Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-20

anyhow, before the three weeks
were over, we were all surprised to
see Joe come strutting back, all
agog, to the plantation, and, ifyou'd
oelleVe it, wearing Harvey's over
coat. 1t ought to have taken him
six weeks at least to get to White
ford's and back. So we were natu-
rally suspicious. sJoe,' says my
father, you've murdered Mr.. Har-
Vey! Joe grins and struts about,
and shows off his Overcoat, as cool
as cucumber. Well, we couldn't
stand that. 'Joe,' says my father
again, 'we'll give you your fair
chance. Well wait till four weeks
is out, t,'-for it took week by sea
for letters to come from Whiteford's
land then if we don't hear Mr..
Harvey has arrived, We'll try you
and shoot you.' Well, Kanaka's
are wonderful. Joe strutted and
grinned, as pleased as ever. We
waited the four weeks, and we kept
him in safety. He never even tried
to run away to the bush he seemed
to think it was all right, and we
were only joking.
| When the four weeks were up,
no letter came from Harvey. So
my father had Joe out, and he, and
my uncle, and Ferguson of the next
estate, sat as an informal court to
try him. Joe seemed a good deal
surprised and taken aback at the
proceedings he wanted to tell some
cock-and-bull story in his broken
English about how the coat belong
me; massa Harvey give it me.
But white mems lives must be re-
spected, and my father wasn't going
to stand any nonsense. They found
Joe guilty on circumstantial evil
dence, and sentenced him to be shot
and they took him out on TO the hill
behind the house and shot him.
can see him still with his big eyes
wide open, and sort Of wonderin
look in them, when they fastened
his arms, as if he couldn't under
stand what on earth they were doing
it for. There was really something
quite pathetic and sad about him
that is to say, for Kanaka."
And hddhe murdered Harvey ?"
i asked, for l didn't remember to
have heard till that moment that the
explorer had met with so tragic an
end.
My planters face fell.
Well, that's just the odd part Of
it," he answered, slowly. .'Three
days later a letter arrived from Har-
vey at Whiteford's, saying Joe had
taken him by short cut through
the hills, and he had met on the
way New South Wales party with
tents and a wagon. So he had sent
Joe back, and made him happy
with present of his overcoat; and
L hope,' he said, 'he's as pleased
with it now as he was when L gave
it him."
Then you'd murdered the poor
fellow !" 1 exclaimed. He'd
never done it! No wonder his big
eyes of mute surprise still haunt
you
Well, no; not quite that" the
planter said, depreciatingly. at
was an error ofjudgment, you see {;
miscarriage of justice; regret.
able incident. We thought at the
time we were justified in shooting
him."
" But you quoted this" l cried,
"as an instance of the utter untrust-
worthiness of Kanakas 1t seems
to me 1t goes just the other way.
The poor fellow was faithful and did
what he could, and your father re-
warded him for his pains by shoot
ing him."
That's just it," the planter an
swered, dryly. "That shows what
an untrustworthy lot they are.
Even when you get decent one to
deal with, they're all so bad that
you can't believe him. You're
driven to shoot an innocent man on
suspicion. But poor Joe's eyes acere
sight to look at. AS long as 1 live
1 shall never forget Them"