Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-10-31

| cided that he was worse. THAI
he was appreciably weaker there
was no doubt. and there were
other symptoms that were unfavorable
He began his rounds looking fO'
trouble. He wanted trouble. In full
health the strained situation wolit
have been serious enough: but rs il
was. himself growing helpless. some
thing had to be done. The blacks
were getting more suIIen and defiant
and the appearance Of the men the
previous night on his veranda-One Ol
the gravest Of offences on Berande--
was ominous Sooner or later they
would get him. II he did not get them
first. II he did not once again scar OH
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 insoIence
or Observation-Disclosures 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
1t was one man against two hundred.
and he was horribly afraid Of his
sickness overpOwering him and Ieav'
ing him at their mercy He saw Vi
sions OF the blacks taking charge Of
the plantation. footing 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. Oruamenting the canoe
house OF a canniDaI 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 Shei
don had u 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 flung Solonlons.
The one man who came up the path
Sheldon recognized as SeeIee. 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 iowness OF
that kind. His eyes. close together and
small. advertised cruelty and crafti-
ness. A gee string and cartridge
belt were all the clothes he wore
AS he talked. or listened. ne made
grimaces like monkey. He said yes
by dropping his eyelids and thrusting
his chin forward He spoke with
childish arrogance strangely at vari-
nnce with the subservient position he
occupied beneath the veranda. He.
with his many followers. was lord and
master of Ralesuna village. But the
white man. without followers. was
lord and master Of Berande-ay. and
on occasion. single handed. had made
himself lord and master Of Ralesuna
village as well. Seelee did not like to
remember that episode 1t had oc-
Cured In the course Of learning the
nature OF white men and Of learning
to abominatc them He had once been
guilty OF sheterinG three runaways
from Fernando
Unfortunately. he was ignorant of
the ways OF white men. This particu-
lar white man educated him by arriv-
ing at his grass house in the gray Of
dawn In the first moment he had felt
amused. He was SO perfectly safe In
the midst Of his village. But the next
moment. and before he could cry out.
a pair Of handouts on the white mans
had landed on his mouth.
knocking the cry Of alarm back down
his throat Also. the white mans other
fist had caught him under the ear and
left him without further interest in
what was happening. When he came
to he found himself in the white mans
whaIeboat on the way to Berande.
When his tribe had returned the three
he was given his freedom.
And finally. the terrible white man
had fined him and BaIesuna village
ten thousand cOcoanuts. After that he
had sheltered no more runaway Ma
iaita men, Instead. he had gone into
the business Of catching them. 1t was
safer. Besides. he was paid one case
Of tobacco per head But ii he ever
got chance ut that white man. If lie
ever caught him sick or stood ut his
back when he stumbled and fell on Il
bush trail-weIl. there would be II head
that would fetch price In Maln
ita.
Sheldon was pleased with what See
lee told him. The seventh man Of the
last batch Of runaways had been
caught and was even then ut the gate
He was brought in. heavy featured
and defiant. his arms bound with co
coanut sennit. the dry blood still on
his body from the struggle with his
captors.
ME savvee you good fella. Seelee."
Sheldon said. us the chief gulped down
Z quarter tumbler Of raw trade gin.
"Fella boy belong me you catch shor,
time little bit. This fella boy strong
fella too much. give you fella one
case tobacco-my word, one case to-
bacco. Then. you good fella along
me. give you three fathom calico
one fella knife big fella too much"
The tobacco and trade goods were
brought from the store room by two
house boys and turned over to the
chief Of Balesuna village. who accept
ed the additional reward with non,
committal grunt and went away down
the path to his canoes. Under Shell