Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-11-10
CHAPTER vi.

TEMPEST.
~T was the first time Sheldon had
been at close quarters with an
American girl. and he would have
wondered If all American girls
were like Joan Lakeland had he not
had wit enough to realize that she was
not at all typical. Her quick mind
and changing moods bewildered him.
while her outlook on life was so diff
ferent from what he conceived a wo-
mans outlook should be that he was
more often than not at SKIES and sew
ems with her. He could never anticf-
pate what she would say or do next.
Her temper was quick and stormy.
and she relied too much on herself and
too little on him, which did not ap-
proximate at all to his ideal of wo-
mans conduct when man was
around. Her assumption Of equality
with him was disconcerting. and at
times he half consciously resented the
impudence and bizarreness Of her in
trusion upon him. rising out Of the
sea in a bowling nor'wester. fresh
from poking her revolver under Eric
sons nose, protected by her gang OF
huge Polynesian sailors and settling
down in Berande like any shipwrecked
sailor. It was all on a par with her
Baden-Powell and the long 38 Colts.
At any rate. she did not look the
part. And that was what he could
not forgive. Had she been short hair
ed. heavy jawed. large muscled. hard
bitten and utterly uniovely in every
way all would have been well. in
stead Of which she was hopelessly and
deliciously feminine. Her hair wor-
ried him, it was so generously beau
tiful. And she was so slenderly and
prettily the woman-the girl. rather
that it cut him like a knife to see her
with quick. comprehensive eyes and
sharply imperative voice superintend
the launching of the whaleboat
through the surf. In imagination he
could see her roping horse. and it
always made him shudder. Then. too.
she was so many sided.
Sheldon certainly was not happy.
The unconventional state Of affairs
was too much for his conservative dis
position and training. Berande. in
habited by one lone white man. was
no place for Joan Lakeland. Yet he
racked his brain for a way out. and
even talked it over with her. In the
first place. the steamer from Australia
was not due for three weeks.
Zone thing is evident: you don't
want me here" she said. I'll man
the whale boat tomorrow and 60 over
to Tulag."
'Rut as | told you before. that Is
impossible" he cried. There is no
one there. The resident commissioner
is away in Australia. There Is only
one white man. third assistant
understrapper and ex-sailor-a COM
mon sailor He Is in charge Of the
government Of the Solomons. to say
nothing of a hundred or so niggers-
prisoners, Besides. he is such fool
that he would tne you Is for not hav-
ing entered at Tulagi. which IS the port
! VI e1ulINs VOu NlONs LAG 10 wv - AAASS
man. and. | repeat. 1t is impossible"
"There is Guvutu." she suggested.
"rhere's nothing there but fever
and five white men who are drinking
themselves to death. | couldn't per-
NIT IT,
"Oh. thank you." she said quietly.
II guess III start today-Viaburi!
You so along Noah. speak IN come
along me-"
Noa Noah was her head sailor, who
had been boatswain Of the Miele.
where are you goingY' Sheldon
asked in surprise. "viaburi! You
stop"
ITO Guvutu-immediatel was her
reply.
But I won't permit It."
"That is why I am going. You said
it once before. and It is something l
cannot brook"
"What?" He was bewildered BY her