The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-12-20
By
JACK LONDON
Copyright. 1919. BY Street & Smith
Copyright l9ll. by The Macmlllaa
Company
CHAPTER vi.

mans outlook should be that he was
more often than not at SKIES and sew
ems with her. BE could never ant1ci-
pate what she would say or do next
Her temper was quick and stormy,
and she relied too much on herself and
too little on him, which did not ap-
proximate at all to his ideal Of wo-
mans conduct when a man was
around Her assumption OF equality
with him was disconcerting. and at
times he half consciously resented the
and bizarreness of her In
trusion upon him, rising out Of the
sea in a bowling nor'wester, fresh
from poking her revolver under Eric
sons nose, protected by her gang Of
huge Polynesian sailors and settling
down in Berande like any shipwrecked
sailor. It was all on a par with her
Baden-Powel] and the long 80 Colts.
At any rate. she did not look the
part. And that was what he could
not forgive. Had she been short hair
ed. heavy 1awed, large muscled. hard
bitten and utterly unlovely in every
way all would have been well, in
stead Of which she was hopelessly and
deliciously feminine. Her hair wor-
ried him, it was SO generously beau
tifuL. And she was 80 slenderly and
prettily the woman-the girl, rather
that it cut him like knife to see her
with quick, comprehensive eyes and
sharply imperative voice superintend
the launching OF the whaleboat
through the surf. In imagination he
could see her roping a horse, and 1t
always made him shudder. Then, too,
she was so many sided.
Sheldon certainly was not happy.
The unconventional state Of affairs
was too much for his conservative dis
position and training. Berande. in
habited by one lone white man, was
no place for Joan Lakeland. Yet he
racked his brain for way out, and
even talked it over with her. In the
first place, the steamer from Australia
was not due for three weeks.
lone thing is evident; you don't
want me here" she said. ''I'u man
the whale boat tomorrow and go over
to Tulagi."
But as 1 told you before, that is
impossible" he cried. There Is no
one there The resident commissioner
is away in Australia. There IS only
one white man, third assistant
understrapper and ex-sailor-a COM
mon sailor. he Is in charge Of the
government Of the Solomons, to say
nothing of a hundred or so niggers-
prisoners. Besides, he is such fool
that he would fine you Els for not hav-
ing entered at Tulag1. which is the port
Of entry, you know. BE Is not nice
man, and, l repeat. it is impossible"
There is Guvutu." she suggested
'"rhere's nothing there but fever
and five white men who are drinking
themselves to death. l couldn't per-
NIT it."
'Oh. thank you" she said quietly.
II guess I'll start today-Viabur
You go along Noah. speak m come
along me-"
Noa Noah was her head sailor. who
had been bcatswain of the Miele.
where are you goingr' Sheldon
asked in surprise. "Viaburi! You
stop"
ITO Guyutu-immediately," was he,
reply.
But I won't permit It"
"That is why l am going. You said
It once before, and 1t is something
cannot brook"
syVbo<2v 10 -oo howjtNoro1 hv no,
sudden anger. III have offended II
any way
"viabun, you fetch m one fella .;os
Noah along me-" she commanded.
The black boy started to obey.
"Viabu1! You no stop l break n
head belong you. And now. Miss Lack
land; insist; you must explain. Wha
have said or done to merit this!
You have presumed. you hav'
dared
She choked and swallowed and coul'
not go on.
Sheldon looked the picture of de
spair.
Il confess my head Is going aroun'
with 1t ALL" be said. "If you coul'
only be explicit"
But you have no right-no man ha
the right-to tell me what be will pei
NIT or not permit I'm too old t
have guardian, nor did l sail all tn
way to the Solomons to find one"
"a gentleman Is every woman
guardian"
We'll. I'm not every woman-thatl
all. Will you kindly allow me to sent
your boy for Noa Noah? l wish hin
to launch the whaleboat. Or shall / g,
myself for himr'
Both were now on their feet, sh,
with flushed cheeks and angry eyes
he, puzzled. vexed and alarmed. Tn,
black boy stood like a statue-a pluml
black statue-taking no interest In tn,
transactions Of these incomprehenz:h!:
whites.
But you won't do anything so fool
tsh"- he began.
There you 60 again." she cried.
II didn't mean it that way, and yoy
know didn't" He was speaking SLOW
" and gravely. And that other thing
that not permitting-t Is only man
ner Of speaking. OF course l am no
your guardian. You know you can g.
to Guvutu II you want to'-or to tn