Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27
CHAPTER XIX.

tHcH Ill DUSlUeSS nor uOile tHtEl
any way whatever. 1t is true that at his
memorable interview with the King of
Okky with a little persuasion he could have
got that grateful monarch to take off the
embargo which he had laid on the facto
ries at Monk, Ma!la-Nulla and Smooth
River, though the fact that he did not put
forward pressure this point could hardly
have reached the ear of Miss ONeill. In
deed, it is to be doubted if she ever knew
that any reference to her name or affairs
cropped up at all.
But be that as it may. she certainly from
the date of sending her cable to Cascaes
began to interest herself in opposing Car
ter schemes.
The first he knew of it was a typewriter
letter from Liverpool, on the FIRMS note
paper. beginning Dear Sir" and ending
"ONeill Il Craven, per X. ONeil'.' In
arid business sentences it understood he
had "a Trimming proposition up Smooth
river" it pointed out that our firm for
many Years has had very far-reaching in
terests in this neighborhood," and it sug-
gested that ONcill & Craven should buy
the mine Ito prevent any clash of inter
ests."
Carter replied to this CURLY enough that
Tin Hin was not in the market, and took
the next boat home to Liverpool. He had
picked up distressed merchant skipper
named Kettle and put him in charge of the
motor beat and the canoes and the mining
work generally, and though in their short
interview he decided that Kettle was the
most tactless man in Africa, he believed
him to be honest, and instinctively knew
him to be capable
"One thing I must ask" he said at the
end of their talk, land that is that you do
not try any proselytizing up here. Your
creed / have no doubt, is very excellent at
home. but out here where they either
Mosemin or nothing it will only stir up
disputes, and that l won't have. Is that
quite aeroed?'
Il have learned. sir" said the sailor. ito
obey orders to the. letter even though
know them to be against an owners best
interests"
I'm. said Carter and stared at him
thoughtfuly. "Well captain. | think it
would be safest if you went those lines
You Will tind your chief engineer who car
ries the name of White-Man s-Trouble
beautifully unreliable in most things, but
he understands the launchs engines Won
derfully. and / like him. Id take it as
favor if you'd deal with him lightly as
possible
III bear your words in mind. sir. though
as man who has handled everything col
ored that serves afoat, I'd like to point out
that pampering spells them"
The only other point to remember is that
I've made my name up these rivers mainly
by being known as a ju-ju man-sort of
wizard in fact. You'll have no difficulty,
suppose. in following up that line now I've
given you the hint?
You'll pardon me, sir. but if that made
an essential | must chuck up the job sorely
In need of employment as am at the mo-
Ana. besides. as liar 1 am the poorest
kind of failure
Pooh, man, it's only little acting that's
required
Mr.. Carter" said the sailor, still more
stiffly. you see in me man who's sunk
very low, but I've never descended yet to
working as theatrical. According to our
persuasion we hold that play acting is one
degree less wicked than bigamy and in
deed, often leads to it,
Well said Carter, that mail boat sails
to fANF
by her. I've been building on you. captain,
as the most trustworthy man now knock
ing about in West Africa
I'm all that. sir
80 | shall have to respect Your scruples
and give You the billet"
You shall never regret II for one min
ute. sir. You'll find the address of Mrs
Kettle on this slip of paper and if youlI
post three-quarters of my wages to her as
they fall due Id take it as favor I've
been out Orwell. | won't poster you with
domestic matters. sir. but the fact is, I'm
afraid she must be in very poor circum-
stances just at the moment"
she shall have check posted the day
after ] land in Liverpool. 1 give you my
word for that"
Il thank you, Mr.. Carter Now, if YOU
wanted another officer, there's Mr. Me
Todd. an engineer who's just now at
Akassa. that / could get"
Thauky. captain. but not for me-"
Il believe ! could persuade him to take a
low wage"
Not for me. captain. I know McTodd
lie far TOO thirsty and far too cantank-
erous. You'd find him ugly handful"
Ne! BY James, sir | can handle that
swine in way that would surprise YOU.
He had a bad up-brnging: he belongs to
the Free Kirk; but after I've had the ma
niPulation of Mr.. McTodd for a week. / can
make him as mild as Norwegian Swiss
milk"
We'll. well say not for the present,' at
any rate. With IL" organization I've got
together, and the backing from the King of
Okky that I've told you about youIl be
aDie To haul down all the available ore if
you follow out my Instructions and when
II comes to bonus, captain if you've been
successful, you'n find me generous paw
master. l don't toll for nothing myself. 1
Work about ten times as hard as my neigh
b0rs, and draw in about seventeen times
as much pay / like man who has got
the same ambitions"
The little sailor sighed I've ALWAYS
done ten times the normal whack of work,
sir, but somehow I've missed lingering the
dibs. tell YOU fiat. fourteen pounds a
month has been good for ne and month
In and month ont I've not averaged ten
Then, if that's the case" said Carter
brlskly, Just here should come the turn in
your fortunes. Shake hands captain
Good by To you. good health and good luck
Heres my surf boat The steamers heav-
Ing short"
"Good-by, sir" said Kettle. I'm sure
.ouH remember TO send that check
ne nan-bodt called usual at Las
Pa!mas and was boarded on arrival by the
usual batch Of invalids and Liverpool trip
porS for the run home. Carter landed as
soon as the port doctor gave clearance pa
pers' rowed TO the mole and chartered a
tarldna, between whose shafts, there droop-
Ell a mouse-colored mule. In it he bumped
over the badly laid tram lines from the
is!eta 10 the city, and then left the city
by the Telde road.
Las Palmas is the meeting place of all
west Africa, and if one is there long
enough one expects to meet sooner or later
every man who has business or other in
terests on the coast. Carter waved his
hand TO Hausa constabulary officer in the
gateway of the Catalina, and to a Lagos
branch boat skipper who was standing on
the steps OF the Elder Dempster Office
Coming down from the telegraph station
he saw one Of the Germans who had been
frightened out of Mokki, and under a cafe
awning by the dry river bed no less a per-
sonage than Burgoyne of Monk River
waved hospitable hand and invited him
To try glass of Bass.
But further on, where the Telde road
leaves the city, he saw a man whose walk
he knew, and instinctvely leaned out from
the tartana's awning to show himself and
TO wave greeting The man was Cascaes
But the Senior Cascaes stared him coolly
in the face, and-cut him dead.