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〃They wanted Brevet…Colonel Willie to get into a carriage and be drawn by prominent citizens and some of the city aldermen to the armory； but he stuck to his company and marched at the head of it up Sam Houston Avenue。 The buildings on both sides was covered with flags and audiences； and everybody hollered 'Robbins！' or 'Hello； Willie！' as we marched up in files of fours。 I never saw a illustriouser…looking human in my life than Willie was。 He had at least seven or eight medals and diplomas and decorations on the breast of his khaki coat； he was sunburnt the color of a saddle； and he certainly done himself proud。
〃They told us at the depot that the courthouse was to be illuminated at half…past seven； and there would be speeches and chili…con…came at the Palace Hotel。 Miss Delphine Thompson was to read an original poem by James Whitcomb Ryan； and Constable Hooker had promised us a salute of nine guns from Chicago that he had arrested that day。
〃After we had disbanded in the armory； Willie says to me：
〃'Want to walk out a piece with me？'
〃'Why； yes；' says I； 'if it ain't so far that we can't hear the tumult and the shouting die away。 I'm hungry myself；' says I； 'and I'm pining for some home grub； but I'll go with you。'
〃Willie steered me down some side streets till we came to a little white cottage in a new lot with a twenty…by…thirty…foot lawn decorated with brickbats and old barrel…staves。
〃'Halt and give the countersign；' says I to Willie。 'Don't you know this dugout？ It's the bird's…nest that Joe Granberry built before he married Myra Allison。 What you going there for？'
〃But Willie already had the gate open。 He walked up the brick walk to the steps； and I went with him。 Myra was sitting in a rocking…chair on the porch； sewing。 Her hair was smoothed back kind of hasty and tied in a knot。 I never noticed till then that she had freckles。 Joe was at one side of the porch； in his shirtsleeves； with no collar on； and no signs of a shave； trying to scrape out a hole among the brickbats and tin cans to plant a little fruit…tree in。 He looked up but never said a word； and neither did Myra。
〃Willie was sure dandy…looking in his uniform； with medals strung on his breast and his new gold…handled sword。 You'd never have taken him for the little white…headed snipe that the girls used to order about and make fun of。 He just stood there for a minute； looking at Myra with a peculiar little smile on his face； and then he says to her； slow； and kind of holding on to his words with his teeth：
〃'Oh； I don't know！ Maybe I could if I tried！'
〃That was all that was said。 Willie raised his hat； and we walked away。
〃And； somehow； when he said that； I remembered； all of a sudden； the night of that dance and Willie brushing his hair before the looking… glass； and Myra sticking her head in the door to guy him。
〃When we got back to Sam Houston Avenue； Willie says：
〃'Well； so long； Ben。 I'm going down home and get off my shoes and take a rest。'
〃'You？' says I。 'What's the matter with you？ Ain't the court…house jammed with everybody in town waiting to honor the hero？ And two brass…bands； and recitations and flags and jags and grub to follow waiting for you？'
〃Willie sighs。
〃'All right； Ben；' says he。 'Darned if I didn't forget all about that。'
〃And that's why I say；〃 concluded Ben Granger； 〃that you can't tell where ambition begins any more than you can where it is going to wind up。〃
THE HEAD…HUNTER
When the war between Spain and George Dewey was over； I went to the Philippine Islands。 There I remained as bushwhacker correspondent for my paper until its managing editor notified me that an eight…hundred… word cablegram describing the grief of a pet carabao over the death of an infant Moro was not considered by the office to be war news。 So I resigned； and came home。
On board the trading…vessel that brought me back I pondered much upon the strange things I had sensed in the weird archipelago of the yellow…brown people。 The manoeuvres and skirmishings of the petty war interested me not： I was spellbound by the outlandish and unreadable countenance of that race that had turned its expressionless gaze upon us out of an unguessable past。
