Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-12-26
A Romance of
The South Seas
BY
JACK LONDON
Copydtit. 1910. by Street q Saith
Copyright. 1911. BY the Mscmilaan compaz

| over the SOl0monS. Please 1orget that
am accidentally anything else than
a man with mans living to make.
Il have told you." he began stihy,
that recruiting on Malaita is impos-
sible for woman and that Is all /
| care to Say-Or dare"
"And ! tell you. In turn. that 1t Is
nothing OF the sort. am a navlga'
! tor, and that is more than your Solo
mons captains are. And am sea-
mana better seaman than you, when
it comes right down to 1t and you
know 1t. can shoot am not a
fool. can take care Of myself"
! Sheldon made a hopeless gesture.
That's right" she ratified on. Wash
your hands of me. But as Won used to
say. you just watch my smoke! 1sup-
pose you've been accustomed to Jane
Eyres all your life. That's why you
don't understand me. Come on. Satan:
let's leave him to his old music
He watched her morosely and with
out intention of speaking. till be saw
her take a rifle from the stand. exam
inc the magazine and start for the
door
where are you going?" he asked
peremptorily.
"As between man and woman" she
answered. 1T would be too teribly-or
indecent for you to tell me why l
shouldn't 60 alligatoring. Good night
Sleep we'll"
He shut off the phonograph with q
snap, started toward the door after
her. then abruptly flung himself into a
chair.
You're hoping d gator catches me,
aren't you?" she called from the veran-
da, and as she went down the steps
her ripping laughter drifted tantaliH-
ingly back through the wide doorway.
The next day Sheldon was left all
alone. Joan had gone exploring Part-
Sulay and was not to be expected back
until the late afternoon. The loss OF
the Jessie had hit Berande severely.
Not alone was his capital depleted by
the amount of her value. but her earn
ings were no longer TO be reckoned on.
and It was her earnings that largely
paid the running expenses Of the plan
tation.
Poor old Hughie." he muttered
aloud once. I'm glad you didn't live
| to see 1t. old man. What cropper.
what cropper."
Between squalls the Flibberty Gibbet
ran into anchorage. and her skipper.
Pete Oleson Cbrother to the Oleson OF
the Jessie,. ancient. grlzzled. wild
eyed, emaciated by fever. dragged his
weary frame up the veranda steps and
collapsed In steamer chair. Whiskey
and soda kept him going while he
made report and turned in his accounts
You're rotten with fever" Sheldon
said. "Why don't you run down to
Sydney for blow Of decent climateY
The old skipper shook his head.
81 can't. I've been In the islands too
long. Id die. The fever comes out
worse down there"
Kill or cure" Sheldon counselled.
ITS straight kill for me. | tried
It three years ago. The cool weather
put me on my back before I landed,
They carried me ashore and into hos
pital. was unconscious one stretch
for two weeks. After that the doctors
sent me back to the islands-said It
was the only thing that would save
me. Well. I'm still alive. But I'm
too soaked with fever. A month III
Australia would finish me-"
He declined to sleep ashore. took his
orders. and went back on board the
cutter. A lurid sunset was blotted out
BY the heaviest squall Of the day. and
Sheldon watched the whaleboat arrive
| In the thick Of it. AS the sprltsal was
taken In and the boat headed on to the
beach, he was aware Of distinct hurt
at sight Of Joan ut the steering oar,
standing erect and swaying her
strength to It as she resisted the pres
sures that tended to throw the craft
broadslde in the surf. Her Tahitians
leaped out and rushed the boat high up
the beach. and she led her bizarre
following through the gate OF the COM
pound.
1Iovely. perfectly lovely-Pari-
Sulay," she painted. II shall buy 1t.
Ill write to the commissioner tonight.
And the site for the bungalow-Ive
selected 1t already-is wonderful. You
must come over some day and advise
me. You won't mind my staying here
until l can get settled? Wasn't that
squall beautiful! And suppose I'm
late for dinner. I'll run and get clean
and be with you In a minute"
"Do you know. I'm never going to
squabble with you again" he an
nounced. when they were seated.
"Squabble!' was the retort. Its
such a sordid word. It sounds cheap
and nasty. think it's much nicer to
| quarrel"
Gall It what you please. but we
won't do Il any more. will weT he
| cleared his throat nervously, for her
eyes advertised the immediate begin
ming of hostilities. Il beg your par
don." he hurried on. Il should have
spoken for myself. What l mean Is
that I refuse to quarrel. You have the
most horrible way. without uttering
word. of making me play the fool.
Why. began with the kindliest IN
tentions. and here l am now
Making uasty remarks." she COM
| pleted for him.
ats the way you have Of catching
me up" hr complained.
"why I never said a. word. I was
merely si,tiug here. being sweetly
lured on BY promises Of peace on
earth and all the rest OF 1t. when sud-
denly you begin to call me names"
Hardly that, am sure"
"Well, you said l was horrible. or
that l had a horrible way about me,
which Is the same thing. wish my
bungalow were up. I'd move tomor.
row."
But her twitching lips belied her
words, and the next moment the man
was more uncomfortable than ever.
being made 30 BY her laughter
II was only teasing you. Honest
Injun. And Il you don't laugh III