The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-10-07

demand. In this case there is an ex-
cessive demand and no competition as
to the supply. Therefore, you and l
have what they call corner on the
market. Now about the price; it is
true, as you say, that we agreed some
months ago on a fixed rate, but there
was no cholera then and no quarantine.
Please do not insist upon the terms of
a purely verbal and wholly illegal con-
tract. The present figure is fifty dol
lars a pound
The Chinamans face wore its habitual
meaningless grin, but his eyes narrow
ed to oblique Sits in his fat. sallow
face. All Chuck knew all there was to
know of the law of supply and demand
He drummed on the table and his long
nails made an ugly, scratching sound
II give you thutty-five dollah!" said he,
at last.
Il believe I said fifty said the COM
modore, mildly. Look here, All Chuck.
l expect Englehart al any moment. III
give you five minutes to decide whether
you accept or refuse my terms. AT the
I ED of that time" Che looked at his
watch) the price will be sixty dol
lars!"
| ''Spose I no buy said All Chuck.
What you Go then? No can bling
sellem San francisco. Mebbe you sail
EN- ship back to Hongkong!"
| NO said the commodore; he still
spoke quietly, but his jaw was set hard
and the steely CLINT shot from his eyes.
| Il don't contemplate wandering about
the high seas with hold full of con-
traband. I expect to sell to you and on
| the terms I've stated. There's fortune
| in it for you and your partners at that,
but 1 thought you might prove tricky
and threaten to throw me over, so l
came back prepared" He opened a mo-
rocco wallet and took therefrom fold
ed paper which he spread on the table
| before the Chinaman. Here is docu-
ment 1 picked up in Hongkong. 1t
cost me good deal of trouble and some
/ money. The proper authorities might
/ be glad to see this, Ell? Take your
hand out of that sleeve! Quick do you
heart"
| All Chuck withdrew his taloned hand
| from the voluminous sleeve, where he
| had a revolver, and sat back, white ana
staring. His fat smile was gone. "Peo-
I pie who buy and sell slave-women are
In a risky business the commodore
| continued, in hard, even tones, par,
ticularly when they add murder and
convenient disappearance to the game.
The time is up, All Chuck. Do we
trader"
"AIl light, buy!' said All Chuck.
| The commodore drew cork and fill
ed two glasses with champagne, first.
however, returning the document to his
wallet. All Chuck followed this move
ment with his eyes. When You give
me that paper?" he asked
when you hand over the money to-
morrow night" said the commodore
Get drafts on San Francisco and split
them up among all the banks or some
one will smell a rat. Well, here's for
tune. All Chuck! I hope Wen both be
richer tomorrow night. He extin-
guished the lights and opened the door
and the Chinaman glided into a wait,
ing vehicle whose steed seemed to have
wings. so swiftly and silently did it
vanish.
The commodore stood looking after
it, whistling softly; then he turned ON
the light and with grim smile went
back to his figuring. It was a simple
computation, the result of which show
ed that a certain quantity of merchan-
disc at fifty dollars pound would yield
net profit of something over one hun
dred thousand dollars. The commo-
dore laid the pencil aside and mopped
| his brow. Presently there was a light
step on the veranda. The man who
| entered was stockily built, his face
! tanned a deep brown. His sandy hair
and stubby mustache were bleached to
still more tawny hue by tropic suns.
! There was about him. despite his bulk
| of chest and shoulders, something OF
+, the 1.-the agility of a jungle creature,
a suppleness as of life in the open, the
muscles trained to a hair, the eye alert
| and inQuisitive. He wore riding boots
and had a binocular case suspended
from his shoulder
Billy Englehart was known from end
to end of Polynesia. He had turned a
more or less honest penny at various
occupations from pearl-poaching to
| ''blackobirding. He had been trad
er, had sailed with Bully Hayes, and
tradition said had once thrashed that
rugged pirate of many seas. Billy
lived by choice life of action and ad-
venture and was generally credited
with being trifie to windward of the
existing statutes but in personal deal
ings was known as square man."
well, Billy" said the commodore
genially what news?'
Good Schooners off Waimanalo.
Burnt a blue flare in answer to mine on
shore. Didn't dare risk going aboard.
She's standing or ana on now,
, reckon. Your mates a good man.
Now give me drink and a cigar. I've
ridden like the devil and most likely
, foundered a good horse"
, The commodore poured a glass OF
, wine, but Englehart waved it aside.
, mo bilge-water, thanks! I want a
mans drink" He went to the side
, board poured a liberal portion OF
: Scotch into tall glass, added ice from
, the champagne bucket, and sent hiss
ing stream over all from siphon.
Then he lit cigar and discussed his
drink with great relish.
> BY thunder,'' said he, as he pushed
, the empty glass aside, II needed that.
I've ridden thirty-five miles, and I
haven't navigated horse for a good