The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-05
Missionary to Kings.
By John Fleming Wilson
In The Pacific Monthly.
In The Pacific Monthly.

pany your
We were a queer procession as we
went up the slope under the hot sun.
Pix and Spriggs led the way, Miss Jen-
kins followed. talking TO Paul, and /
was left to trudge along by myself in
the rear. As we progressed I puzzled
over whether Miss Jenkins would in
yite US into the Station or whether she
would allow US TO leave her there and
/ go on to Spriggs's quarters a good
hours walk beyond. She settled it as
I feared she would, by inviting Paul
into the Station. This is my h6me,'
she said. You will find it more com
Portable than a long walk to Mr..
Spriggs's place. And I am so anxious
to see any one from America that
can't let you go yet"
How kind!" Paul assented heartily
tAnd what a bower for beauty! In
deed. Mss Jenkins. we were told that
SIsal was a desert island. We never
expected to find such home nor such
a hostess
What did you expect to fnd?'' I
could not help asking.
Paul turned an insoIent glance upon
me-. ST never talk business before
ladies'" he said CURLY. "And I think
Miss Jenkins is really entitled TO a
change Of topics
1 looked over at her, but her cool
glance did not rest for a fraction Of
a second on me. She was engaged in
directing the small native girl about
something to eat. However, she had
caught my question and PauPs re-
Spouse, for she said: Mr.. Edwards
is 50 strictly business-like that he is
uneasy unless he is fulfilling the COM
mands of his employer"
"who is his employer" Paul asked
her
Mr.. Spriggs,'' she answered.
II doubt not Mr.. Spriggs finds Ed
wards a servant after his own heart"
he remarked.
I got up and left them in the porch.
I had no special reason for going, ex-
cept that / could not stay. So I
strolled down to the beach where the
natives that had rowed the boat ashore
were Ioafing in the shade OF the ware
house I don't take much to Kanakas
as a rule. but the natives of Sisal were
so shy and timid a lot that the impu-
dent faces of these two men attracted
me. I spoke to them and soon was in
Bessie Martin had not called any
where since leaving San Francisco
three months before until Sisal was
sighted. That was suspicious and the
Of one of them that Captain
Pix was not the captain under whom
they had shipped in Pango-Pango was
more so. A small burgee tucked I'M
der the gunwale suddenly caught my
attention. T pulled it out. It was a
yacht burgee and bore the letters
Glendive. f'Old name" said the Ka-
nakas.
Sisal was out of the way. to be sure.
but among the papers we had brought
down on the "Mahukona" was one con-
tanning an item about Reginald Everett
Of Auckland and his new schooner
yacht the Glendive. I threw the bur
gee back into the boat.
You know Mr.. Everett?'' I demand |
ed of the sailors.
The did not answer but looked at |
each other cunningly. IT think UNI |
de-" one OF them remarked after q |
little.
That wasn't much to go on, but it |
was something and after finding that |
there were no whites except the man /
calling himself Paul and Captain Pix |
On the schooner, wandered away, as /
careIessly as possible, knowing that as
soon as I emerged from behind the /
warehouse I was visible from the porch /
where Miss Jenkins was entertaining !
two rascals and a fool.
7 went clear to the other side Of the
island before I stopped. Once there
and under the lee of its waye-like crest, /
[ sat me down to puzzle out what I
should do.
It would be useless to deny that I
cared a rap for any one except Miss
Jenkins in this matter. Everett might
lie Pix be a. murderer, Paul an inn
7ostor and Spriggs their victim, too,
sor all I cared. But T was not going
% allow Miss Jenkins to fall a. prey
% a couple of precious rascals If Z
could help it. And I perceived that
n her present scornfu1 temper Of all /
hat SisaI meant, she could be easily
persuaded of the safety Of the Bessie
Martin" as a means OF transit TO the
states
revoked many schemes in my mind.
finally had to acknowledge that
lad too little to go on. Ten to one
Paul. spite of his insoIence and veneer
Il HEtCutASy Hight DC Sp0AANs La @~1A
.ble and honest mariner and the "Bes-
lie Martin all that she pretended to /
,e Then 1t occurred to me that I
rad better find out what the business
vas that had brought this crew TO
;isal 7 went to Spriggs's quarters,
determined to wait for him.
It was midnight when he came. He
Teeted me with a snarl and refused
o discuss matters till I remarked, tax
ng my hat. The Bessie Martin was
ormerly a yacht belonging to a. veal
ny Australian" II
How do you know that?' he de-
handed.
7 found II out from a couple Of the
rev." 7 answered. While you were
DING the parlor act I was out hunting
own thieves 7 suppose that fellow I
hat calls himself Paul took you in, all
ight?"
Spriggs groaned. ST thought there /;
vas something wrong he said slowly. {
He told me a while ago, after we left
he Station and Miss Jenkins. that he {
ad called at SisaI to beach the schoon-
= and paint her. In fact, he's going I
D take her round TO Ieeward tomorrow