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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b8e7d9f --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #66570 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66570) diff --git a/old/66570-0.txt b/old/66570-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3b0b625..0000000 --- a/old/66570-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1081 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Hunting License, by James V. McConnell - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Hunting License - -Author: James V. McConnell - -Release Date: October 19, 2021 [eBook #66570] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HUNTING LICENSE *** - - - - - HUNTING LICENSE - - By James V. McConnell - - Trophies from a big game hunt were highly - prized. So naturally Karsten and Thurman wanted - their guide to find a really choice criminal.... - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy - April 1955 - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -The helicopters buzzed lazily overhead like fat flies in a warm May -wind. - -"There they go. Right on time," said William Karsten III. His hunting -jacket shone bright red in the early morning sun as he moved out into -the open to watch the planes. - -"I do hope that they don't get airsick," replied Thomas Thurman from -his comfortable chair in front of the fire. He took a long stick and -began poking the embers closer to the coffee container. - -William Karsten turned around and looked at his companion. "Why in -heaven's name should you be so concerned about _them_?" he asked. The -early morning light on his brown-and-gray hair gave it a more youthful -appearance than it usually had. - -"They don't hunt very well when they're sick," said Thurman. "And -that of course, is my only concern for them." He smiled at his hunting -partner, then motioned him over to the fire. "Have a cup of coffee -while we're waiting." - -Karsten walked over to the center of the little forest clearing where -they had built the fire. "Might as well have a cup, I guess," he said. -His face, furrowed with deep lines that had taken half a life-time to -create, wore a slight frown. "But I wish that Emmett would get back. -What's the sense of hiring a hunting guide if he's not around to take -care of things for you? I'm getting hungry." - -Thurman laughed at him. "If you'd worry more about where we're going -to hunt instead of spending all your time thinking about your stomach, -we'd probably have better luck," he said. He poured a cup of sweet -brown coffee for both of them, then passed one of the cups to Karsten. -"Emmett probably couldn't get the Warden on the phone right away." -Thurman, who had once been something of an athlete, began to laugh, his -heavy-set body shaking gently with the expressed mirth. "If the worst -comes to the worst, Bill, we _could_ fix our own breakfast, you know." - -Karsten uttered a sigh. "Hunting just isn't what it used to be. -Sometimes I wonder why I bother to come out at all." He settled down -comfortably on a collapsible chair and looked around him. He could just -see the top of a tall metal fence a few hundred yards away--the stout -circle of steel that engirdled the Game Preserve, cutting it off from -the rest of the world. - -"You come hunting for the same reason that I do, Bill Karsten. Because -you love the thrill of the sport," Thurman told him. "Because there's -nothing like it in the world--the bright open air, the smell of a -green forest, and the pleasure of pitting yourself against the hunted. -That's why you come hunting." - -Karsten shrugged. "I suppose you're right, but--" He stopped in -mid-sentence, interrupted by the sound of trampled underbrush. "Oh, -here's Emmett back." - - * * * * * - -Emmett Packer, registered hunting guide, came from behind a clump of -bushes into the little clearing in the woods. His bright yellow hunting -jacket reflected a dazzling pattern of sunlight and shadows in striking -contrast to the man's weathered complexion and dark black hair. He -waved a muscular arm at his employers. - -"Sorry I took so long, boys," he said, walking towards them. "But I had -trouble getting the Warden on the car telephone. The line was busy." -Emmett poured himself a cup of coffee. "But I finally got ahold of him, -and he'll be along in a little while. And the horses are all lined up -for us at the Gate. So we shouldn't have any trouble at all." - -"Good," said Thurman. - -Emmett smiled, "And now, I suppose you boys would like a little -breakfast?" Emmett said it not quite as a question, but more as an -assertion of a known fact. - -"Of course, of course," said Karsten. "I'm starving. Got to have energy -to hunt, you know." He smiled jovially. - -Emmett set about opening canisters and boxes in preparation of the -meal. Thurman and Karsten leaned back in their comfortable chairs and -stared at the scenery. Overhead one last helicopter droned by. In the -tall forest grass a cricket chirped angrily. - -"How would you like your steaks?" asked Emmett. - -"Medium," said Thurman. - -"A little on the rare side, if you can manage it," said Karsten. "And -no onions for me. They give me indigestion." He glanced nervously at -his watch. "I wonder if I'll have time to call the office before the -Warden gets here?" - -Tom Thurman smiled. "Relax," he said. "Your office can take care of -itself for a change." - -"Well, I guess it can, but--" - -"Then why worry about it," said Thurman. "Forget it. Make the most of -your vacation. After all, it isn't every day in the year that you come -hunting humans, you know." - -Shrugging his shoulders for an answer, William Karsten relaxed again. -The aroma of the cooking meat permeated the morning breeze, mingling -with the subtler smells of pine and warm rich earth. In the nearby -trees birds sang out loud. - -"Wonder how many we'll get this year?" asked Thurman after a while. - -Emmett looked up from his chores. "If you boys will just follow my -directions, you'll get the limit." He smiled proudly. "My hunters -_always_ come back with the limit. You know that." - -Karsten harrumphed. "I saw some of the sorry specimens you dug up for -the Kilpatricks last year. And I must say," he continued, "they were -the poorest excuses for human beings I've ever seen." - -Emmett frowned and started to answer, but Thurman spoke first. "That -reminds me, Bill. If we bring back any bodies this year, Martha says -we'll have to wrap them up first." - -"What's the matter with Martha?" asked Karsten. "She doesn't really -object to the sight of naked bodies lashed to the front fenders of your -car, does she?" - -With a laugh, Thomas Thurman said, "No. Martha doesn't object to our -displaying the spoils of the hunt. But she says that last year the -blood spoiled the finish of the car. And I don't want to have it -repainted again this year." He sighed softly. "Just one of her whims, -I guess." - -"Breakfast is ready," said Emmett. - - * * * * * - -The high-pitched whine of rotor blades interrupted their meal. The -three men watched the bright blue helicopter drop slowly out of the -sky and come to a gentle landing at one edge of the clearing. Once the -plane's engine had stopped and the blades were no longer twirling, the -door to the air-craft opened and out stepped a rotund figure dressed -in a uniform the same sky-blue color as that of the plane. He bounced, -more than walked, towards the seated trio. - -"Good day! Good day, gentlemen!" the Warden called out as soon as he -was within earshot. "Oh, please don't get up on my account." - -Thurman motioned with one hand. "Have a seat, Warden. We're glad to see -you." - -The Warden plopped his pudgy body down in one of the chairs. "Thank -you," he said, his voice as round and as jolly as his appearance. -"Having breakfast, I see." He waved a hand "Oh, please don't offer me -anything to eat. I'm on a diet again." He sighed. - -Emmett rose to get the papers that the officer would want to see. -"How's the crop this year, Warden?" he asked. - -A frown crossed the fat man's face. "Fair. Just fair," he said. "I -can't understand it, really. A few