The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-12-14

winch he waited with eager impa
tience. 'P"
Maybe Jessie, maybe other fell,
schooner" came the faltering admIs
sion.
Inc man wormed to the edge OF the
couch and slipped of to the floor on
MS knees. BY means OF chair he
drew himself TO his feet. Still clingInp
10 the chair, supporting most OF his
weight on 1t, he showed 1t to the doc,
ana out upon the veranda. The sweat
from the exertion streamed down his
face and showed through the under
SHIRT across his shoulders. He man.
aged to get into the chair, where he
painted in state OF collapse. In n few
minutes he reused himself. The how
held the end of the telescope against
one or the veranda scanuings, while
the man gazed through it at the sea.
AT last be picked up the white sails OF
the schooner and studied them.
mo Jessie" he said very quietly.
That's the Malakula"
He changed his seat for steamer
reclining chair. Three hundred feet
away the sea broke In a small surf
upon the beach. To the left he could
see the white line of breakers that
marked the bar of the Balesuna river
and, beyond, the rugged outline Of
Savo island. Directly before him.
across the twelve mile channel, lay
Florida island, and, farther to the
right, dim In the distance, he could
make out portions OF Malaita, the say
age island, the abode of murder and
robbery, and man eating, the place
from which his own two hundred plan
tation hands had been recruited. Be
tween him and the beach was the cane
grass fence of the compound. The
gate was ajar, and he sent the house
boy to close it. Within the fence grew
q number of lofty cocoanut palms. On
either side the path that led to the
gate stood two tall fiagstafTs. like
ships masts, with topmasts spliced on
In true nautical fashion, with shrouds,
ratlines, gaffs and flag halyards
From the gan of one two gay flags
hung Imply, one checker board of
blue and white squares, the other a
white pennant centred with a red disk
1t was the international code signal
Of distress.
The man ordered the great bell to be
e Fo,. he 1lnv fof tx,,.
hands to cease work and go to their
barracks. Then he mounted his man
horse and made the last round of the
day.
In the hospital were two new cases.
TIE these he gave castor oil. He con-
graduated himself 1t had been an
easy day. Only three had died. He
inspected the copra drying that had
been going Oil, and went through the
barracks to see II there were any sick
lying hidden and defying his rule of
segregation. Returned to the house,
he received the reports of the boss
boys and gave instructions for next
days work. The boats crew boss also
he had In, to give assurance, as was
the custom nightly, that the whale
boats were hauled up and padlocked.
This was most necessary precaution.
for the blacks were in funk, and a
whale boat left lying on the beach in
the evening meant loss of twenty
blacks by morning. Since the blacks
were worth $50 piece or less, accord
ing to how much of their time had
been worked out. Berande plantation
could Ill afford the loss. Besides,
whale boats were not cheap In the
daily reducing the working capital.
Seven blacks had fed into the bush
the week before, and four had dragged
themselves back, helpless from fever,
with the report that two more had
been killed and kaf kai'd (eaten) by
the hospitable bushmen. The seventh
man was still at large and WIS said
to be working along the coast on the
lookout to steal a canoe and get away
to his own island.
viaburi brought two lighted lanterns
to the white man for inspection. He
glanced at them and saw that they
were burning brightly with clear.
broad flames, and nodded his head.
One was hoisted up to the gaff Of the
Flagstaff, and the other was placed on
the wide veranda. They were the
leading lights to the Berande anchor
age, and every night in the year they
were so inspected and hung out.
He rolled back on his couch with a
sigh Of relief. The days work was
done. A rifle lay on the couch beside
him. His revolver was within reach
Of his hand. An hour passed, during
which he did not move. He lay in a
state of half slumber. half coma. He
became suddenly alert ereak IN
the back veranda was the cause. The
room was L shaped: the corner In
which stood his couch was dim. but
the hanging lamp in the main part Of
the room. over the billiard table and
just around the corner 80 that 1t did
not shine on him, was burning bright
ly. Likewise the verandas were well
lighted. He waited without move
ment. The creaks were repeated. and
he knew several men lurked outside.
what namew he cried sharply.
The house, raised dozen feet above
the ground. shook on its pile founda-
lions to the rush OF retreating foot
steps.