Terry / A Tale of the Hill People

down to join him. As Governor Mason alighted to meet him Terry felt the magnetism of the man who had been selected to attempt the difficult Moro venture. Governor Mason had grown up i

erican regime. A press bitterly hostile to the idea of giving the Moros civil government had attested to his

ple from their prehistoric lethargy. He was fit to lead; the sweep of line from temple through jaw bespoke an uncompromising force of character, but was gentled by the deep cleft of chin: somet

nd over which they sped: they shot under groves of tall cocoanut trees, past clumps of feathery bamboo which flanked the highway. Dusk w

the Governor and the Major. While expressing his pleasure in being privileged to entertain Terry, he bent upon him the searching look of appraisal which is i

great curves into the dark groves of cocoanut palms which surrounded the inclosure on three sides and extended back a thousand acres in symmetrical rows of towering trunks which created endless shaded glades: tu

its Moro inmates, was Wade's life. "Lieutenant, I am

a lingering look around him. Returning to th

he barren needs of bachelors. I wish you had mor

ead decisively.

etticoats

tray bearing four cocktails: in a mom

our! An unusual showing, Wade." He

care for it

slightly: "That was not quite ho

r exchanged a glance of delighted appr

ion of beach sounds. They ate leisurely, talking of the strange things of Sululand, talked as men do who find surpassing in

aky substance of a lapu-lapu,-don't! For once you do, you will be forever impatient of the quality of all other fish. Roast duck followed, with sweet corn, camotes, tart ro

ffee. "Everything we ate to-night-with the exception of such things as salt and pepper and cream,-was the produ

undred Moro inmates. He stopped midway in a graphic account of three prisoners wh

n here to talk you to

nsisted the Major. "Di

gunnysack. I was sitting out here, so they came right up and without a word emptied the sack on the veranda floor. They had stayed out till they got h

r the Major m

ry. "How did the Philippines first impress

ut I did not find it. You know what I mean, sir: all that stuff about dulce far niente, manana, gin-soaked beach-combers,-that sort of thing. But I don't

ubtless have formed some opinion regarding t

ss as a nation, the profound ignorance of the masses, lack of a common tongue, and all that,-I think that in view of the fact that under our guidance they have advanced furthe

sir, I think that it would be a great injustice to th

his protégé was undergoing the Governor's test, "Don't mistake our drivin

erry with added interes

ed by the crunching sound of a heavy iron gate opening and closing with grating finality. The hourly call was sounded by a guard, who, unseen by them, paced the main entrance to the inclosure: "All's Well." It sounded six times from invisible lips. Terry p

ous expression of mirth from hundreds of throats, from men who found

ight," he explained. "They're

inmates. This was no dungeon, it was a school where men were being taug

oro servant, who stood just within the circle of light cast by the lamp, his smoldering eyes fixed upon him. Unabashed, inscrutable, he

s monotone that contrasted strangely with the determined gleam of his black eyes. Surprise flooded Wade's face, heightened to a

e prophesied. He searched Terry's thin fa

ld not accept refusal: he just stayed on. He is a fine servant, but a queer fish-I let him stay for both reasons! I've tried to persuade him to go to different friends who needed servants, but he looked them

in study Terry's countenance queerly, "now

ive of a primitiveness beyond conception. Evidently he had decided upon a course of action from which nothing would sway him, and he waited until the white men

u wish to go with

eyes to Terry, then back to th

I like

you li

e understa

ands wha

-the unfortunate. Becaus

tenance: the primitive Moro had understood. Gazing at the white youth, the Governor

t, do you

nlisted: "Lieutenant, you will run yo

im in confident expectation, Terry f

me," he said. "I w

to one knee pressed Wade's hand against his lips in token of grat

on of what was opening up before him. The incident served to stifle further conversation. The four settled comfortably into the l

muttered excuse but before he had crossed to the open door it rang again, insistent. They heard his

Hornbecker reports that there is a jura

ernor's feet rapped to the floor: the

er heard of a Moro running a

a detachment out after him but was worried because the Governor

d decidedly: "We will not

the Governor. They hurried to the car, Wade delaying them a few seconds while he secured three heavy p

e provincial road. The big Renault roared through the night, the kilometer posts flitting by l

avoid a bewildered carabao which blocked the middle of the highway. A sickening skid, and they were back in the road. At the end of a roaring flight down a long straightaway they rounded a sharp curve into a short stretch terminating in a nipa village which seemed to leap toward the

d vowed to die killing, his eyes bloodshot with the self-inflicted torture of the juramentado rite. He balanced

nto the path of light, curious, half-blinded by the glare he faced. As he reached the m

do!! Juram

are. He wheeled, uncertain, then ran blindly towa

ar the Filipino's frantic burst had brought him within twenty feet of the black-clad fanatic. His flying feet lagged to

overy of the Mohammedan who leaped in his shadow, they saw the glistening blade rise above the Filipino's head and fall in

d face of the Moro showed through the

bbed the

ing a kris which no longer gleamed. Bronner had reached the road first and stood in front. His heav

ping the awful weapon. Then, as Matak stepped out to meet him, armed only with a hub wrench, Terry's right hand e

ify his claim to a choice seat in the Mohammedan heavens. There is

a round-faced officer, arrived with his soldiers. As the chauffeur had emerged from his hiding place in the brush, the Governor

ve him to the wharf. The Francesca was about to cast off, he

as drowned in a sudden rumble of winch. Two waiting sailors threw off the hawser in response to a shouted signal from the bridge. T

e Governor asked: "What was that he w

"It was something about how queer religions

hard the affair got him? Of cour

know that he has had a horror of some day being compelled to kill a man-and the d

nce. Wade dropped the Major at his bungalow, and sat

Matak's selecting Terry for

jor, "I would go with