Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-09-10

eluSeu 10 euBdge III TIE WOEks IL WAS
e who unfortunately dropped a suit
ase upon the hallowed tail of the red
Rocker. an accident which ever after
yard gave him a tenacity OF grip that
10 man could understand.
If Lady Deppingham expected a roy
hl welcome from the inhabitants of
aJapat she was soon to discover her
scene of welcome missing on the aft
ernoon of her arrival. but an overpow-
ering air of antipathy sMote her in.Ghe
face as she stepped from the lighter.
conquest In her smile Of Cancellation.
She glanced from right to left down
the lines of swarthy islanders and saw
nothing In their faces but surly. bitter
unfriendliness. They stood stolidly.
stonily at d distance, white robed lines
of resentment personified.
Not a hand was lifted In assistance
to the bewildered visitors; not a word.
not a smile of encouragement escaped
the lips of the silent throng.
els there no British agent here?" she
demanded imperatively, perhaps a lit
tie more shrilly than usual.
No one deigned to answer. Chances
of Indifference, even scorn, passed
among the silent lookers-on, but that
was all.
"Does nc one here understand the
English languageT she demanded. 81
don't mean you, Mr.. Saunders" she
added sharply as the little clerk set
fha c,,4t oaca DOWN o1rr,n41- md
stepped forward. again fumbling his
much fumbled straw hat. This was
the moment when the red cookers
tail anne to grief. The dog arose with
an astonished yelp and fed to his mis-
tress. He had neve been so out
r~ageously set upon before in all his
lpampered life. Selling the opportuni-
v to vent her feelings upon one who
buld understand. even as she poured
pothings upon the insulted Pong,
pom she olasped in her arms, Lady
Res transformed the unlucky Saun-
rs Ninto a target for a most ably d.
ected volley of wrath.
lord D~eppingham. a slow and cum
ersome young stood by nervous
lingering his eyeglass. For the
rst time he felt that the clerk was
etter than a COMPOUNDED dog after all
"My dear" he said, waving Saunders
into the background, q" think 1t was
an accident. The dog had no business
going to sleep He paused and in
serted his monocle for the purpose of
boxing up the precise spot where the
accident had occurred.
"Oh. rubbish" exclaimed her lady
ship. II suppose you expect the poor
larling to apologize"
<"All this has nothing to do with the
ase. We're more intS1ested In learn
ng where ve are 2 re we are to
70. Permit me to- look about.
His wife staredt In amaze
Inent as he We pc canvas
wning In from ok build
6 acskally ell through
group OF natives. Presently he came
Pack. twisting his left mustache.
1.-The fellow in there says that the
English agent is employed in the bank.
It's straight up this street. By Jove!
He called 1t a street. don't you know"
he exclaimed. disdainfully eying the
narrow. dusty passage ahead.
There's the British flag, my lord,
Just ahead. See the building to the
right. sirT' said Mr.. Saunders, more
respectfully than ever and with real
gratitude in his heart
$50 1t is! That's where he is. i
wonder why he isn't down here to
meet usT"
very likely he didn't know we were
coming" said his wife icily.
"Well. well look him up. Come
along. everybody. Oh, l say, we can't
leave this luggage ~unguarded. They
say these fellows are the worst robbers
east of London"
1t was finally decided. after a rather
subdued discussion. that Mr.. Saunders
should proceed to the bank and rout
out the dilatory representative of the
British government. Saunders looked
down the sullen line of faces and
b~lanched to his toes.
Tell him we'll wait for him." pur-
sued his lordship. But remind him,
- him. hat it's inexpressibly hot
down here In the sum-"
They stood and watched the misera-
BILE Saunders tread gingerly up the
filthy street, his knees crooking out
wardly from time to time, very much
as II he were contemplating IN instan-
taneous sprint in any direction but
the one he was taking. Even the
placid Deppingham was somewhat dis
turbed by the significant chances that
followed their emissary as be passed
by each separate knot Of natives.
II do hope Mr.. Saunders will come
back alive" murmured Bromley, her
ladyship's maid. The others started,
for she had voiced the general thought.