Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-11-15
CHAPTER XII.

you ueduL IL yOuFSelI anu Cuat yOt
meant it because of me. Well, an
going to bed. Let me be your partner
and you'll see me rattle the dry bones
of the Solomons. Confess. I've rattle(
yours already"
Il should say so.' he answered
"Really, you know, you have. never
received such a dressing down in my
life. If any one had ever told me
that I'd be party even to the present
situation Yes, confess you have
ratified my dry bones pretty consider
ably"
But that is nothing to the rafting
they are going to get" she assured him
as he rose and took her hand. Good
night. And do. do give me rational
decision in the morning."
II wish knew whether you are
merely headstrong or whether you
really intend to be Solomon planter -
Sheldon said in the morning at break
fast.
Il wish you were more adaptable"
Joan retorted. "You have more pre-
conceived notions than any man ever
met. Why in the name Of common
sense, in the name of-fair play, can't
you get it into your head that l am
different from the women you have
known and treat me accordingly? You
surely ought to know l am different.
l sailed my own schooner here-skip-
per, If you please. l came here to
make my living. You know that; I've
told you often enough. 1t was dads
plan, and I'm carrying it out, just as
you are trying to carry out your
Hughes plan. Dad started to sail and
sail until he could find the proper
islands for planting. He died, and I
sailed and sailed until arrived here.
Well" she shrugged her shoulders,
1.-THE schooner is at the bottom Of tho
sea; can't sail any farther; therefore
I remain here. And planter shat;
certainly be. Do you want me for a
partner?"
But do you realize that would he
looked upon as the most foolish jack
anapes in the south seas If took a
young girl like you in with me hero
IN Berande?' he asked.
mo; decidedly not. But there you
are again, worrying about what idiots
and the generally evil minded will
think Of you. I should have thought
you had learned self reliance on Be-
rande, instead of needing to lean upon
the moral support OF every whisky
guzzling, worthless south sea vaga-
bond.''
He smiled and said:
Eyes, that is the worst of it. You
are unanswerable. Yours is the logic
Of youth, and no man can answer that.
The facts Of life have no place in the
logic of youth. Youth must try to live
according to it's logic. The facts always
smash youths logic, and they usually
smash youths heart, too. It's like
platonic friendships and-and all such
things; they are all right in theory, but
they won't work in practice.
Suppose we do become partners on
Berande," he said, "either I'll fall in
love with you or you with me. Pro-
pinquity is dangerous, you know. In
fact, 1t is propinQuity that usually
gives the facer to the logic Of youth"
If you think I came to the Solo,
mons to get married." she began
wrathfully. "Well, there are better
men in Hawaii, that's all. Really, you
know, the way you harp on that one
string would lead an unprejudiced
listener to conclude that you are pru-
rient minded
She stopped, appalled,. His face had
gone red and white with such abrupt
ness as to startle her. He was pa
tently very angry. She slipped the
last Of her coffee, and arose, saying:
"Tll wait until. you are in a better
temper before taking up the discussion
again. That is what's the matter with
you. You get angry too easily. Will
you come swimming? The tide is just
right"
III she were man, I'd bundle her
of the plantation, root and crop,
whaleboat, Tahitian sailors, sover-
eigns, and ALL" he said to himself
after she had left the room.
But that was the trouble. She was
not a man, and where would she 60,
and what would happen to her?
he got to his feet, lighted a ciga-
rette, and her Stetson hat, hanging on
the wall over her revolver belt, caught
his eye. That was the devil Of it, too.
he did not want her to 60. After all,
she had not grown up yet. Never
again would he lose his temper with
her. She was child; he must re-
member that. He sighed heavily. But
why in reasonableness had such a
child been incorporated in such WON.
ans form?
Her thrilling laughter smote upon his
reverie and he stepped to the screen
door, through which he could see her
running down the path to the beach.
At her heels ran two Of her sailors,
Papehara and Mahameme, in scarlet
lava-lavas, with naked sheath knives
cleaning in their belts. 1t was an
other sample Of her wilfulness. De
spite entreaties and commands, and