years ago there were so many of -them." His face brightened a bit. "But, then, there's still enough to -go around, and that's the important thing. And, on the other hand, I -suppose that we ought to be happy--from the sociological point of view, -of course--that there just aren't as many criminals in our society -today as there used to be. It speaks well for us, don't you think?" - -William Karsten III made a slight noise with his tongue. "But it ruins -the hunting. You can't have a hunt unless you've got criminals to hunt -for." He turned to his companion. "You see, Tom," he said. "I told you -that it wouldn't be too good this year." - -"I wonder what's wrong with things nowadays that there just aren't -enough criminals?" mused Thurman. - -Emmett returned with the proper papers and handed them to the Warden. -The fat little man looked them over carefully, then handed them back -to the guide with a wave of his hand. "They look in excellent order," -he told Emmett. He turned to the hunters. "You have a good man here in -Emmett," he told them. Emmett favored the officer with a smile. - -Reaching inside his jacket, the Warden extracted a little box and -handed it to Emmett. "Here are the supersonic whistles, gentlemen, and -the crystals for your ear plugs so that you can hear them. Just be -sure to use them. Remember the first time you sight a quarry, give one -long toot on the whistle. If you hear nothing in your ear plugs, he's -yours to track down. But if you hear three short toots in answer, that -means that someone else beat you to him." The officer wagged a finger -at the two hunters. "And let's have no mistakes and no arguments, like -we have had in the past. Just follow the rules--blow your whistles -correctly--and everyone will have a fair chance at the game." - -Emmett fitted the slim crystals into the ear plugs. "They look a little -different this year," he said. - -"Oh, yes," the Warden told him. "We had to go much higher up on the -supersonic scale this time since we discovered that one of the quarries -last year could hear up to 22,000 cycles." He smiled jovially. "Can't -have the hunted hearing the whistles when they're being tracked down, -you know." - -Karsten wiped his lips with a napkin and then handed his empty plate to -the guide. "Any new rules this year, Warden?" he asked. - -"No, I think the only new thing we have this year is that hunting -jacket of yours, Mr. Karsten. It _is_ new, isn't it?" - -Karsten beamed. "Why, yes it is. Latest style, I think." He raised his -arms to display the brilliant red garment the better. "It's a new kind -of material. Guaranteed to be seen for half a mile, even at night." He -lowered his arms, then patted one of the chest pockets. "But the best -thing is that it's got a self-contained heating-cooling system built -right in. All you have to do is to turn the dial and you get whatever -weather you want." - - * * * * * - -The Warden looked impressed. "My," he said. "What won't they think of -next." He smiled again. "I imagine that the people you're going to be -hunting would give a pretty penny for one of those today. The weather -man says it's going to be a bit chilly tonight." - -Thurman lit a cigarette. "I guess it is rather hard on them, being -dumped in the middle of the Preserve completely naked, so to speak." He -sighed. "But then, they're criminals, after all." - -"That's right," said Karsten. "And remember, they've got their paint to -keep them warm," he added, laughing. - -The Warden snapped his fingers. "I'm glad you reminded me, Mr. -Karsten. The paint is a little different this year." - -Karsten looked surprised. "They haven't changed the signals, have -they?" he demanded. - -"Oh, no," said the Warden. "Black stripes painted all around the body -still mean he's an ordinary criminal, black and red alternating stripes -mean crimes of passion, and all red stripes used for the subversives, -of course. Just like always." - -Coughing discretely, the Warden continued. "What I meant was that after -the complaints we got last year we decided to use a _really_ indelible -paint so that not even a skilled surgeon could get it off." - -"Complaints?" asked Thurman. - -The warden gave a gigantic sigh. "That's right. It seems that some of -the hunters--not people like you, mind--but some of them have been -altering the color of the stripes after they've bagged their game." He -smiled. "And we can't have that, you know. It just isn't sporting. When -you display your trophies, you want all the glory that's coming to you. -_But_ no more than you actually deserve." - -Putting his hands on the arms of the chair, the Warden made a valiant -effort and managed, just barely, to remove his body from the comforting -confines of the chair. "Well," he said, "I must be off. Have a lot of -other hunters to see before the season opens." The two hunters rose and -shook hands with him. - -"Now, let's synchronize our watches before I leave," the officer said. -He peered closely at his timepiece. "It's now 7:23:05 by my official -clock. I got word on my plane radio just as I was landing that the -criminals were dropped in the center of the Preserve at 7:03 exactly." -He looked up. "The season opens at ten sharp. I'll see you at the Gate -before then, of course." He turned around and bounced towards the -plane. Before shutting the door to the air-craft, he gave them a final -wave of his hand. - -"Good hunting," he called. - - * * * * * - -A little past ten the three men were riding their horses across the -gentle plain that led to the mountains in the center of the Preserve. -They had passed through the gates with scores of other hunters the -moment the season was officially opened. - -"Emmett," said Thurman, jogging along on his large horse. "Are you -still going to insist on taking us down to that little pass first of -all?" - -Emmett reined his horse in between the mounts ridden by the two -hunters. "Well, I don't want to seem pig-headed about it, boys," he -told them. "But that's where I think the hunting will be best this time -of day." - -"Nonsense," Karsten told him. "I was talking to Morris Overman about -it just last week. And he said he had his best luck over by that big -waterfall--you know the one, Emmett. It has lots of trees around it." - -Emmett raised his eyebrows, as if in disdain, "Oh, I know the one, all -right. And Mr. Overman is a pretty lucky hunter, too. But I think--" - -Thurman interrupted him. "If you want _my_ opinion," he said, "We'll do -well to try it down in that little valley just the other side of the -Leaning Stone." He waved a magazine at them. "There's an article on -the criminal mind in the latest issue of _Hunter's Scientific Monthly_ -by E. C. Stewart. He says that criminals always favor depressions, and -that ought to mean valleys too." - -Frowning, Emmett replied, "Well, Stewart ought to know. He's a -psychologist, after all. But I must remind you that my services are -guaranteed only if you follow my directions. If you do like I tell -you, I promise that both of you boys will come back with at least one -trophy. Why, I even signed a contract to that effect with you." - -"We know all that," Karsten told him. - -"But if you insist on striking off on your own, the guarantee doesn't -hold." Emmett paused a moment, as if for effect, then continued. - -"Now, look, boys," he said. "Doesn't it make sense, really, that since -hunting is my job, I'd know where the big ones are? I don't mean to -knock anyone else, but this _is_ my business, you know, and I've been -at it for a good many years now. So you boys just stick with me, and -you won't come back empty-handed." - -The two hunters made no reply, but Emmett could see that they weren't -entirely satisfied. They rode along in silence for several moments. -Then Emmett said to them in a confidential tone of voice, "Frankly, -boys, I didn't want to tell you this, because we guides like to keep -our trade secrets to ourselves. But last year, the man I was guiding -and I went to this little pass I'm taking you to, see, and we came up -with a whopper." - -"Really?" said Thurman, showing some interest. - -"He must have weighed two hundred and fifty pounds--at