Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-17
ADVENTURE.
CONTINUED from Page Ten)

continued from rage LEM
bound for Marau and that you said
yourself that in two hours you are
getting under way again"
But may 1 not see you safely
acrossT' Tudor asked, a pleading note
in his voice that rasped on Sheldon's
nerves.
NO. no, and again nor she cried.
you've all got your work to do. and
so have l. L came to the Solomons to
work, not to be escorted about like
doll. For that matter. here's my eS-
cort, and there are seven more like
him.
Adamu Adam stood beside her. tow
ering above her. as he lowered above
the three white men.
I'VE start in an hour in the whale
boat for Guvutu. big brother" Joan
said to him. Tell your brothers, all
of them, so that they can get ready.
We catch the Upolu for Sydn>
Leave the guns behind. Turn them
over to Mr.. Sheldon. We won't need
them"
If you are really bent upon 60
ing Sheldon began.
That's settled long ago." she an
swered shortly. I'm going to pack
now
An hour later the three men had
shaken hands with Joan down on the
beach. She gave the signal, and the
boat showed off, six men at the oars.
the seventh man forard and Adamu
Adam at the steering sweep. Joan
was standing up in the stern sheets
reiterating her gOOdbys. a slim figure
of woman in the tight fitting jacket
she had worn ashore from the wreck.
the long barreled Colts revolver hang
ing from the loose belt around her
waist, her clear cut face like a boys
under the Stetson hat that failed to
conceal the heavy masses of hair be-
meath.
You'd better get into shelter" she
called to them. There's a big squali
coming. and | hope you've got plenty
of chain out. Captain Young. Goodby!
Goodby, every body
Her last words came out of the dark
ness, which wrapped itself soldly
about the boat Yet they continued TO
stare into the blackness in the direc-
ton in which the boat had disappear
ed. listening to the steady click of the
oars in the rowlocks until it faded
away and ceased.
"She is only a girl" Christian Young
said with slow solemnity. The discOv-
cry seemed to have been made on the
spur of the moment ''She is only a
girl" he repeated with greater solem-
nifty.
"a dashed pretty one and a good
traveller" Tudor laughed. she GER
tainly has spunk. eh. Sheldon?"
Yes. she is brave" was the reluc-
tant answer. for Sheldon did not feel
disposed TO talk about her.
They gained the veranda, where
they sat in silence over their whisky.
each man staring straight out to sea,
where the wildly swinging riding light
Of the Minerva could be seen in the
lulls of the driving rain.
An hour later Christian Young stood
up. knocked out his pipe and prepared
to go aboard and get under way.
she's all right" he said. apropos OF
nothing spoken and yet distinctly rele-
want to what was in each of their
minds. She's got good boats crew.
and she's a sailor herself. With this
favoring bit of breeze she has sail on
already. and she'll make Guvutu by
daylight Good night"
II guess I'll turn in, old man." Tu-
dor said. rising and placing his glass
on the table. IN start the first thing
IN the morning. It's been disgraceful
the way I've been hanging on here,
Good night"
| Sheldon. sitting on alone, wondered
If the other man would have decided
TO pull out IN the morning had Joan
not sailed away. Well, there was one
| bit Of consolation in it-Joan had GER
/ tainly fingered at Berande for no man.
/ not even Tudor. 1t was not very fat
tering, but what could any man count
/ In her eyes when a schooner waiting
| to be bought In Sydney was in the
] wind? What a creature! What a crea-
/ ture!
Berande was a lonely place to Shell
/ don In the days that followed In the
I morning after Joan's departure he had
! seen Tudors expedition of on its way
I up the Balesuna, in the late afternoon
Z through his telescope he had seen the
/ smoke of the UpoIu that was bearing
! Joan away 10 Sydney, and in the even
Z ing be found himself standing staring
at the. nail upon which from the first
/ she had hung her Stetson hat and her
revolver belt
Why should he care for her? he de-
manded Of himself angrily- Never
had he encountered one who had SO
thoroughly irritated him. rasped his
feelings. smashed his conventions and
ri, =