The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-24

'1 ams afraid you are female Shel- ley" he replied And as such you really drive me to become your part her in order to protect you"
 "If you take me as a partner in order to protect me-I-I sha' mt be your partner. that's all. You'll drive me into buying Pari-Sulay yet"
 "All the more reason"- he attempt ed.
 Do you know what I'll do?' she demanded. "Pll find some man in the Solomons who won't want to protect me-"
 Sheldon could not conceal the shock her words gave him.
 "You don't mean that, you know" he pleaded.
 '1 do; I really do. I am sick and tired of this protection dodge. Don't forget for a moment that l am per- fectly able to take care of myself. Besides, 1 have eight of the best pro- tectors in the world-my sailors. You were living like a savage when | nothing but timed meat and scones that would have ruined the digestion of a camel. Anyway, I've remedied that, and since we are to be partners. it will stay remedied. You won't die of malnutrition, be sure of that"
 "If we enter into partnership" he announced, it must be thoroughly understood that you are not allowed to run the schooner. You can go down to Sydney and buy her. but skipper we must have"-
 At so much additional expense and most likely a whiskey drinking, ire sponsible and incapable man to boot. Besides, I'd have the business more at heart than any man we could hire. As for capability, tell you can sail all around the average broken captain or promoted able seaman you find in the south seas. And you know I am a navigator"
 "But being my partner" he said coolly, makes you none the less lady"
 aThank you for telling me that my contemplated conduct is unladylike."
 She arose, tears of anger and morh- f1cation in her eyes, and went over to the photograph.
 II wonder if all men are as ridicut- ous as youw she said.
 He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Discussion was useless-he had learned that; and he was resolved to keep his temper. And before the day was out she capitulated. She was to go to Sydney on the first steamer, pur- chase the schooner, and sail back with an island skipper on board. And then she inveigled Sheldon into agreeing that she could take occasional cruises in the islands, though he was adamant when it came to recruiting trip on Malaita. That was the one thing barred.
 And after it was all over, and terse and businesslike agreement tby her urging) drawn up and signed, Sheldon paced up and down for full hour, meditating upon how many different kinds of a fool he-had made of himself. He had never seen a more independent woman who stood more in need of a protector than this boy minded girl who had landed on his beach with eight picturesque savages, a long barreled revolver, a bag of gold. and gaudy merchandise of imagined romance and adventure.
 He had never read of anything to compare with it. He smoked cigarette after cigarette. Satan, back from a prowl around the compound, ran up to him and touched his hand with cold, damp nose. Sheldon caressed the anil nars ears, then threw himself into a chair and laughed heartily. What would the commissioner of the Solo mons think? What would his people at home think? And in the one breath he was glad that the partnership bad been effected and sorry that Joan Lackland had ever come to the Solo mons. Then he went inside and looked at himself in a hand mirror. He studied the reflection long and thoughtfully and wonderingly.
 CHAPTER XIII.