least. One of -the biggest criminals I've ever seen. A magnificent creature," Emmett -told them. - -"You don't say," said Karsten. "Who got him?" - -Emmett smiled. "A Mr. Thompson, down from the northern part of the -district. The body was so big that Thompson had it skinned and tanned, -and made a really nice-looking rug out of it. He sent me a picture to -show me." - -Thurman's eyes were wide with delight. "Amazing," he said. - -"As for myself," commented Karsten. "I don't hold with this rug -business. They're all right, I guess, for those who like them. But they -get torn up so easily. Human beings just aren't thick skinned enough, I -suppose." - -"Two hundred and fifty pounds," mused Thurman out loud. - -"If he weighed, an ounce," Emmett said. "You don't get many that size, -you know." He looked at the two hunters, then smiled securely. "So -shall we just follow my lead and head for the pass first thing?" - -"All right with me," Thurman said. - -"Me, too," said Karsten. He belched loudly, then rubbed his stomach -gently. "I think I ate too much for breakfast," he said. - - * * * * * - -The way to the little pass led up over the crest of one of the -smaller mountains. The three men jogged along at an even pace over -the level ground, but traveled more slowly up the steep facing of the -mountainside. The two hunters often complained about the heat and the -terrain as they rode. Emmett said little except when he urged them to -hurry along. - -The sun was high in the sky, just past the zenith, when the trio came -down the side of a small cliff and out through a little pass onto an -open space of ground. - -Emmett pulled up his horse and dismounted. "Well, boys," he said. -"Let's get off here for a while." The other two dismounted and handed -their animals over to the guide. - -"Looks like a fairly good spot," said Thurman. Emmett tethered the -horses quickly and then began unpacking some of the equipment. He put -up the collapsible chairs in the cooling shade of a single tree that -stood near the center of the little clearing. Then he placed some of -the boxes containing food around the chairs and handed the two hunters -their guns. - -"If you boys will make yourselves comfortable, I'll go out and scout -around for something to shoot at," he told them. - -Karsten settled down into one of the chairs with an audible sigh of -relief. Thurman gave his gun a casual inspection. "All right," he said -to the guide. "Go ahead. And see if you can find something worth while." - -Emmett tucked his rifle under his arm and headed off into the dense -underbrush. - -"Have something to eat," Karsten said, passing an open box to his -companion. - -Thurman helped himself to the food, then leaned back in his chair. "I -don't mind saying that I hope Emmett will come up with a good-sized one -right off," he said. - -"You know what I'd like?" Karsten said through a mouthful of food. "I -wish he'd find me a real red-head. That's all I really need to give my -collection balance." He waved a chicken leg at Thurman. "If it were a -good-sized head, I'd hang it right in the center over the mantelpiece. -I could surround it with heads that have dark hair and make quite an -attractive pattern. My wife goes in for color schemes, you know." - -Tom Thurman sighed. The day was dry and he could feel the drowsy heat -of the sun even in the pleasant shade of the large tree. He began to -fan himself with his hand. "I understand the latest fad is to have -the whole body stuffed and mounted on a plaque before you hang it up -on the wall," he said. He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I'm just old -fashioned," he continued, "but it seems to me that they would take up -an awful lot of room if you did that." - -A tiny gnat began to pester Karsten as he ate. He brushed it aside -several times, but it always returned to whine annoyingly around his -face. "Well," Karsten said, "there's precedent for it. Remember how -excited old Morrie was the first time he bagged a two hundred pounder?" -Karsten guffawed. "He was so damn proud he kept the whole body and -tucked it away in his freezer. Used to pull it out to show to people -when he gave a party." Sighing in reminiscence, he continued. "Had to -give it up after a while, though. He thawed it out so many times that -it began to spoil." He slapped violently at the gnat. - -Thurman opened his canteen and began sipping at the cool liquid inside. -He was about to light a cigarette when he saw Emmett returning. - -"Here comes Emmett," he said excitedly to Karsten. "Maybe he's made -contact!" - -Karsten got up from his chair heavily, "He's smiling; I'll bet he found -us a good one!" He reached for his gun. - -Emmett walked up to the two hunters quickly. "Well, boys, you're in," -he said, grinning broadly. "I found one, just like I told you I would." - -"Where?" asked Thurman quickly. - -"Down this little path here, about a quarter of a mile. He's hiding -in a kind of thicket, but you won't have any trouble spotting him. The -sun's bright there, and you can see the white of his body clearly." He -paused to give them a superior grin. "And I don't think he knew that -I'd spotted him." - -"You stay here and look after the horses," Thurman told the guide. -"We'll signal you at the kill." - - * * * * * - -The two hunters walked quickly down the path under the refreshing shade -of the forest. Both of them were excited and they tended occasionally -to stumble over tree roots and dead branches as they went. - -"He must be just down the way there," Karsten whispered hoarsely after -they had gone for some distance into the woods. - -"Shush," whispered Thurman, attempting to quiet his companion. - -The path made a slight turn just beyond them, and when they had rounded -it, they saw a thick clump of bushes ahead. Through the green-and-brown -pattern of the leaves they could see brief patches of pale white. - -"That's it," whispered Karsten. Thurman nodded and pulled out his -whistle. He gave a long, silent blast on it that he could hear only as -a sharp rasping noise from the tiny plug he wore in one ear. - -The two hunters stood quietly, waiting, their faces filled with -expectation. After a few brief moments, Thurman turned to his hunting -partner. "No answer. We must have spotted him first." - -"Good," said Karsten. "Let's go get him." - -They had no more than started towards their quarry when they saw a -sudden movement in the bushes. The white patches disappeared, and they -could hear the sound of running feet. - -"Damn!" said Karsten loudly. "He must have heard us." - -Thurman smiled. "It's better this way, Bill. I rather like tracking -them down. Don't you?" - -"Well, its kind of a bother, as far as I'm concerned. Especially so -soon after eating," Karsten said. But he followed quickly behind as -Thurman set off in pursuit. - -The forest was too thick for a man to run with any real speed, so the -hunters managed to stay close behind their quarry without expending too -much energy. - -"I wonder what he looked like," Karsten said they pushed their way -through the thick underbrush. "I didn't get a good look at him." - -"Neither did I," Thurman replied, grabbing hold of a vine to pull -himself over a dead tree that stood in their path. "I hope he isn't -just an ordinary criminal. I've got enough black stripes at home as it -is." - -"Look out!" Karsten cried suddenly. "He's doubling back on us!" - -The two men turned rapidly and set off in a new direction, attempting -to head off their quarry before he could make his way to open ground. -They managed to get in between him and the edge of the woods and were -rewarded by seeing a brief ripple of white as the naked man turned and -started back towards the center of the little forest. - -"Good work," said Thurman. - -Most of the time they tracked him simply by listening to the directions -the noise of his running came from. Often they were close enough at his -heels to get a quick glimpse of flesh in the distance--an arm, a leg, -or part of his back. They got their first good look at him when they -came out from behind a rock into a little clearing. The quarry was just -disappearing into the forest on the