The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-08-03

way to lingering 1t. / was wondering
sir, IL could earn it honorably. Yor
must give me time to think this out
and III try and give you an answer
after tea"
Captain Kettle had not seen neces
sary to mention the fact to Mr.. Wen
lock, but while that young man was
talking of the Miss Teresa Anderson
who at present was "quite big per.
sonage in her way" a memory had
come to him that he had heard of the
lady before In somewhat less prosaic
terms. All sailormen who have done
business on the great sea highway be.
tween west and east during recent
years have had the yarn given to them
at one time or another, and most of
them have regarded it as a gratuitous
legend. Kettle was one of these. But
he was beginning to think there was
something more in it than a mere sail
or's yarn, and he was anxious to see If
there was any variance in the telling.
So he sent for Murray, his mate;
made him sit, and commenced talk of
a purely professional nature. Finally
he said: "And since / saw you last the
schedules changed. We call in at
Dunkhot for that passenger, Mr.. Wen
lock, to do some private business
ashore before we go on to our Persian
gulf ports"
Murray repeated the name thought
fully. "Dunkot? Let's see. That's on
the south Arabian coast, about days
steam from Alden, and a beast of a
place to get at, SO I've heard Oh, and,
of course that's the place where that
she sultan or queen or whatever she
calls herself is boss"
80 there Is really woman of that
kind there, is theref I'd heard of her,
like everybody else has, but l thought
she was only yarn"
NO, she's there in the flesh, sir, right
enough; lots Of flesh, according to what
I've gathered. A serang on one of the
B. and l. boats who'd been in Dun
knot told me about her only last year.
She makes war, leads her troops, cuts
off heads and does the eastern poten-
tate up to the mark. The serang said
she was English, too, though l didn't
believe much in that. One-tenth Eng
lish would probably be more near the
truth. The odds are she'll be Eurasian,
and those snuff and butter colored la
dies. when they get among people
blacker than themselves. always try to
ignore their own lick of the tar brush.
The serang said she was big buffalo
bull of woman. with a terror of q
temper. l don't know what's Mr.. Wen
locks business, sir, but he'd better
make up his mind to square her first
and foremost"
rs she the head chiefs favorite wife,
then?"
THAT'S the funny part of 1t; she
isn't married. These orientals always
get husbands early as a general thing,
and you'd have thought they'd have
married her to some one about the
town whether she liked it or not. But
it seems they didn't, because she said
she'd certainly poison any man IL they
sent her into his zenana. Guess there
wasn't any man about the place white
enough to suit her TASTE"
Kettle went out then under the avn
ings Of the bridge deck and told Wen
lock that he would probably be able to
earn his fee for helping on the mar
riage, and Wenlock confidently thought
that he quite understood the situation.
Shippers a bit of q methody,"
thought Mr.. Hugh Wenlock. ''but If he
gets me snugly married to that little
girl he'll be cheap at the price,"
Dunkhot stood on an eminence, snug
ly walled and filled with cool, square
houses. At one side the high minaret
of mosque stood up like bayonet,
and at the other, standing in ring of
garden, was a larger building, which
seemed to call itself palace. The Para
keet lay to, rolling outside the en-
trance, flying q pilot jack and waiting
developments.
Captain Kettle might have his dis
quieting thoughts; still outwardly he
was cool. But Mr.. Hugh Wenlock was
on deck In the sprucest of his apparel
and was visibly anxious and fidgety,
as befitted man who shortly expected
to enter into the bonds Of matrimony.
"A double ended boat came off pres
entity, manned by naked Arabs and
steered by man In white burnoose.
She swept up alongside. caught rope
and made fast, and the man in white
introduced himself as a pilot.
The pilot spoke some English. He
could guide them through the reefs 10
the most complete of safety, he said,
and he could guarantee fine openings
for trade. once inside.
81 dare say" grunted Kettle under
his breath; but you're heap too un-
certifieated for my TASTE"
Then he turned to Murray. "Now,
look here. Mr.. Mate. I'll leave you In
charge. Don't let any of these niggers
come on board on any pretense what
ever. and If they try 1t on steam out to
sea. I'll get through Mr.. Wenlock's
business ashore as quick as can and
perhaps pick up ton or two of cargo
for ourselves"
Below, the pilot clamored that a lad.
der might be thrown to him, so that he
might come on board and take the Par
akeet forthwith into the anchorage.
and to him again Kettle turned and
temporized. He must go ashore him.
self first, he said, and see what offer
there was Of trade before he took the
steamer in, to which the pilot, though
visibly disappointed. saw fit to agree.
"Now. SIR" said Kettle to Wenlock,
into the boat with you. The less time
that's wasted the better l shall be