Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-11-28

you know, Pm not accustomed to
forcing my presence where it is not
desired. Yet as you said yourself. it
was impossible for me to go away, SO
l had to stay. You wouldn't let me
go to Tulagi. You compelled me to
force myself upon you. But l won't
buy in as partner with any one. I'll
buy Pari-Sulay, but I'll put only ten
boys on it and clear slowly. Also,
I'll invest in some old ketch and take
out a trading license. For that mat
ter, I'll go recruiting on Malaita."
She looked for protest and found it
in Sheldon's clenched hand and in
every line Of his clean cut face.
Go ahead and say it." she chal-
lenged. please don't mind me. I'm
I'm getting used to it, you know.
Really l am"
II wish / were a woman so as to
tell you how preposterously insane and
impossible it is,' he blurted out.
Better than that, you are a man.
So there is nothing to prevent your
telling me, for i demand to be con-
Sidered as man. | didn't come
down here to trail my woman's skirts
over the SolOmons. Please forget that
1 am accidentally anything else than
a man with mans living to make" +"
II have told you," he began stiffly,
"that recruiting on Malaita is impos-
sible for a woman and that is all l
care to say-or dare"
"And | tell you, in turn, that it is
nothing Of the sort. l am naviga-
tor, and that is more than your Solo
mons captains are. And l am a sea-
mana better seaman than you, when
it comes right down to it and you
know it. can shoot. l am not
fool. l 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" sup
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 he 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. ut would be too terribly-or
indecent for you to tell me why l
shouldn't 60 alligatoring. Good night.
Sleep WELL"
He shut off the phonograph with
snap. started toward the door after
her. then abruptly flung himself into
chair.
you're hoping a gator catches me-
aren't you?" she called from the veran-
da. and as she went down the steps
her ripping laughter drifted tantaliz-
ingly back through the wide doorway.
The next day Sheldon was left all
alone. Joan had gone exploring Parl-
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 it. old man. What a cropper,
what a crOpper."
Between squalls the Flibberty GibOet
ran into anchorage. and her skipper
Pete Oleson brother to the Oleson OF
the Jessiel ancient. grizzled, wild
wed. emacinted by fever, dragged his
weary frame up the veranda steps ana
collapsed in a steamer chair. Whiskey |
md soda kept him going while he
made report and turned in his accounts.
you're rotten with fever, Sheldon
aid. "why don't you run down TO
sydney for blow Of decent climateF
The old skipper shook his head.
81 can't. I've been in the islands TOO
ong. I'd die. The fever comes out
worse down there"
xiii or cure" Sheldon eounseiled-
ats straight kill for me. / tried
: three years ago. The cool weather
mt me on my back before I landed
they carried me ashore and into hos
,itai I was unconscious one stretch
or two weeks. After that the doctors
emf me hack 10 the islands-said II
vas the only thing that would save
ne We'll. I'm still alive. But l N
90 soaked with fever. A monm ID
.ustralIa would finish me"
He declined to sleep ashore, took bis
rSers. and went back on board tne
inter. A lurid sunset was blotted out
y the heaviest squall Of the day ana
beldon watched the whaleboat arrive
, the thick Of it. As the spritsail was
,ton IN and the boat headed on to the I
o.cb n was aware Of a distinct hurt
: sivbt of loan at the steering oar
,andinr erect and swaying nef
ironrtb to IL as she resisted the pres
7rss that tended to throw the craIt
roadside in the surf. Her Iahitlans