other side of the open space. - -"Red stripes!" cried Karsten as they rushed across the clearing. "He's -a subversive. Now, that is luck." - -"Looks awfully small to me," said Thurman, "whatever he is." - -"Damn. You don't suppose it could be a woman, do you?" Karsten asked -somewhat breathlessly. "We only got a glimpse of it." - -"I hope not. Supposed to be bad luck to shoot a woman first thing on a -hunt, you know," Thurman replied as they reached the far side of the -clearing. "Anyway, we'll soon know." - -They plunged into the heavy forest only a few hundred yards behind -their game. Following rapidly along behind him, they left a wake of -broken branches and torn limbs as they went. The forest rang with the -sounds of the chase. - -Soon, sloshing across a little stream, they came up over a grassy knoll -and down into a shallow glade on the other side of it. - -"He's heading for the rocks, over that way," Thurman said, turning off -in pursuit. "He won't be able to go much farther." - -"I don't know if _I'll_ be able to go much farther," said Karsten, the -perspiration beading out across his heavy face. "I'm not used to this." - -"Neither is he," Thurman reminded him. "Remember, he's had nothing to -eat for almost a week, and they probably didn't let him sleep for three -or four days back. He can't last much longer." - -"I hope not," said Karsten. - -They passed across a narrow strip of marsh land, carefully avoiding -most of the bog holes as they went. Just on the other side, as they -came around a series of heavy berry bushes, they heard a long, shrill -buzz from their ear plugs. - -Thurman stopped quickly. "Somebody else has spotted him!" he said, and -took out his whistle. He gave it three lusty blasts and then stuck it -back in his pocket. "That should fix them," he told his partner. They -set off again in pursuit. - -Soon it became obvious to the two hunters that they were gaining -rapidly on their quarry. They increased their pace just a trifle to -take advantage of their lead. - - * * * * * - -It was perhaps five minutes later when they tracked their man down and -for the first time got a good look at him. They were very close to the -outcroppings of a rather steep foothill when they came over a little -rise and saw him scarcely a thousand yards in front of them. - -"There he goes!" cried Karsten. "Into that little pass between those -two rocks!" Rapidly they closed in upon the narrow pass. - -The opening between the big rocks was not much more than ten feet wide. -It led like a narrow corridor through the sides of the hill and then -opened up beyond into a little canyon. The two hunters paused just on -the other side of the pass. - -"I think he's trapped," said Thurman. "I can't tell for sure, because -there are too many bushes in the way. But I think this is a little box -canyon, and that this pass is the only way out." - -William Karsten looked around him. "Seems that way to me," he told his -companion. "Let's move on in slowly." - -They took their time as they walked through the narrow canyon, checking -behind each bush and rock as they went. The little valley was only a -hundred yards wide but several hundred yards in length. On all sides -rose a sheer cliff some fifty feet in height. - -When they were about two hundred yards from the end of the canyon, they -stopped. The cliff walls had narrowed so that there was scarcely a -twenty-five yard distance from one side to the other. Only one last row -of bushes separated the hunters from their quarry. - -"I can see him from here," Karsten said. "He's up against the back of -the canyon there, trying to hide." - -"Well, this is it," Thurman said. "It's a pity he's such a small-sized -one." - -"Well," asked Karsten. "Shall we flip a coin?" - -"Why not?" said Thurman. He reached in his pocket. "Call it," he said. - -"Heads," Karsten answered. Thomas Thurman tossed the coin high into the -air. Its silver sides caught brightly at the sunlight as it mounted in -a smooth arc, then danced back to earth. The two men leaned over to -inspect it. - -"Heads it is," Karsten said, grinning. "I win." - -"This is your day, I guess," Thurman told him. - -Karsten moved forward to the clump of bushes, Thurman following close -behind. They could see the quarry clearly now, the whiteness of his -body in bold contrast with the thick red stripes. - -"He has gray hair," Thurman said. - -The criminal inched back along the rocky wall, seeking desperately for -some exit. He tried to climb up the side of the cliff, but could do -no more than to stir up a small shower of loose stones as he lost his -footing. Suddenly he picked up a rock, twirled, and threw it at the -hunters. It scarcely covered a third of the ground between them. - -"Well, I like that," said Karsten. "He's got his nerve." He raised -his rifle to his shoulder and looked carefully through the telescopic -sight. For several moments he held his stance. Then slowly he lowered -the gun back to his side. - -"I'm sorry, Tom," he said. "But I think I'll let you have this one -after all." - -Thurman looked surprised. "What's the matter, Bill?" he asked. - -William Karsten sighed. "I think I used to know him." - -"Oh," Thurman said. And then he frowned. "You're sure it's not just -because he's so small that you're giving him up?" he questioned. - -"No. Quite sure. I think he was one of my professors back in college." - -"Oh, well, then," Thurman said. He put his gun to his shoulder and took -careful aim. - -"Shoot for the body, Tom," Karsten whispered to him. "Don't want to -spoil the head." - -Thurman pulled the trigger. The explosion split the quiet air apart and -cast the pieces of silence as echoes up and down the little canyon. - - * * * * * - -"Good shot!" Karsten told his companion. "Nice and clean." - -Thurman smiled. "Thank you," he said. And then, "Too bad you had to -give him up." - -Shrugging his shoulders, Karsten said, "Well, that's the way of things. -I don't remember him too well, but I think he taught me anthropology. -Old Mac something-or-other. I forget his name." - -The two men started walking back towards the entrance to the canyon. -"I suppose that I could have taken him anyway," Karsten said as they -walked. "But I've never considered it good taste to shoot someone whom -I've known." - -"I know how you feel," Thurman told him. - -"It sort of ... well ... ruins the sport, if you know what I mean," -Karsten said. - -"Sure," replied Thurman. - -They went quietly through the narrow little pass, stopping on the other -side. Thurman lit a cigarette and leaned back against a rock to rest. -Karsten put a star shell into his rifle, pointed it towards the sky, -and fired. They both watched as it burst into a gaudy blossom of fire -and smoke far above them. - -"That ought to bring Emmett on the run," Karsten said. "He can clean -things up and leave a marker. The plane will pick up the body later -today." - -Thurman took a deep breath. The air had a tangy smell to it of -springtime grass and early flowers. The warmth of the sun gave the -forest a hazy sort of glow. In the nearby trees small animals chattered -loudly. - -"Nice day, isn't it, Bill?" - -"It certainly is," Karsten answered, gazing thoughtfully at the -pleasant landscape. "But look at those clouds. It might rain tonight." - -"It might at that," Thurman told him. He gave another sigh and then -smiled, dropping his cigar to the ground and crushing it out beneath -his boot. - -"Well, shall we go?" he asked. 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McConnell</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Hunting License</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: James V. McConnell</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: October 19, 2021 [eBook #66570]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HUNTING LICENSE ***</div> - -<div class="figcenter x-ebookmaker-drop"> - <img src="images/illusc.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>HUNTING LICENSE</h1> - -<h2>By James V. McConnell</h2> - -<p>Trophies from a big game hunt were highly<br /> -prized. So naturally Karsten and Thurman wanted<br /> -their guide to find a really choice criminal....