Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-12-05

prepared the sick mans food. ana BE-
tween that and the cheer she brought
him he was able after two days to
totter feebly out upon the veranda.
The situation struck him as strange.
and stranger still was the fact that 1t
did not seem strange to the girl at all.
She had settled down and taken charge
of the household as matter Of course.
as II he were her father or brother
or as II she were man like himself.
ut is just too delightful for any
thing" she assured him. 1T is like
page out of some romance. Here ]
come along out of the sea and 6pd a
sick man all alone with 200 slaves
Recruits" he corrected. Contract
laborers. They serve only three years.
and they are free agents when they
enter upon their contracts"
"Yes. yes" she hurried on; "a sick
man alone with 200 recruits on a can
nibal island-they are cannibals. aren't
they? Or ia It all talk?'
Talk he said. with smile. Its
trife more than that. Most of my
boys are from the bush, and every
bushman is cannibal."
"But not after they become recruits?
Surely the boys you have here would
not be guilty"
They'd eat you II the chance afford
ed"
Are you just saying so. on theory.
or do you really know she asked.
II know
why? What makes you think 80?
Your own men here?"
"Yes. my own men here. the very
house boys. the cook that at the present
moment is making such delicious rolls.
thanks to you. Not more than three
months ago eleven of them sneaked
whaleboat and ran for Malaita. Nine
Of them belonged to Malaita. Two
were pushmen from San Cristoval.
They were fools. the two from San
Cristovai. I mean: SO would any two
Malaita men be who trusted them
selves In boat ,.,L n;iie from San
Cristoval."
"Yes:" she asked eagerly. Then
what happened!'
'"rhe nine Malaita men ate the two
from San Cristoval. all except the
heads, which are too valuable for
mere eating. They slowed them away
In the stern locker until they landed.
And those two heads are now in some
bush village back Of Langa Langa."
She clapped her hands and her eyes
sparkled I
''They are really and truly cannibals,
And just think. this Is the twentieth
century. And thought romance and
adventure were fossilized"
He looked at her with mild amuse-
ment.
what is the matter nowy" she
queried.
"Oh. nothing. only don't fancy be-
ing eaten by lot Of filthy niggers Is
the least bit romantic"
mo, of course not" she admitted.
but to be among them. controlling
them. directing them. 200 Of them, and
to escape being eaten by them-that.
at least, If It isn't romantic. is certain
ly the quintessence Of adventure. And
adventure and romance are allied. you
know"
by the same token. to 90 Into
nigger's stomach should be the quin-
tessence Of adventure" he retorted.
"I don't think you have any romance
in you;" she exclaimed. you're just
dull and somber and sordid. like the
business men at home. don't know
why you're here at all. You should be
at home placidly vegetating as bank
er's clerk or-or"-
"A shopkeeper's assistant, thank
you"
"Yes. that-anything. What under
the sun are you doing here on the edge
of things?"-
Earning my bread and butter. try
ing to get on in the world"
".By the bitter road the youngest son
must tread ere he win to hearth and
saddle of his own" she quoted. why.
II that isn't romantic. then nothing In
romantic Think Of all the younger
sons out over the world. on myraid
Of adventures. winning to those same
hearths and saddles. And here you
are in the thick Of 1t, doing 1t. and
here am In the thick OF II. doing It."
I'll beg pardon" he drawled.
"Well. I'm younger daughter.
then" she amended: land have no
hearth nor saddle-I haven't anybody.
or anything-and I'm just as far on the
edge Of things as you are"
"In your case. then. III admit there
Is bit Of romance" he confessed.
He could not help but think Of the
preceding nights and Of her sleeping
In the hammock on the yeranda under
mosquito curtains. her bodyguard Of
Tahitian sailors stretched out Mt the
far corner of the veranda within call.
he had been too helpless to resist. but
now he resolved she should have his
couch inside while be would take the
hammock.
"You see. had read and dreamed
about romance all my life." she was
saying. "but l never In my widest
fancies thought that should live It.
II was all SO unexpected. Two years
ago thought there was nothing ieft
to me but She faltered and made
moue of distaste. "Weil. the only
thing that remained. It seemed to me-
was marriage"
"And you preferred cannibal Isle
and cartridge beltY' he suggested.
IL didn't think Of the .cannibal isle.
but the cartridge belt was blissfui.'
"You wouldn't dare use the revolver
Il you were compelled. TO Or" noting
lhe CLINT III her eyes. III you DID use
It lowell. to hit anything"
She started up suddenly to enter the
house, He knew she was going TOR
her revolver. (,
"Nsvse mind" he said, here's nina