Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-07-24

i tkuOIe tucH OWu hCA Va tuc tni VI uon
The serang said she was big buffal'
bull Of q woman. with terror Of {
temper. don't know what's Mr.. Wen
locks business. sir, but he'd bette
make up his mind to square her frs
and foremost"
"Is she the head chiefs favorite wife
thenw
That's the funny part of Il; sh,
isn't married. These orientals always
get husbands early az a general thing
and you'd have thought they'd have
married her to some one about thu
town whether she liked II or not Blu
II seems they didn't. because she sait
she'd certainly poison any man II they
sent her into his zenana- Guess ther'
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 t(
earn his fee for helping on the mar
riage. and Wcnlock confidently though,
that he quite understood the situation
"Skipper's a bit Of a methody.'
thought Mr.. Hugh Wenlock. but II ht
gets me snugIy married to that little
girl he'll he cheap at the price"
| Dunkhot stood on an eminence. snug
" walled aud filed with cool. square
houses At one side the high minare,
Of a mosque stood up like bayonet
and at the other. standing In ring oi
garden. was q larger building. which
seemed TO call Itself palace. The Para
keet lay to. rolling outside the en-
trance. flying a 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 fdgety
as beiitted man who shortly expected
to enter Into the bonds Of matrimony.
A double ended boat came OF pres.
entity. manned by naked Arabs and
steered by q man In white burnoose,
She swept up alongside. caught rope
and made fast. and the man In white
introduced himself as pilot
The pilot spo3 some English. he
could guide them through the reefs in
the most complete Of safety. be said,
and he could guarantee tne openings
for trade. once inside.
Il dare say" grunted Kettle under
his breath; but you're n heap too un'
sertitcated 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 II they try II on steam out to
sea. I'll get through Mr. Wenlock's
business ashore as quick as ] can and
perhaps pick up q ton or two Of cargo
for ourselves"
Below, the pilot clamored that lad
der might be thrown to him. 20 that be
might come on board and take the Par
akeet forthwith Into the anchorage,
and to him again Kettle turned and
temporized. He must 60 ashore him
self nrst. he said. and see what ofYeE
there was Of trade before he took the
steamer In. TO which the pilot, though
visibly disappointed. saw Ut to agree.
"Now. sir" said Kettle 10 Wenlock,
''into the boat with you. The less time
that's wasted the better shall b
pleased"
"All right" said wenlock. pointing
to q big package on the deck. "Just
tell some Of your men to shove that
case down Into the boat and I'm
ready"
Kettle eyed the bulky boz with dis
favor. whats In IT," be asked-"a
present.
"well. II you must know. captain. its
occurred to me that Teresa Ii proba'
bly, an occupant Of somebody's harem
and that I shall have TO buy her on
from her husband; hence the case Of
rides"
A queer look came over Captain Kst
lies face. And you'd still marry thiI
woman II she had another husband liv
ing?"
"Of course. Haven't I told you thai
I've thought the whole thing thorough
ly over already. and I'm not inclined tt
stick at trities"
"yery wes." said Kettle. Now, lei
me tell you, sir. for the last time thai
] don't like what you're going to do
To my mind It's dirty thing-marry
Ing a woman that you evidently
despise just for her money"
Wenlock flushed. Look here" he
said. Il refuse to be lectured, espe
cially by you. Aren't you under prom
lse to get ESQ from me the moment
I'm safely married? And didn't YOU
fairly jump at the chance Of lingering
nY
Captain Kettle merely smiled grim
ly and said. Get down into the boat
you and your case Of rifles"
For the moment Wenlock started
and hesitated. He seemed to detect
something ominous In this order. But
then he took a brace on his courage
and. after couple Of deckhands had
lowered the rifles into the dancing
boat. he clambered gingerly down aft
er them and sat himself beside the
white robed man In the stern sheets
Kettle followed. and the boat headed
OF for the opening between the reefs
The boat passed between the cluster
of ragged shipping swaying at the an
chorage. and Wenlock might have
stared with curious eyes. had he been
30 minded. on real dhows which had
even then got real slaves ready fol
market In their stuffy tween decks
Over the arch Of the water gate, foi
which they were heading. was what
at first appeared to be a frieze Of
small. rounded balls; but a nearer
view resolved these into human heads
In various stages Of desiccatIon. Wen.
lock stared at the gate. with Its dress
Ing Of heads. as though they fascinated
him.
"And Teresa will have been brought
up within sight Of all this" Wenlock
murmured to himself. "and will be &C.
customed to It. Fancy marrying Z
woman who has spent "a years Of her
life In the neIghborhood Of all this aav.
agery."
They passed in through the gate. the
sentries staring at them curiously. and,
once inside in the full heat and smell
of the narrow street beyond. Wenlock
said: Look here. skipper; you're re-
sourceful. and you know these out Of
| tho vov rIoroa uow had NO hoffay