</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy<br /> -April 1955<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>The helicopters buzzed lazily overhead like fat flies in a warm May -wind.</p> - -<p>"There they go. Right on time," said William Karsten III. His hunting -jacket shone bright red in the early morning sun as he moved out into -the open to watch the planes.</p> - -<p>"I do hope that they don't get airsick," replied Thomas Thurman from -his comfortable chair in front of the fire. He took a long stick and -began poking the embers closer to the coffee container.</p> - -<p>William Karsten turned around and looked at his companion. "Why in -heaven's name should you be so concerned about <i>them</i>?" he asked. The -early morning light on his brown-and-gray hair gave it a more youthful -appearance than it usually had.</p> - -<p>"They don't hunt very well when they're sick," said Thurman. "And -that of course, is my only concern for them." He smiled at his hunting -partner, then motioned him over to the fire. "Have a cup of coffee -while we're waiting."</p> - -<p>Karsten walked over to the center of the little forest clearing where -they had built the fire. "Might as well have a cup, I guess," he said. -His face, furrowed with deep lines that had taken half a life-time to -create, wore a slight frown. "But I wish that Emmett would get back. -What's the sense of hiring a hunting guide if he's not around to take -care of things for you? I'm getting hungry."</p> - -<p>Thurman laughed at him. "If you'd worry more about where we're going -to hunt instead of spending all your time thinking about your stomach, -we'd probably have better luck," he said. He poured a cup of sweet -brown coffee for both of them, then passed one of the cups to Karsten. -"Emmett probably couldn't get the Warden on the phone right away." -Thurman, who had once been something of an athlete, began to laugh, his -heavy-set body shaking gently with the expressed mirth. "If the worst -comes to the worst, Bill, we <i>could</i> fix our own breakfast, you know."</p> - -<p>Karsten uttered a sigh. "Hunting just isn't what it used to be. -Sometimes I wonder why I bother to come out at all." He settled down -comfortably on a collapsible chair and looked around him. He could just -see the top of a tall metal fence a few hundred yards away—the stout -circle of steel that engirdled the Game Preserve, cutting it off from -the rest of the world.</p> - -<p>"You come hunting for the same reason that I do, Bill Karsten. Because -you love the thrill of the sport," Thurman told him. "Because there's -nothing like it in the world—the bright open air, the smell of a -green forest, and the pleasure of pitting yourself against the hunted. -That's why you come hunting."</p> - -<p>Karsten shrugged. "I suppose you're right, but—" He stopped in -mid-sentence, interrupted by the sound of trampled underbrush. "Oh, -here's Emmett back."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Emmett Packer, registered hunting guide, came from behind a clump of -bushes into the little clearing in the woods. His bright yellow hunting -jacket reflected a dazzling pattern of sunlight and shadows in striking -contrast to the man's weathered complexion and dark black hair. He -waved a muscular arm at his employers.</p> - -<p>"Sorry I took so long, boys," he said, walking towards them. "But I had -trouble getting the Warden on the car telephone. The line was busy." -Emmett poured himself a cup of coffee. "But I finally got ahold of him, -and he'll be along in a little while. And the horses are all lined up -for us at the Gate. So we shouldn't have any trouble at all."</p> - -<p>"Good," said Thurman.</p> - -<p>Emmett smiled, "And now, I suppose you boys would like a little -breakfast?" Emmett said it not quite as a question, but more as an -assertion of a known fact.</p> - -<p>"Of course, of course," said Karsten. "I'm starving. Got to have energy -to hunt, you know." He smiled jovially.</p> - -<p>Emmett set about opening canisters and boxes in preparation of the -meal. Thurman and Karsten leaned back in their comfortable chairs and -stared at the scenery. Overhead one last helicopter droned by. In the -tall forest grass a cricket chirped angrily.</p> - -<p>"How would you like your steaks?" asked Emmett.</p> - -<p>"Medium," said Thurman.</p> - -<p>"A little on the rare side, if you can manage it," said Karsten. "And -no onions for me. They give me indigestion." He glanced nervously at -his watch. "I wonder if I'll have time to call the office before the -Warden gets here?"</p> - -<p>Tom Thurman smiled. "Relax," he said. "Your office can take care of -itself for a change."</p> - -<p>"Well, I guess it can, but—"</p> - -<p>"Then why worry about it," said Thurman. "Forget it. Make the most of -your vacation. After all, it isn't every day in the year that you come -hunting humans, you know."</p> - -<p>Shrugging his shoulders for an answer, William Karsten relaxed again. -The aroma of the cooking meat permeated the morning breeze, mingling -with the subtler smells of pine and warm rich earth. In the nearby -trees birds sang out loud.</p> - -<p>"Wonder how many we'll get this year?" asked Thurman after a while.</p> - -<p>Emmett looked up from his chores. "If you boys will just follow my -directions, you'll get the limit." He smiled proudly. "My hunters -<i>always</i> come back with the limit. You know that."</p> - -<p>Karsten harrumphed. "I saw some of the sorry specimens you dug up for -the Kilpatricks last year. And I must say," he continued, "they were -the poorest excuses for human beings I've ever seen."</p> - -<p>Emmett frowned and started to answer, but Thurman spoke first. "That -reminds me, Bill. If we bring back any bodies this year, Martha says -we'll have to wrap them up first."</p> - -<p>"What's the matter with Martha?" asked Karsten. "She doesn't really -object to the sight of naked bodies lashed to the front fenders of your -car, does she?"</p> - -<p>With a laugh, Thomas Thurman said, "No. Martha doesn't object to our -displaying the spoils of the hunt. But she says that last year the -blood spoiled the finish of the car. And I don't want to have it -repainted again this year." He sighed softly. "Just one of her whims, -I guess."</p> - -<p>"Breakfast is ready," said Emmett.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The high-pitched whine of rotor blades interrupted their meal. The -three men watched the bright blue helicopter drop slowly out of the -sky and come to a gentle landing at one edge of the clearing. Once the -plane's engine had stopped and the blades were no longer twirling, the -door to the air-craft opened and out stepped a rotund figure dressed -in a uniform the same sky-blue color as that of the plane. He bounced, -more than walked, towards the seated trio.</p> - -<p>"Good day! Good day, gentlemen!" the Warden called out as soon as he -was within earshot. "Oh, please don't get up on my account."</p> - -<p>Thurman motioned with one hand. "Have a seat, Warden. We're glad to see -you."</p> - -<p>The Warden plopped his pudgy body down in one of the chairs. "Thank -you," he said, his voice as round and as jolly as his appearance. -"Having breakfast, I see." He waved a hand "Oh, please don't offer me -anything to eat. I'm on a diet again." He sighed.</p> - -<p>Emmett rose to get the papers that the officer would want to see. -"How's the crop this year, Warden?" he asked.</p> - -<p>A frown crossed the fat man's face. "Fair. Just fair," he said. "I -can't understand it, really. A few years ago there were so many of -them." His face brightened a bit. "But, then, there's still enough to -go around, and that's the important thing. And, on the other hand, I -suppose that we ought to be happy—from the sociological point of view, -of course—that there just aren't as many criminals in our society -today as there used to be. It speaks well for us, don't you think?"</p> - -<p>William Karsten III made a slight noise with his tongue. "But it ruins -the hunting. You can't have a hunt unless you've got criminals to hunt -for." He turned to his companion. "You see, Tom," he said. "I told you -that it wouldn't be too good this year."