Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-01-23
Adventure
A Romance of
The South Seas
JACK LONDON
Copyright 1910. BY Street q Snith
Copyright. 1911. by the Macmillan Company

Copyright. 1910. BY Street 3 Snith
right. 1911. by the Macmillan Company
Joan stood beside Sheldon and Sigh
ed us she watched the Martha beating
out to sea-. old KinrOss. brought over
from Savo. In command.
"My. but she Ia q witch! Look at
her eating up the water. and there's no
wind to speak Of Honestly. II Id
dreamed of the chance waiting for me
at Guvutu when bought her for less
than $500 Id never have gone partners
with you. And in that case I'd be sail
Ing her right now"
The Justice Of her contention came
abruptly hOme 10 Sheldon.
You make me feel like big man
who has robbed small child Of lOl-
IT," he said. with sudden cOntrition.
And the small child Is crying for It,
She looked ut him. and he noted that
her lip was slightly trembling and that
her eyes were moist.
But the small child won't cry any
more for It," she was saying. This
is the last sob. But some day I'm 60
ing TO sail the Martha again. ! know
It, knew It,"
In reply. and quite without premedi'
tation. his hand went out to hers.
covering It as 1t lay on the railing.
But he knew beyond the shadow of a
doubt that II was the boy that return
ed the pressure ne gave. the boy sor-
rowing over the lost toy. The thought
chilled him
"Never mind" be said. you can
60 sailing on the Martha any time You
please recruiting on Malaita II you
want to-"
1t was great concession he was
making. and he felt that he did It
against his better judgment. Her re-
ception Of 1t was surprise to him.,
with old Kinross in commandT'
she queried. mo. thank you. He'd
drive me to suicide. couldn't stand
his handling of her. I'll never step
on the Martha again unless 1t Is to
take charge of her. I'm sailor, like
my father, and he could never bear
to see u vessel mishundled."
An hour later. just as they were
riding out OF the compound. Sheldon
glanced at her sharply and noted her
face mottling. even as he looked, and
turning orange and green.
Its the fever" she said. "l'l have
to turn back"
BY the time they were in the COM
pound she was shivering and shaking.
and he had to help her from her horse.
Funny. isn't itT' she said. with
chattering teeth. like seasickness-
not serious. but horribly miserable
while 1t lasts. I'm going to bed. Send
Noa Noah and Viaburi to me. Tell
Ornfiri to make hot water. I'll be out
of my head in fifteen minutes. But
I'll be all right by evening Short and
sharp Is the way 1t takes me-"
Sheldon obeyed her instructions.
rushed hot water bottles along to her
and then sat on the veranda glancing
across the compound to the grass
house. Yes. he decided. the contention
of every white man In the Islands was
right-the Solomons was no place for
q woman.
He clapped his hands and Lalaperu
came running.
Here. you" he ordered: go along
barracks. bring m. black fella Mary.
plenty too much. altogether"
a few minutes later the dozen black
women Of Berande were ranged before
him. He looked them over critically.
finally selecting one that was young.
comely as such creatures went. and
whose body bore no signs Of skin dis
| ease.
what name. you" he demanded.
"Sungui?"
ME Mahua." was the answer.
"All right. you fella Mahua. You
finish cook along boys. You stop along
white Mary. all the time you stop
along. You savvee"
Me savee." she grunted and obeyed
his gesture to go to the grass house
Immediately.
What nume?" he asked Viaburt.
who had Just come out of the grass
house.
big fella SICK" was the answer.
"White fella Mary talk IN too much
alice time. Alice time talk m big fel-
| In schooner"
Sheldon nodded. He understood. 1t
was the loss Of the Martha that had
brought on the fever. He lighted a
cigarette. and in The curling smoke OF
II caught visions of his English moth
er and wondered II she would under
stand how her son could love a wo-
man who cried because she could not
be skipper Of schooner In the can
nibal isles. :.
| -
The most patient man In the world Is
prone to impatience In love. and Shell
don was In love.
But how to approach her? He d.
vined the fanatical love Of freedom In
her, the deep seated antipathy for re-
straint Of any sort. No man could
ever put his arm around her and win
her. She would hutter away like a
frightened bird. Approach by contact
that. he realized. was the one thing
he must never do. His hand clasp
must be what 1t had always been-the
hand clasp Of hearty friendship. and
nothing more. And then. one morning
quite fortuitously the opportunity
| came.
my dearest wish is the success OF
Berande." Joan bud just said apropos
of n discussion about the cheapening
of freights on copra to market.
do you mlnd If tell you the dear
est wish Of my hearth" he promptly