Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-11-13

effect Of sp0ntanelty. You Know
yourself how impossible the situation
is"
II know nothing of the sort, sir
And If it Is impossible, well. haven't
I achieved it,"
But it cannot continue. Really
"Oh. yes. it can. Having achieved
it. can 60 on achieving it. | intend
to remain in the Solomons, but not on
Berande. Tomorrow l am going to
take the whaleboat over to Par1'
Sulay. l was talking with Captain
Young about it. He says there are at
least four hundred acres. and every
foot Of it good for planting. First
I'll buy the island; next, get forty or
fifty recruits and start clearing and
planting; and at the same time Ill
run up a bungalow; and then you'll
be relieved of my embarrassing pres
ence-now don't say that it isn't"
1T is embarrassing" be said bluntly.
But you refuse to see my point OF
view, so there is no use in discussing It.
Now please forget all about it and con-
slider me at your service concerning
this-this project Of yours. Suppose
the government sells you Pari.Sulay at
a pound an acre. clearing will cost you
at least IA more-that Is. Is for 400
acres, or, say. $4,000. Have you that
much?"
mo; l haven't quite $S,0OO."
"Then here's another way Of looking
at it: You'll need. us you said. at least
fifty boys. Not counting premiums.
their wages are $50 year."
Il pay my Tahitians SIS month. "
she interpolated.
"They won't do on straight plantation
work. But to return. The wages OF
fifty boys each year will come to f5OO
that is, $1,000. Very well. 1t will be
seven years before your trees begin to
bear. Seven times $500 is $1O,5O0-
more than you possess. and all eaten
up by the boys wages. with nothing
to pay for bungalow. building. tools.
quinine, trips to Sydney and so forth"
Sheldon shook his head gravely.
you'll have to abandon the idea"
But l won't go to Sydney" she
cried. II simply won't. I'll buy in
to the extent Of my money as a small
partner in some other pianta ton. Let
me buy it in Berande"
Heaven forbidv' he cried in such
genuine dismay that she broke into
hearty laughter:
There. | won't tease you. Really,
you know, I'm not accustomed to
forcing my presence where it Is not
desired. Yet as you said yourself. 1t
was impossible for me to go away, so
I 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. Ill
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 trading license. For that mat
ter, I'll go recruiting on Malaita.'
She looked for protest and found it
in Sheldon's cIenched hand and IN
every line Of his clean cut face.
Go ahead and say it." she chal-
Ienged. please don't mind me. I'm
I'm getting used to it. you know
Really am."
Il wish | were woman so as TO
foil von how DrepOsterOusly insane and
impossible it is be blurted out.
"Better than that, you are man.
So there is nothing to prevent your
telling me. for | demand to be con
sidered us a man. didn't come
down here to trail my woman's skirts
over the Solomons. Please forget that
| am accidentally anything else than
a man with mans living to make
Il have told you" he began stitt1y.
that recruiting on Malaita Is impos-
sible for a woman and that Is all l
care to say-Or dare.
"And l tell you. in turn. that 1t IL
nothing of the sort. am a nav1ga'
tor. and that is more than your Solo
mons captains are And 1 am a sea-
mana better seaman than you. when
it comes right down to it and you
know it. | can shoot. am not