The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-12-21

biuc. Two lellu TINE you steal. All
right, you missionary. You savvee one
fella prayerY
Eyes. me savvee prayer" was the
reply.
IAN right, then you pray now. short
time little bit. You say one feila
prayer quick, then me kin YOU
Sheldon held the rifle on him and
waited. The black glanced around at
his fellows, but none moved to aid
him. They were intent upon the
coming spectacle, staring fascinated at
the white man with death in his hands
who stood alone on the great veranda.
"Astoa." Sheldon said, Selling the
psychological moment, Il count three
feila time. Then shoot you fella
dead. good by, all finish you"
And Sheldon knew that when he had
counted three he would drop him in
his tracks. The black knew it, too.
That was why Sheldon did not have
to do 1t, for when he had counted one.
Astoa reached out his hand and took
the whip And right well Astoa laid
"a AtN W mp dllSNith at HIS ltitOMN
for not supporting him, and venting
his anger with every stroke. From
the yeranda, Sheldon egged him ON to
strike with strength, till the two triced
savages screamed and howled while
the blood oozed down their backs.
The lesson was being well written in
red
When the last of the gang, including
the two bowling culprits, had passed
out through the compound gate, Shell
don sank down half fainting on his
couch.
you're a sick man." he groaned.
"a sick man"
but you can sleep at ease tonight"
he added, half an hour later.
CHAPTER III.
TuE JESSIE.
pTAWo days passed, and sheldon
felt that he could not grow
any weaker and live. much
less make his four daily rounds
of the hospital The deaths were aver
aging four day, and there were more
new cases than recoveries. The blacks
We're in funk. Each one, when taken
sick, seemed to make every effort to
die They believed they were going
to die, and yet, believing this with
absolute conviction, they somehow
lacked the nerve to rush the fraIl
wrath of 8 man with the white skin
F,.n. 10 al l.,
the whale boats. They chose the lin
gering death they were sure awaited
them rather than the immediate death
they were very sure would pounce
upon them If they went up against
the master. That he never slept they
knew. That he could not be conjured
to death they were equally sure-they
had tried 1t. And even the sickness
that was sweeping them off could not
XIII him.
With the whipping in the compound
discipline had improved. They cringed
under the iron hand of the white man.
They gave their scowls or malignant
looks with averted faces or when his
back was turned They saved their
mutterings for the barracks at night,
where he could not hear. And there
were no more runaways and no more
night prowlers on the veranda
Dawn OF the third day after the
whipping brought the Jessie's white
sails In sight. His partner was ON
board, vigorous and hearty from six
weeks recruiting in Maiaita. He could
take charge now and all would be well
with Berande.
Sheldon lay in the steamer chair and
watched the Jessie's whaleboat pull In
for the beach He wondered why only
three sweeps were pulling, and he
wondered still more when, beached,
there was so much delay In getting out
of the boat. Then he understood. The
three blacks who had been pulling
started up the beach with a stretcher
on their shoulders. white man.
whom he recognized as the Jessie's
captain. walked in front and opened
the gate, then dropped behind to close
it, Sheldon knew that it was Hughie
Al ahAhiohh WIZ ray Al NhC oAiCANhSAs
and a mist came before his eyes. He
felt an overwhelming desire to die.
The disappointment was too great In
his own state of terrible weakness he
felt that 1t was impossible TO go on
with his task of holding Berande
plantation tight gripped In his fist
Then the win of him famed up again,
and be directed the blacks to lay the
stretcher beside him on the floor
Hughie Drummond, whom he had last
seen in health. was an emaciated
skeleton.
BLACK water fever" the captain
said He's been like this for six days
unconscious. And we've got dysentery
on board What's the matter with
your
I'm burying four day. Sheldon
answered. as he bent over from the
steamer chair and inserted Their
mometer under his partners tongue
Captain Oleson swore blasphemously
and sent a house boy to bring whiskey
and soda Sheldon glanced at the ther
mometer
~One hundred and seven," he said
Poor Hughle"
Captain Oieson offered him some
whiskey.
Couldn't think OF it--perforation.
l. ca