Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-20

amused. He was 50 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
knuckles 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
whaleboat on the way to Berande
When his tribe had returned the three
runaways, he was given his freedom.
And finally. the terrible white man
had fined him and Balesuna village
ten thousand cocoanuts. After that he
had sheltered no more runaway Ma
laita men. Instead. be had gone into
the business of catching them. 1t was
safer. Besides. he was paid one case
Of tobacco per head. But if he ever
got a chance at that white man. if he
ever caught him sick or stood at his
back when he stumbled and fell on
bush trail-well, there would be head
that would fetch a price in Mala-
tia.
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 at 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 felIa, Seelee.' -
Sheldon said. as the chief Culped down
a quarter tumbler of raw trade gin.
''Fella boy belong me you catch short
time little bit. This fella boy strong
fella too much. l give you fella one
case tobacco-my word. one case to-
bacco. Then, you good fella along
me. l 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 a non
cOmmittal grunt and went away down
the path 70 his canoes. Under shell
dOn'S directions. the house boys hand
cuhed the prisoner, by hands and feet.
around one of the pile supports of the
house. At eleven O'Clock, when the
laborers came in from the field. Shell
don had them assembled in the com
pound before the veranda. Every able
man was there, including those who
were helping about the hospital. Even
the women and the several pickanin-
MES of the plantation were lined up
with the rest. two deep-a horde OF
naked savages a trife under two hun
dred strong. Some wore penknives
clasped on their kinky locks for
safety. On the chest Of one china
dOOrknob was suspended. on the chest
OF another the brass wheel Of an alarm
clock
Facing them. cIinSing to the railing
OF the yeranGa for support. stood the
sick white man. Any one of them
could have knocked him over with
the blow of a little finger. Despite his
firearms. the gang could have rushed
him and delivered that blow. when his
head and the plantation would have
been theirs. Hatred and murder and
lust for revenge they possessed to
overlooking. But one thing they
lacked. the thing that he possessed
the flame OF mastery that would not
quench. that burned fercely as ever
in the disease wasted body.
''Narada! Billy" Sheldon called
sharply.
Two men SUNK unwiIiingIy forward
and waited