</p> - -<p>"I wonder what's wrong with things nowadays that there just aren't -enough criminals?" mused Thurman.</p> - -<p>Emmett returned with the proper papers and handed them to the Warden. -The fat little man looked them over carefully, then handed them back -to the guide with a wave of his hand. "They look in excellent order," -he told Emmett. He turned to the hunters. "You have a good man here in -Emmett," he told them. Emmett favored the officer with a smile.</p> - -<p>Reaching inside his jacket, the Warden extracted a little box and -handed it to Emmett. "Here are the supersonic whistles, gentlemen, and -the crystals for your ear plugs so that you can hear them. Just be -sure to use them. Remember the first time you sight a quarry, give one -long toot on the whistle. If you hear nothing in your ear plugs, he's -yours to track down. But if you hear three short toots in answer, that -means that someone else beat you to him." The officer wagged a finger -at the two hunters. "And let's have no mistakes and no arguments, like -we have had in the past. Just follow the rules—blow your whistles -correctly—and everyone will have a fair chance at the game."</p> - -<p>Emmett fitted the slim crystals into the ear plugs. "They look a little -different this year," he said.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes," the Warden told him. "We had to go much higher up on the -supersonic scale this time since we discovered that one of the quarries -last year could hear up to 22,000 cycles." He smiled jovially. "Can't -have the hunted hearing the whistles when they're being tracked down, -you know."</p> - -<p>Karsten wiped his lips with a napkin and then handed his empty plate to -the guide. "Any new rules this year, Warden?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"No, I think the only new thing we have this year is that hunting -jacket of yours, Mr. Karsten. It <i>is</i> new, isn't it?"</p> - -<p>Karsten beamed. "Why, yes it is. Latest style, I think." He raised his -arms to display the brilliant red garment the better. "It's a new kind -of material. Guaranteed to be seen for half a mile, even at night." He -lowered his arms, then patted one of the chest pockets. "But the best -thing is that it's got a self-contained heating-cooling system built -right in. All you have to do is to turn the dial and you get whatever -weather you want."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The Warden looked impressed. "My," he said. "What won't they think of -next." He smiled again. "I imagine that the people you're going to be -hunting would give a pretty penny for one of those today. The weather -man says it's going to be a bit chilly tonight."</p> - -<p>Thurman lit a cigarette. "I guess it is rather hard on them, being -dumped in the middle of the Preserve completely naked, so to speak." He -sighed. "But then, they're criminals, after all."</p> - -<p>"That's right," said Karsten. "And remember, they've got their paint to -keep them warm," he added, laughing.</p> - -<p>The Warden snapped his fingers. "I'm glad you reminded me, Mr. -Karsten. The paint is a little different this year."</p> - -<p>Karsten looked surprised. "They haven't changed the signals, have -they?" he demanded.</p> - -<p>"Oh, no," said the Warden. "Black stripes painted all around the body -still mean he's an ordinary criminal, black and red alternating stripes -mean crimes of passion, and all red stripes used for the subversives, -of course. Just like always."</p> - -<p>Coughing discretely, the Warden continued. "What I meant was that after -the complaints we got last year we decided to use a <i>really</i> indelible -paint so that not even a skilled surgeon could get it off."</p> - -<p>"Complaints?" asked Thurman.</p> - -<p>The warden gave a gigantic sigh. "That's right. It seems that some of -the hunters—not people like you, mind—but some of them have been -altering the color of the stripes after they've bagged their game." He -smiled. "And we can't have that, you know. It just isn't sporting. When -you display your trophies, you want all the glory that's coming to you. -<i>But</i> no more than you actually deserve."</p> - -<p>Putting his hands on the arms of the chair, the Warden made a valiant -effort and managed, just barely, to remove his body from the comforting -confines of the chair. "Well," he said, "I must be off. Have a lot of -other hunters to see before the season opens." The two hunters rose and -shook hands with him.</p> - -<p>"Now, let's synchronize our watches before I leave," the officer said. -He peered closely at his timepiece. "It's now 7:23:05 by my official -clock. I got word on my plane radio just as I was landing that the -criminals were dropped in the center of the Preserve at 7:03 exactly." -He looked up. "The season opens at ten sharp. I'll see you at the Gate -before then, of course." He turned around and bounced towards the -plane. Before shutting the door to the air-craft, he gave them a final -wave of his hand.</p> - -<p>"Good hunting," he called.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>A little past ten the three men were riding their horses across the -gentle plain that led to the mountains in the center of the Preserve. -They had passed through the gates with scores of other hunters the -moment the season was officially opened.</p> - -<p>"Emmett," said Thurman, jogging along on his large horse. "Are you -still going to insist on taking us down to that little pass first of -all?"</p> - -<p>Emmett reined his horse in between the mounts ridden by the two -hunters. "Well, I don't want to seem pig-headed about it, boys," he -told them. "But that's where I think the hunting will be best this time -of day."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense," Karsten told him. "I was talking to Morris Overman about -it just last week. And he said he had his best luck over by that big -waterfall—you know the one, Emmett. It has lots of trees around it."</p> - -<p>Emmett raised his eyebrows, as if in disdain, "Oh, I know the one, all -right. And Mr. Overman is a pretty lucky hunter, too. But I think—"</p> - -<p>Thurman interrupted him. "If you want <i>my</i> opinion," he said, "We'll do -well to try it down in that little valley just the other side of the -Leaning Stone." He waved a magazine at them. "There's an article on -the criminal mind in the latest issue of <i>Hunter's Scientific Monthly</i> -by E. C. Stewart. He says that criminals always favor depressions, and -that ought to mean valleys too."</p> - -<p>Frowning, Emmett replied, "Well, Stewart ought to know. He's a -psychologist, after all. But I must remind you that my services are -guaranteed only if you follow my directions. If you do like I tell -you, I promise that both of you boys will come back with at least one -trophy. Why, I even signed a contract to that effect with you."</p> - -<p>"We know all that," Karsten told him.</p> - -<p>"But if you insist on striking off on your own, the guarantee doesn't -hold." Emmett paused a moment, as if for effect, then continued.</p> - -<p>"Now, look, boys," he said. "Doesn't it make sense, really, that since -hunting is my job, I'd know where the big ones are? I don't mean to -knock anyone else, but this <i>is</i> my business, you know, and I've been -at it for a good many years now. So you boys just stick with me, and -you won't come back empty-handed."</p> - -<p>The two hunters made no reply, but Emmett could see that they weren't -entirely satisfied. They rode along in silence for several moments. -Then Emmett said to them in a confidential tone of voice, "Frankly, -boys, I didn't want to tell you this, because we guides like to keep -our trade secrets to ourselves. But last year, the man I was guiding -and I went to this little pass I'm taking you to, see, and we came up -with a whopper."</p> - -<p>"Really?" said Thurman, showing some interest.</p> - -<p>"He must have weighed two hundred and fifty pounds—at least. One of -the biggest criminals I've ever seen. A magnificent creature," Emmett -told them.</p> - -<p>"You don't say," said Karsten. "Who got him?"