The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-02-29


torted In evident surprise Il thought
you said he hurt your arm"
"0ne could cail 1t kiss. though II
was only on the end Of the nose" She
laughed at the recollection. But
paid him back for that myself
boxed his face for him. And he did
hurt my arm. It's black and blue
Look at It."
She pulled up the loose sleeve of her
blouse and he saw the bruised i'm
prints of two fingers
lust then a gang Of blacks came out
from among the rrees carrying the
wounded man on a rough stretcher
Romantic. isn't ity' Sheldon sneered.
following Joan's startled gaze sAnd
now I'll have TO play surgeon and doc
tor him up Funny. this twentieth
century dueling First you drill hole
in man. and next you set about
plugging the hole up"
They nad stepped aside to let the
stretcber pass and Tudor, who had
heard the remark lifted himself up
on tue elbow Of mis- sound arm and
NeiAb WIN ~ NfAabt Ettbs
III you'd got one OF mine you'd have
had TO plug with dinner plate.
"Oh. you wretch Joan cried
You've been cutting your bullets
1T was according to agreement,
Tudor answered Everything went.
We could have used dynamite If we
wanted to
Hes right. Sheldon assured her
as they swung In behind ANY weap-
on was permissible ! lay In the grass
where ne couldn't see me and bush
whacked him in truly noble fashion.
That's what comes OF having women
on the plantation And now it's antisep-
ties and drainage tubes. | suppose
It's nasty mess. and I'll nave to
read up on II before | tackle the job"
Il don't see that it's my fault" she
began II couldn't help it because he
kissed me / never dreamed he would
attempt it.
We didn't fight for that reason l3nt
Luere ISN'T time TO explain. III you'll
get dressings and bandages ready III
look up gunshot wounds and see what's
10 DS uOD6
is be bleeding seriously r. she asked.
mo; the bullet seems to nave missed
the important arteries. But that
would have been a pickle"
Then there's no need to bother
about reading up Joan said And
I'm just dying to hear what 1t was
all about The Apostle is lying be
Gained inside the point and her boats
are out towing She'll ne at anchor
in Eve minutes. and DR. Welshmere is
sure to De on board. So all we've got
to do is TO make Tudor comfortable
Wed better put MIN in your room un
der the mosquito netting ana send
boat of to tell DR.. Weishmere to bring
his instruments"
An hour afterward DR.. Welshmere
left the patient comfortable and at
tended to and went down to the beach
to 80 on board, promising to come back
to dinner. Joan and Sheldon. stand
ing on the veranda, watched him de
part
"Ill never have 1t in for the mission
aries again since seeing them here in
the Soomons." she said. seating her
self in a steamer chair
She looked at Sheldon and began to
laugh
That's right" he said Its the
way feel, playing the fool and trying
TO murder a guest"
But you haven't told me what it
was all about"
"You." he answered shortly.
Me? But you just said it wasn't"
"Oh, If wasn't the kiss" He walked
over to the railing and leaned against
it, facing her But 1t was about you
all the same, and | may as well tell
you. You remember. | warned you
long ago what would happen when you
wanted to become partner in Be
rande Well. all the beach is gossip
ing about It. and Tudor persisted in
repeating the gossip to me. So you
see ii won't do for you TO stay on here
under present conditions. It would be
better If you went away"
But ! don't want 10 go away" she
objected with rueful countenance
"a chaperon then
mo. nor a chaperon"
but you surely don't expect me to
80 around shooting every sianderer In
the Solomons that opens his MOUTH
be demanded gloomIly
NO nor that either" she answered
with quick impuIsiveness IN tell
you what Wen do. Wen get married
and put stop to it all-there"'
He looked ut her in amazement and
would have believed that she was
making fun of him had ii not been for
the warm blood that suddenly suffused
her cheeks.
do you mean that?' be asked un
steadily. "Why%
ITO put stop to all the nasty Cos
sip OF the beach. That's pretty GOOD
reason. isn't it?'
NO; ii is worse than no reason al
ALL don't care to marry you as
matter of expediency''-
"You are the most ridiculous crea
rurev she broke IN with fash of he
old time anger You talk love ano
marriage 10 me very much agains
my wish, and go incoming around ov'
the plantation week after week IL
cause you can't have me. and look .
me when you think I'm not noticing
and when all the time I'm wondering
when you had your last square mea
because OF the hungry look In your
eyes. and make eyes at my revolver
belG hanging on a nail. and fight duels