Particularly during my stay in Mindanao had I been fascinated and attracted by that delightfully original tribe of heathen known as the head…hunters。 Those grim； flinty； relentless little men； never seen； but chilling the warmest noonday by the subtle terror of their concealed presence； paralleling the trail of their prey through unmapped forests； across perilous mountain…tops； adown bottomless chasms； into uninhabitable jungles； always near with the invisible hand of death uplifted； betraying their pursuit only by such signs as a beast or a bird or a gliding serpent might make…a twig crackling in the awful； sweat…soaked night； a drench of dew showering from the screening foliage of a giant tree； a whisper at even from the rushes of a water…level…a hint of death for every mile and every hour…they amused me greatly； those little fellows of one idea。
When you think of it； their method is beautifully and almost hilariously effective and simple。
You have your hut in which you live and carry out the destiny that was decreed for you。 Spiked to the jamb of your bamboo doorway is a basket made of green withes； plaited。 From time to time； as vanity or ennui or love or jealousy or ambition may move you； you creep forth with your snickersnee and take up the silent trail。 Back from it you come； triumphant； bearing the severed； gory head of your victim； which you deposit with pardonable pride in the basket at the side of your door。 It may be the head of your enemy； your friend； or a stranger； according as competition； jealousy； or simple sportiveness has been your incentive to labor。
In any case； your reward is certain。 The village men； in passing； stop to congratulate you； as your neighbor on weaker planes of life stops to admire and praise the begonias in your front yard。 Your particular brown maid lingers； with fluttering bosom； casting soft tiger's eyes at the evidence of your love for her。 You chew betel…nut and listen； content； to the intermittent soft drip from the ends of the severed neck arteries。 And you show your teeth and grunt like a water…buffalowhich is as near as you can come to laughing…at the thought that the cold； acephalous body of your door ornament is being spotted by wheeling vultures in the Mindanaoan wilds。
Truly； the life of the merry head…hunter captivated me。 He had reduced art and philosophy to a simple code。 To take your adversary's head； to basket it at the portal of your castle； to see it lying there； a dead thing； with its cunning and stratagems and power gone Is there a better way to foil his plots； to refute his arguments； to establish your superiority over his skill and wisdom？
The ship that brought me home was captained by an erratic Swede； who changed his course and deposited me； with genuine compassion； in a small town on the Pacific coast of one of the Central American republics； a few hundred miles south of the port to which he had engaged to convey me。 But I was wearied of movement and exotic fancies； so I leaped contentedly upon the firm sands of the village of Mojada； telling myself I should be sure to find there the rest that I craved。 After all； far better to linger there （I thought）； lulled by the sedative plash of the waves and the rustling of palm…fronds； than to sit upon the horsehair sofa of my parental home in the East； and there； cast down by currant wine and cake； and scourged by fatuous relatives； drivel into the ears of gaping neighbors sad stories of the death of colonial governors。
When I first saw Chloe Greene she was standing； all in white； in the doorway of her father's tile…roofed 'dobe house。 She was polishing a silver cup with a cloth； and she looked like a pearl laid against black velvet。 She turned on me a flatteringly protracted but a wiltingly disapproving gaze； and then went inside； humming a light song to indicate the value she placed upon my existence。
Small wonder： for Dr。 Stamford （the most disreputable professional man between Juneau and Valparaiso） and I were zigzagging along the turfy street； tunelessly singing the words of Auld Lang Syne to the air of Muzzer's Little Coal…Black Coon。 We had come from the ice factory； which was Mojada's palace of wickedness； where we had been playing billiards and opening black bottles； white with frost； that we dragged with strings out of old Sandoval's ice…cold vats。
I turned in sudden rage to Dr。 Stamford； as sober as the verger of a cathedral。 In a moment I had become aware that we were swine cast before a pearl。
〃You beast；〃 I said； 〃this is half your doing。 And the other half is the fault of this cursed country。 I'd better have gone back to Sleepy…town and died in a wild orgy of currant wine and buns than to have had this happen。〃
Stamford filled the empty street with his roaring laughter。
〃You too！〃 he cried。 〃And all as quick as the popping of a cork。 Well； she does se