The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-01-09

CHAPTER XVII.
AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE.

and laid there the whole week and
traded for grub with the niggers.
When we got to Tulagi there she was
waiting for Us and scrapping with
Burnett. | tell you. Mr.. Sheldon, she's
wonder. that girl. a perfect won
der"
Munster reflled his glass, and while
Sheldon glanced across at Joan's
house, anxious for her coming, Spar
rowhawk took up the tale
Gritty! She's the grittiest thing,
man or woman, that ever blew into
the Solomons. You should have seen
Poonga -Poonga the morning we arrtv-
ed-Sniders popping on the beach and
In the mangroves, war drums booming
In the bush and signal smokes raising
everywhere. It's all up says Cap
tain Munster. Up your granny she
says to him." Sparrowhawk went on.
why, we haven't arrived yet, much
less got started Wait till the an
| chor's down before you get afraid"
That's what she said TO me-" Nun
ster proclaimed. And Of course 1t
| made me mad. SO that l didn't care
| what happened. We tried to send a
| boat ashore for a powwow. but 1t was
| fred upon. What we want says
Miss Lakeland, is a hostage I'm 60
| ing ashore tonight to fetch Kina-kina
| himself on board, and I'm not asking
| who's game to go with me. for I've
| got every mans work arranged for
him. Pm taking my sailors with me
| and one white man OF course I'm
| that white man. L said, for by that
| time | was mad. OF course you're
not says she. You'll have charge Of
| the covering boat Curtis stands by
| the landing boat. Fowler goes with
me. Brahms takes charge of the Flib-
berty and Sparrowhawk of the Emily.
| And we start at l O'Clock.
My word, it was a tough job lying
there in the covering boat. | never
thought doing nothing could be such
| hard work. We stopped about fifty
| fathOms off and watched the othet
boat go in.
"Of course there was a row. 1t had
to come, and / knew it. but 1t startled
j me Just the same. l never heard such
screeching and yelling in my life. The
bush without looking to see what was
up, while her Tahitians let loose, shoot
Ing in the air and yelling to hurry 'em
on And then | heard them coming
i through the mangroves and an oal
strike on a gunwale and Miss Lack
land laugh, and | knew everything
was all right. We pulled on board
without shot being fred. And there
was old Kina-K ina himself, being
hoisted over the rail, shivering anC
chattering like an ape. The rest was
easy kina- Xmas word was law
and he was scared to death. And We
kept him on board issuing proclama
tons all the time we were In Poonga
Poonga.
1T was a good move, too, In other
ways She made Kina-Kina order his
people to return all the gear they c
stripped from the Martha. She-here
she comes now"
1t was with a shock Of surprise thai
Sheldon greeted her appearance. The
| ready made clothes from Sydney haC
| transformed her. A simple skirt anC
shirt waist of some sort of wash good:
| set off her trim figure with q hint OF
elegant womanhood that was new tG
him. Brown slippers peeped out as
she crossed the compound. and ht
| once caught Il glimpse to the ankle o.
brown openwork stockings. Some
how she had been made many times
the woman by these mere extraneou:
trappings.
I've opened up a new field" she
said as she began pouring the coffee
"Old kina-Kina will never forget me
I'm sure, and | can recruit there when
ever want | saw Morgan at Guvutu
| He's willing to contract for a thousand
boys at 40 shillings per head. Did
tell you that I'd taken out recruiting
license for the Martha? | did. and thu
Martha can sign eighty boys every
trip"
Sheldon smiled a trife bitterly t.
| himself. The wonderful woman wh'
had tripped across the compound il
| her Sydney clothes was gone, and h'
was listening to the boy come bacl
again
shown you hustling American meth
DDS that succeed and get somew here
| and here you are beginning your mud
ding again"
Joan stood beside Sheldon and sigh
ed as she watched the Martha beatin:
out to sea, old kinroSs. brought owe
from Savo. in command.
'.Ny hut she Is a Witphi look q
her eating up the water. and there's II
wind TO speak Of. Honestly, If II
dreamed of the chance waiting for ~
at Guvutu when | bought her for les
than $500 I'd never have gone partner
with you. And in that case I'd be sail
Ing her right now"
The justice Of her contention cam
abruptly home TO Sheldon.
You make me feel like a big maj
who has robbed a small child OF lol
~" be said. with sudden contrition.
And the small child is crying for IT
She looked at him, and he noted tina
her lip was slightly trembling and tina
her eyes were moist
But the small child won't cry an,
more for it." she was saying. ''Tht
Is the last sob. But some day i'm &c
ing to sail the Martha again. | know