

more explicit as to his exact destination, in which case the

turally-silent person seemed to consider wearisome persistency; yet he liked the climb over the pass still less; and when they reached the northern valley, he insisted on a rest of two days, despite the protests of John Mackay, who urged: “Why, it’s on

l go straight on. I see no [125]reason for wasting time goi

an accurate idea of the whole area. On the fifth morning their task was practically complete. Mackay’s verdict was wholly favourable. “It’s valuable land,” he said—“as goo

rdo?” the merc

the direction of the mountains. “H

me that all that sort of thing has been

loyer, and I have come here merely to advise you on the nature of the land;” and,

mpertz, he would be making an extra-ordinarily good bargain. He forgot the trials of the journey, that horrible cart, his sore feet and aching limbs; and thought only of what those trials would bring him ultimately. They we

d ever seen. There was not a soul in sight, and, as the carriers f

the Scotchman, and he clambered on to the veranda of the largest house, a dilapidated place of some size, pulled aside the matting at

whilst Mr Gobbitt’s jaw dropped suddenly. “What … what

chman’s temper was up. “There’re a dozen heads hanging up inside, if yo

e bolos, appeared on the edge of the clearing. “Up here, all of you.” Mackay grasped the situation instantly, but,

iers assisted him, he would have been in a bad case, for the l

venting any rush; then Mackay himself took one of the carbines, and dropped a head-h

ey will attack. They will not try and burn the place because of th

in the walls, although, as he told himself, six carbines an

nd both his coat and trousers were torn. “It’s disgraceful,” he said, “absolutely disgraceful! I shall repo

t to come; but, in spite of that, when the merchant had recovered sufficiently to ask questions, he spoke hopefull

tered his fear, and he sat up suddenly

ite possible,” he said dryly. “And if we had taken a sligh

h undesirable inhabitants, of his deposit which he might not return to claim. Then he happened to glance upwards and receive

e other man’s almost incoherent utterance, he reached up and pulled down the trophy, which he placed beneath a blanket in the corner

out of it,” he repeated. “And then we’ll get Bas

w?” the merchan

o, we must stay here, and chance beating them off when they at

doubtful whether Mr Joseph Gobbitt, lying in the corner, was conscious of the passage of time. His thoughts were just one long nightmare, [130]in which Albert Dunk’s head, Commissioner Gumpertz, two dead carriers outside, and a bearer cheque for six thousand dollars played the principal parts. Once

d not expect to see it rise again. “The attack will come soon now,” he remark

ss last Sunday. There was a girl who asked me to meet her afterwards

ill kill them all soon after sunset.” There was a pe

to being disobeyed; moreover, he had a very kindly feeling towards John Mackay, who had once do

that, because I left them unpunished last time, I shall do the same again. Go down now, at once, and tell Manuel to make them withdraw, and then go to the Constabulario at Sila

ll awaiting the attack; and an hour after dawn John Mackay caught sight of Captain

we should be all right,” he said peevishly to Mackay; “I never thought they were in earnest”; then he remembered the t

back to his stockade, to rest for a day or two. That evening, whilst Mr Gobbitt was having a much-needed wash and change, Mackay turned sudde

e cigar he was cutting. “Than

ter, in fact, that he could discuss matters calmly. “And did yo

but Lieutenant Stott at Catarman told me, and I saw the copy of the report he sent to the Commission. He asked permission to

one else will look at, because of these abominable persons who tried to take my head; or else I shall not come back at all, and they will keep the depos

he Islands are at peace; and yet two men are killed actually in my presence, and no arrests are made. Whilst the head of my late partner’s son is used as a tr

ute you should have come, only in that case Stott w

ulate, when he demanded to see the Acting-Consul i

bitt? You look a bit thinner—yes, a

reupon the Acting-Consul put his feet on th

attention. When it was finished, he drew a deep breath. [134]“You had a lucky escape, a very lucky escape;” there was no lev

ir?” It was the voice of the Britis

unknown in America—against that of a high official. And I take it—I must speak plainly—you offered something in the nature of a bribe. You did? A present

w about my deposit of six thousand d

lect it,” answered the Co

t succeed.” Again there was

y we hope they succeed. Still,

Consul, when [135]the visitor had departed. “Proper murder trick. Seems to ha

ok wearily. “Serve him right. He sho

Palace, presently returning with a grave face. “They know nothing about any such sum, si

e gave it to me himself! T

is head. “They ar

n it?” the manager a

annot say I did. He went into another room. But your cashier ca

“It was a large sum, and I should not have handed it to a str

136]of twelve hundred pounds,” he groaned, fanning himself with his handkerchief the wh

est. Come in again to-morrow, Mr Gobbitt. Meanwhile, if I wer

traced several of the notes,” he said. “In each case they have come from most questionable place

I went to bed very early, as I w

the tone. “So no one saw you

o insinuate, sir, that I myself passed those notes at those infamous place

uss, the Commissioners will quickly prove that you were. They will get police, native officials, and perhaps even a native judge or

ncerning Mr Gobbitt, the head-hunters, and Felizardo, the

hey’ll never believe anything to the old man

had one of his men wounded by a spear thrown in the darkness. Then he went back to his stockade at Silang, where he sat down, and thought of Felizardo and of C