</p> - -<p>Emmett smiled. "A Mr. Thompson, down from the northern part of the -district. The body was so big that Thompson had it skinned and tanned, -and made a really nice-looking rug out of it. He sent me a picture to -show me."</p> - -<p>Thurman's eyes were wide with delight. "Amazing," he said.</p> - -<p>"As for myself," commented Karsten. "I don't hold with this rug -business. They're all right, I guess, for those who like them. But they -get torn up so easily. Human beings just aren't thick skinned enough, I -suppose."</p> - -<p>"Two hundred and fifty pounds," mused Thurman out loud.</p> - -<p>"If he weighed, an ounce," Emmett said. "You don't get many that size, -you know." He looked at the two hunters, then smiled securely. "So -shall we just follow my lead and head for the pass first thing?"</p> - -<p>"All right with me," Thurman said.</p> - -<p>"Me, too," said Karsten. He belched loudly, then rubbed his stomach -gently. "I think I ate too much for breakfast," he said.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The way to the little pass led up over the crest of one of the -smaller mountains. The three men jogged along at an even pace over -the level ground, but traveled more slowly up the steep facing of the -mountainside. The two hunters often complained about the heat and the -terrain as they rode. Emmett said little except when he urged them to -hurry along.</p> - -<p>The sun was high in the sky, just past the zenith, when the trio came -down the side of a small cliff and out through a little pass onto an -open space of ground.</p> - -<p>Emmett pulled up his horse and dismounted. "Well, boys," he said. -"Let's get off here for a while." The other two dismounted and handed -their animals over to the guide.</p> - -<p>"Looks like a fairly good spot," said Thurman. Emmett tethered the -horses quickly and then began unpacking some of the equipment. He put -up the collapsible chairs in the cooling shade of a single tree that -stood near the center of the little clearing. Then he placed some of -the boxes containing food around the chairs and handed the two hunters -their guns.</p> - -<p>"If you boys will make yourselves comfortable, I'll go out and scout -around for something to shoot at," he told them.</p> - -<p>Karsten settled down into one of the chairs with an audible sigh of -relief. Thurman gave his gun a casual inspection. "All right," he said -to the guide. "Go ahead. And see if you can find something worth while."</p> - -<p>Emmett tucked his rifle under his arm and headed off into the dense -underbrush.</p> - -<p>"Have something to eat," Karsten said, passing an open box to his -companion.</p> - -<p>Thurman helped himself to the food, then leaned back in his chair. "I -don't mind saying that I hope Emmett will come up with a good-sized one -right off," he said.</p> - -<p>"You know what I'd like?" Karsten said through a mouthful of food. "I -wish he'd find me a real red-head. That's all I really need to give my -collection balance." He waved a chicken leg at Thurman. "If it were a -good-sized head, I'd hang it right in the center over the mantelpiece. -I could surround it with heads that have dark hair and make quite an -attractive pattern. My wife goes in for color schemes, you know."</p> - -<p>Tom Thurman sighed. The day was dry and he could feel the drowsy heat -of the sun even in the pleasant shade of the large tree. He began to -fan himself with his hand. "I understand the latest fad is to have -the whole body stuffed and mounted on a plaque before you hang it up -on the wall," he said. He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I'm just old -fashioned," he continued, "but it seems to me that they would take up -an awful lot of room if you did that."</p> - -<p>A tiny gnat began to pester Karsten as he ate. He brushed it aside -several times, but it always returned to whine annoyingly around his -face. "Well," Karsten said, "there's precedent for it. Remember how -excited old Morrie was the first time he bagged a two hundred pounder?" -Karsten guffawed. "He was so damn proud he kept the whole body and -tucked it away in his freezer. Used to pull it out to show to people -when he gave a party." Sighing in reminiscence, he continued. "Had to -give it up after a while, though. He thawed it out so many times that -it began to spoil." He slapped violently at the gnat.</p> - -<p>Thurman opened his canteen and began sipping at the cool liquid inside. -He was about to light a cigarette when he saw Emmett returning.</p> - -<p>"Here comes Emmett," he said excitedly to Karsten. "Maybe he's made -contact!"</p> - -<p>Karsten got up from his chair heavily, "He's smiling; I'll bet he found -us a good one!" He reached for his gun.</p> - -<p>Emmett walked up to the two hunters quickly. "Well, boys, you're in," -he said, grinning broadly. "I found one, just like I told you I would."</p> - -<p>"Where?" asked Thurman quickly.</p> - -<p>"Down this little path here, about a quarter of a mile. He's hiding -in a kind of thicket, but you won't have any trouble spotting him. The -sun's bright there, and you can see the white of his body clearly." He -paused to give them a superior grin. "And I don't think he knew that -I'd spotted him."</p> - -<p>"You stay here and look after the horses," Thurman told the guide. -"We'll signal you at the kill."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The two hunters walked quickly down the path under the refreshing shade -of the forest. Both of them were excited and they tended occasionally -to stumble over tree roots and dead branches as they went.</p> - -<p>"He must be just down the way there," Karsten whispered hoarsely after -they had gone for some distance into the woods.</p> - -<p>"Shush," whispered Thurman, attempting to quiet his companion.</p> - -<p>The path made a slight turn just beyond them, and when they had rounded -it, they saw a thick clump of bushes ahead. Through the green-and-brown -pattern of the leaves they could see brief patches of pale white.</p> - -<p>"That's it," whispered Karsten. Thurman nodded and pulled out his -whistle. He gave a long, silent blast on it that he could hear only as -a sharp rasping noise from the tiny plug he wore in one ear.</p> - -<p>The two hunters stood quietly, waiting, their faces filled with -expectation. After a few brief moments, Thurman turned to his hunting -partner. "No answer. We must have spotted him first."</p> - -<p>"Good," said Karsten. "Let's go get him."</p> - -<p>They had no more than started towards their quarry when they saw a -sudden movement in the bushes. The white patches disappeared, and they -could hear the sound of running feet.</p> - -<p>"Damn!" said Karsten loudly. "He must have heard us."</p> - -<p>Thurman smiled. "It's better this way, Bill. I rather like tracking -them down. Don't you?"</p> - -<p>"Well, its kind of a bother, as far as I'm concerned. Especially so -soon after eating," Karsten said. But he followed quickly behind as -Thurman set off in pursuit.</p> - -<p>The forest was too thick for a man to run with any real speed, so the -hunters managed to stay close behind their quarry without expending too -much energy.</p> - -<p>"I wonder what he looked like," Karsten said they pushed their way -through the thick underbrush. "I didn't get a good look at him."</p> - -<p>"Neither did I," Thurman replied, grabbing hold of a vine to pull -himself over a dead tree that stood in their path. "I hope he isn't -just an ordinary criminal. I've got enough black stripes at home as it -is."</p> - -<p>"Look out!" Karsten cried suddenly. "He's doubling back on us!"</p> - -<p>The two men turned rapidly and set off in a new direction, attempting -to head off their quarry before he could make his way to open ground. -They managed to get in between him and the edge of the woods and were -rewarded by seeing a brief ripple of white as the naked man turned and -started back towards the center of the little forest.</p> - -<p>"Good work," said Thurman.</p> - -<p>Most of the time they tracked him simply by listening to the directions -the noise of his running came from. Often they were close enough at his -heels to get a quick glimpse of flesh in the distance—an arm, a leg, -or part of his back. They got their first good look at him when they -came out from behind a rock into a little clearing. The quarry was just -disappearing into the forest on the other side of the open space.