Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-11-07
CHAPTER II.
SOMETHING Is DONE,


N the morning David Sheldon de-
cided that he was worse. That
he was appreciably weaker there
was no doubt. and there were
other symptoms that were unfavorable.
He began his rounds looking for
trouble. He wanted trouble. In full
health the strained situation would
have been serious enough; but as it
was. himself growing helpless. some
thing had to be done. The blacks
were getting more sullen and defiant.
and the appearance Of the men the
previous night on his veranda-one of
the gravest Of offences on Berande-
was ominous. Sooner or later they
would get him. If he did not get them
first. If be did not once again scar on
their dark souls the flaming mastery
Of the white man.
he returned to the house disappoint-
ed. No opportunity had presented it.
self Of making an example Of tnsoience
or insubordinat1 0n-such as had oc-
CURED on every other day since the
sickness smote Berande. The fact that
none had offended was in itself sus-
picious. They were growing crafty.
It was one man against two hundred.
and he was horribly. afraid of his
overpowering him and leav-
ing him at their mercy. He saw VI
sions Of the blacks taking charge of
the plantation. looting the store, burn
ing the buildings and escaping to Ma
laita. Also one grewsome vision he
caught of his own head. sun dried and
smoke cured. ornamenting the canoe
house of a cannibai village. Either
the Jessie would have to arrive or
he would have to do something.
The bell had hardly rung, sending
the laborers into the fields. when Shell
don had visitor: Forty men. armed
with spears. bows and arrows and
war clubs. gathered outside the gate
Of the compound. but only one enter
ed. They knew the law Of Berande.
as every native knew the law Of every
white mans compound in all the thou
sand miles Of the far dung Solomons.
The one man who came up the path
Sheldon recognized az Seelee. the chief
Of Balesuna village. The savage did
not mount the steps, but stood be-
meath and talked to the white lord
above.
Seelee was more intelligent than the
average Of his kind. but his intelli-
gence only emphasized the lowness Of
that kind. His eyes, close together and
small. advertised cruelty and craft-
ness. A gee string and a cartridge
belt were all the clothes he wore.
As be talked. or listened. he made
grimaces like monkey. he said. yes
by dropping his eyelids and thrusting
his chin forward. He spoke with
childish arrogance strangely ut var1-
ance with the subservient position he
occupied beneath the veranda. he,
With his many followers. was lord and
master of Balesuna village. But the
white man. without followers. was
lord and master Of Berande-ay. and
IN occasion. single handed. had made
himself lord and master Of Balesuna
village as well. Seelee did not like to
remember that episode. It had &C.
cured In the course Of learning the
nature Of white me-. and Of learning
TO abominate them. 'ae had once been |
guilty Of sheltering, three runaways
irom Berande.
Unfortunately. be was ignorant Of
the ways Of white men. This particu-
ar white man educao .d him BY arriv-
ing at his grass hous. in the gray of
lawn. In the first mo nent he had felt
unused. he was 20 perfectly safe in
the midst Of his village. But the next