Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-18
CHAPTER XIII-Continued.

,os, office 70 catch the mail The 'Solent
called this morning. but she didn't take
Henry Vivian's letter to his father. She
took one from me instead, signed in his
name I've got his in my pocket, and IL
contained exactly what / expected. he
makes no definite charge. because 1t Is I'M
possible to prove anything against me; out
he states in detail that more money Is pc
ing made than appears. and advises oH
Reginald to be rid of me at once. Mean
time he is going to look round the island
and find a new overseer. But TINS httle
plan won't suit me. / must stop at the
Pelican for another year at least. so,
having unsealed and read our young
friends letter after he retired to Ded L
wrote another-on my typewriter-and gave
myself a better character, you may De sure.
His signature very easy TO INITIATE
and now my letter. not his, has set sail LOT
home. There ii goes now.
He pointed below where steamer sip
ped away from Tobago. and the station
ship. "Solent," proceeded on her course 10
Trinidad and Barbados.
MY letter went in his envelope. con-
tinued Ford, land when Sir Reginald reads
1t he will be favoraby impressed. because
i gave myself a better character than
Vivian did. OF course letter from me Will
reach by the next mail"
You write, too, Nassau?
''Yes-I shall write-all about what Is go
ing to happen"
Il see. You tell de great man at home
how his son meet with dam sad accident
and lose him life in TOBACCO
Exactly. The boys as good as dead.
rather wish it had been possible to avoid
this. but he is too clever by half. He
mustn't go home
He trust your
Absolutely. He has no idea that have
seen through him and know that he is
not satisfied. Therefore, from his stand
point have no reason to hate him. We
are the best of friends. l am showing
him all the sights and taking him all
over the island. He is anxious to see
everything and everybody. OF course, he
is on the lookout for new overseer; but
I'm not supposed TO know that. Now
he's excited. too, about that sailor who
knocked him down yesterday. a wretched
fellow off tramp steamer. We We're
on the wharf watching them load turtles
when he spotted the man. Then there
was row. and my gentleman got knocked
into the water. l wish there had been
a shark cruising around, 1t would have
saved us a deal of trouble
Il will do all marse shark could do. sar
A berry nice hole dug under the snake
gourd. When he Gomez
soon. I've told him that Jesse Hagan,
the Obi Man. is the first wonder of the
island; so he'll be here with me to see
you. Have all your war paint on. --.ter-
ward Ill take his horse away-and his
boots and clothes: The rest is simple
the beach. and his garments together, and
prints of feet going to the bathing place,
but none returning"
Oars nobody like Massa Ford!'
I'VE must be short and sharp. He's res
o,ute and quick. But he's small-whats
that? There's somebody moving out
there!'
MY goat, sar."
the hut. a moment later and he stood
face to face with Daniel Sweetland The
sailor some distance from the cottage
when Jabez accosted him. His back was
turned and ne stood on stone and pulled
down green bananas from one of the Obi
Mans trees.
WHO are you and what do you do here?"
asked the overseer. You must be mad
a desperate man TO run your head into
this danger
The other looked innocently round. Mere
temporary fear seemed 10 leap into his
ewes at the threat He showed by no deed
But Daniel had heard the course of con-
versation very clearly. and the necessity
for swift action had forced Sself upon his
mind. His first idea was to leap upon
Ford's horse hasten to the Pelican estate
and give an alarm; then he remembered
his own position as hunted fugitive.
plan worthy of the ingenious brain that
had freed him from the handouts of Mr..
Corder swiftly dawned in the mans head.
He saw the dangers waiting for Henry
Vivian and for himself. In few mo-
ments he decided upon action, and his
words Indicated that Daniel evidently held
self-preservation the first law of nature.
He left the heir of Middlecott to his fate,
as it seemed, and played for his own
hand only.
Please sir. listen afore you give me
up said Daniel "Afore God I'm inno-
cent of what this man says against me.
He's hard. cruel young devil, and many s
the poor chap at home he's driven des-
perate. Not spark of pity has he got.
an now l be desperate-as any hunted
man would bean SO I've climbed up here
with my life in my hand to his terrible
old chap they tell about. An l was 60
ing TO AK him TO help me; but hearing
voices. l just waited here till he was free.
I'll pay him well for his bananas, and
I'll pay him better for something else,
which is to help me against that young
bloodhound, Henry Vivian. l don't care
what l do against him. for he'll ruin me
II he can; an if l was guilty, I'd say
nought. but I'm innocent. An if I've got
to swing, I'll swing for him. That's why
i coined with present to this here mys-
terry man. to ak him to hide me an help
me against my enemy. An I'll tell you
something. too. if you'll listen, an that
is that Mister Henry Vivian ban't no
friend to you. come from the same
place he does. and l heard about it afore
my own trouble at home. Hem here as a
spy, an l lay after he's gone you'll find
your goose be cooked
This speech interested Mr.. Ford not a
little.
Twas you that shot his fathers game
keeper then?" he asked; but Daniel de-
MED II.
at looked bad against me-so bad that
/ didn't stop to talk about it. but got
clear off. Time will show twas no work
of mine. however; an this man. as have
knowed me from my youth up, ought to
be my friend-not my enemy. But since
hem against me. I'm against him, an I'd
cut his throat tomorrow If l got the
chance"
The overseer nodded and turned to Jesse
Hagan. Jesse had brought a gun out OF
his dwelling and now deliberately pointed
It at Daniel
Shall ] shoot dis gem'man?' he in
quired with his finger on the trigger
Him berry rude young man walk in my
garden widdout saying please, an eat my
bananas"
Stop" answered Ford. This sailor i.
friend At least / think so. No. dom
shoot him. Let him come in ailu give hin
something to eat. He's hungry"
Lucky Massa Ford speak for you, mars,
eailCr-man-else you'd be food for de JohI
Crows dis minute But he say eat S,
you eat instead oh being eaten, sar.''
Then Daniel entered the Obi Mans hu
q with Jabez Ford and old Jesse.
CHAPTER XIV.
Jesse's Finger Nail.