</p> - -<p>"Red stripes!" cried Karsten as they rushed across the clearing. "He's -a subversive. Now, that is luck."</p> - -<p>"Looks awfully small to me," said Thurman, "whatever he is."</p> - -<p>"Damn. You don't suppose it could be a woman, do you?" Karsten asked -somewhat breathlessly. "We only got a glimpse of it."</p> - -<p>"I hope not. Supposed to be bad luck to shoot a woman first thing on a -hunt, you know," Thurman replied as they reached the far side of the -clearing. "Anyway, we'll soon know."</p> - -<p>They plunged into the heavy forest only a few hundred yards behind -their game. Following rapidly along behind him, they left a wake of -broken branches and torn limbs as they went. The forest rang with the -sounds of the chase.</p> - -<p>Soon, sloshing across a little stream, they came up over a grassy knoll -and down into a shallow glade on the other side of it.</p> - -<p>"He's heading for the rocks, over that way," Thurman said, turning off -in pursuit. "He won't be able to go much farther."</p> - -<p>"I don't know if <i>I'll</i> be able to go much farther," said Karsten, the -perspiration beading out across his heavy face. "I'm not used to this."</p> - -<p>"Neither is he," Thurman reminded him. "Remember, he's had nothing to -eat for almost a week, and they probably didn't let him sleep for three -or four days back. He can't last much longer."</p> - -<p>"I hope not," said Karsten.</p> - -<p>They passed across a narrow strip of marsh land, carefully avoiding -most of the bog holes as they went. Just on the other side, as they -came around a series of heavy berry bushes, they heard a long, shrill -buzz from their ear plugs.</p> - -<p>Thurman stopped quickly. "Somebody else has spotted him!" he said, and -took out his whistle. He gave it three lusty blasts and then stuck it -back in his pocket. "That should fix them," he told his partner. They -set off again in pursuit.</p> - -<p>Soon it became obvious to the two hunters that they were gaining -rapidly on their quarry. They increased their pace just a trifle to -take advantage of their lead.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It was perhaps five minutes later when they tracked their man down and -for the first time got a good look at him. They were very close to the -outcroppings of a rather steep foothill when they came over a little -rise and saw him scarcely a thousand yards in front of them.</p> - -<p>"There he goes!" cried Karsten. "Into that little pass between those -two rocks!" Rapidly they closed in upon the narrow pass.</p> - -<p>The opening between the big rocks was not much more than ten feet wide. -It led like a narrow corridor through the sides of the hill and then -opened up beyond into a little canyon. The two hunters paused just on -the other side of the pass.</p> - -<p>"I think he's trapped," said Thurman. "I can't tell for sure, because -there are too many bushes in the way. But I think this is a little box -canyon, and that this pass is the only way out."</p> - -<p>William Karsten looked around him. "Seems that way to me," he told his -companion. "Let's move on in slowly."</p> - -<p>They took their time as they walked through the narrow canyon, checking -behind each bush and rock as they went. The little valley was only a -hundred yards wide but several hundred yards in length. On all sides -rose a sheer cliff some fifty feet in height.</p> - -<p>When they were about two hundred yards from the end of the canyon, they -stopped. The cliff walls had narrowed so that there was scarcely a -twenty-five yard distance from one side to the other. Only one last row -of bushes separated the hunters from their quarry.</p> - -<p>"I can see him from here," Karsten said. "He's up against the back of -the canyon there, trying to hide."</p> - -<p>"Well, this is it," Thurman said. "It's a pity he's such a small-sized -one."</p> - -<p>"Well," asked Karsten. "Shall we flip a coin?"</p> - -<p>"Why not?" said Thurman. He reached in his pocket. "Call it," he said.</p> - -<p>"Heads," Karsten answered. Thomas Thurman tossed the coin high into the -air. Its silver sides caught brightly at the sunlight as it mounted in -a smooth arc, then danced back to earth. The two men leaned over to -inspect it.</p> - -<p>"Heads it is," Karsten said, grinning. "I win."</p> - -<p>"This is your day, I guess," Thurman told him.</p> - -<p>Karsten moved forward to the clump of bushes, Thurman following close -behind. They could see the quarry clearly now, the whiteness of his -body in bold contrast with the thick red stripes.</p> - -<p>"He has gray hair," Thurman said.</p> - -<p>The criminal inched back along the rocky wall, seeking desperately for -some exit. He tried to climb up the side of the cliff, but could do -no more than to stir up a small shower of loose stones as he lost his -footing. Suddenly he picked up a rock, twirled, and threw it at the -hunters. It scarcely covered a third of the ground between them.</p> - -<p>"Well, I like that," said Karsten. "He's got his nerve." He raised -his rifle to his shoulder and looked carefully through the telescopic -sight. For several moments he held his stance. Then slowly he lowered -the gun back to his side.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"I'm sorry, Tom," he said. "But I think I'll let you have this one -after all."</p> - -<p>Thurman looked surprised. "What's the matter, Bill?" he asked.</p> - -<p>William Karsten sighed. "I think I used to know him."</p> - -<p>"Oh," Thurman said. And then he frowned. "You're sure it's not just -because he's so small that you're giving him up?" he questioned.</p> - -<p>"No. Quite sure. I think he was one of my professors back in college."</p> - -<p>"Oh, well, then," Thurman said. He put his gun to his shoulder and took -careful aim.</p> - -<p>"Shoot for the body, Tom," Karsten whispered to him. "Don't want to -spoil the head."</p> - -<p>Thurman pulled the trigger. The explosion split the quiet air apart and -cast the pieces of silence as echoes up and down the little canyon.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Good shot!" Karsten told his companion. "Nice and clean."</p> - -<p>Thurman smiled. "Thank you," he said. And then, "Too bad you had to -give him up."</p> - -<p>Shrugging his shoulders, Karsten said, "Well, that's the way of things. -I don't remember him too well, but I think he taught me anthropology. -Old Mac something-or-other. I forget his name."</p> - -<p>The two men started walking back towards the entrance to the canyon. -"I suppose that I could have taken him anyway," Karsten said as they -walked. "But I've never considered it good taste to shoot someone whom -I've known."</p> - -<p>"I know how you feel," Thurman told him.</p> - -<p>"It sort of ... well ... ruins the sport, if you know what I mean," -Karsten said.</p> - -<p>"Sure," replied Thurman.</p> - -<p>They went quietly through the narrow little pass, stopping on the other -side. Thurman lit a cigarette and leaned back against a rock to rest. -Karsten put a star shell into his rifle, pointed it towards the sky, -and fired. They both watched as it burst into a gaudy blossom of fire -and smoke far above them.</p> - -<p>"That ought to bring Emmett on the run," Karsten said. "He can clean -things up and leave a marker. The plane will pick up the body later -today."</p> - -<p>Thurman took a deep breath. The air had a tangy smell to it of -springtime grass and early flowers. The warmth of the sun gave the -forest a hazy sort of glow. In the nearby trees small animals chattered -loudly.</p> - -<p>"Nice day, isn't it, Bill?"</p> - -<p>"It certainly is," Karsten answered, gazing thoughtfully at the -pleasant landscape. "But look at those clouds. It might rain tonight."</p> - -<p>"It might at that," Thurman told him. He gave another sigh and then -smiled, dropping his cigar to the ground and crushing it out beneath -his boot.</p> - -<p>"Well, shall we go?" he asked. 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