Page:Weird Tales v01n01 (1923-03).djvu/173

172 I saw the whole business, and it was some fight, I can tell you. Rocks and chunks of wood were flying in all directions, and they were clubbing one another in great shape. As far as I could judge, they were roughly divided into two lots, but it was pretty much of a mix-up.

"But there was one old gray fellow that look my fancy rather. He seemed to be the chief egger-on. Whenever things looked like calming down a bit, he stirred them up again by means of a number of curious calls. I could not quite make out what part he was playing, or what side he favored, for he seemed to keep pretty well outside of the fight, only concerning himself with those that went down. He finished them up in the most methodical manner as they lay. And if two were attacking one he would throw himself in on the side of the two to help finish the odd fellow—and then he seemed to set the remaining two fighting one another I think he gave false signals at times. At any rate, he was the freshest of the three or four survivors when it was all over. And then they sat down and had a kind of powwow."

Norton glanced again at Meldrum, who smiled at him slightly, the said to Needham:

"Really? How very extraordinary that you should witness all this. Did they not attempt to molest you?"

"No," said Needham, with his evil smile. "They didn't attempt to interfere with us—didn't seem to mind me at all, which is rather unusual for them, for they are shy of humans as a rule. I stood on a big boulder and watched the whole business. The old chap had his eye on me, but either he understood fire arms (I had my rifle and revolver, of course), or else I was lucky when I imitated some of his peculiar noises. He seemed quite scared when I came away with one of his favorite calls, and when they finally cleared out, after covering up the dead with branches and leaves, he gave me a most significant look-seeming to beg that I would not give him away.

"At least that's how it appealed to me. And, strangely enough I was instrumental in capturing the very same animal later on, together with some others during a hunt. I lured them to a certain spot by that very noise."

He had thrown himself down in his easy chair again, and as he laughed afresh his crooked yellow teeth uncovered, and his little eyes glittered unpleasantly. Meldrum was filled with a strong sense of repulsion.

"What was that particular noise like?" Norton struck in for the first time.

Needham put down his glass and laying his head back slightly, made a peculiar kind of clucking gurgle in his throat. In an instant, from the corner behind Norton's chair, came a shrill chatter of terror, and a little red figure hurried across the floor and dived below the table. Norton almost dropped his glass, and Meldrum gave a startled exclamation. Needham alone was calm.

"Ah Fifi, you rascal!" he said. "Did I scare you again? That's too bad. Come here."

A small long-tailed monkey, clad in a little red jacket, came slowly from below the table and advanced timidly toward Needham, who spoke coaxingly to it, and finally made a kind of rippling noise with his tongue that seemed to reassure it, for it jumped on the arm of his chair and sat quietly blinking at the visitors. Needham tickled its head with his large forefinger.

"I bought Fifi from an Italian," he said, noting his guests' look of astonishment. "She is good company—catches flies, switches the lights on and off, and does other useful things—eh, Fifi?"

The little animal looked up at him intelligently, and with a sudden movement Needham wound his great fingers about its throat. With a plaintive cry, the little creature made futile efforts to tear away the strong hand about its neck, plucking frantically with its small paws.

"Don't!" said Norton in a sharp voice. "I can't bear to see animals tormented."

"I'm not hurting her." said Needham, removing his hand. "She's a nervous little thing and must be taught not to