The Washington times., 1912-05-07
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
Behind the Curtain"
CHARLES STEPHENS
Copyright, The Frank A, Munsey Col
All Rights Reserved.

an early age, and until was fourteen
was q boy IN everything but fact
father that was grown up, so had
TO behave more circumspectly.
For a great number of years my
or also nG r orS
a hard-working man, very rough with
the people. but, as my father said,
"a good man In the right place"
tion to me-5hardiy ever. noticed me,
When used to ride about the plan
tation 1t was always with the book
gruff. He would swear at the book
keepers because, he said, they used
to pay more attention to me than
to their work. That may have been
often think that this, perhaps. was
the reason my father forbade me to
play the tomboy any more,
Naturally, I was never fond of the
prised when he suddenly came out
of his shell and began to pay me at
tention. 1 was sixteen by this time
and had my hair up. Mr.. Ford took
thinss f tsis with ms Ssiss; fathers consent and
approval, of course. This was very
nice, and / began to like the over
seer better. You see, in the tropics
a child one day and quite unworthy
of Mr.. Ford's notice, / was q grown
woman the next, and came in for a
share of notice from all the men,.
Tremiett came to Guanaboa. It was
the off-season for cocoa. and my
fathers custom was to engage a new
bookkeeper every year. promoting his
predecessor to another estate. Mr..
Guanaboa, but during the slow, cul-
tivation months the new assistant
overseer got a chance to see some
thing OF the business.
When / heard that the newcomer
was an honorable 1 looked forward
with good deal Of mirth to his rival.
expected that ne would wear spats
1 had it all planned with Mr.. Ford
that he should give him a wicked
mule, named Jagrau, to ride.
But when the Hon. Arthur came ! was
disappointed. BY that ! mean he was
trary, he was jolly Enylishman, with
out the least affectation. healthy and ro-
bust. quite accomplished In many ways,
and very delighted with the island and
give him Jagrau to ride, but the plot
fell through! The Hon. Arthur nearly
killed that mule, and when he came to
my father full Of apologies for what he
had done papa just chuckled and said:
Never mind the mule. You'll dor
We left the. Hon. Arthur alone after
that; that is, so far as trlcKS went. he
vas very good looking. could dance
beautifully, and when occasion arose he
would play for the dances or sing in the
intervals. He was voted quite an ac-
QUESTION to island society and was in
yited everywhere.
1t may seem to you that speak over
much Of the Hon. Arthur, but just
want to show you how much he was
liked by everybody, so that you may
understand what a shock 1t was when
the tragedy came.
I recall the day as clearly as yester-
day--one of those clear. fresh. sparkling
mornings that are a feature OF the
Queens birthday. too. l remember. .
| For some time the Hon. Arthur had
! been all agog to see very wonderful
sink hole which was situated in the
| from Guanaboa. AS all work was sus-
pended on that day. Mr.. Ford and the
Hon. Arthur proposed to visit the cave,
| and In the evening. upon their return.
we were all to 60 for moonlight ride
! to the famous Blue Basin.
I remember seeing Mr.. Ford and the
Hon. Arthur start off that morning
They wore high boots and had thetc
sleeves rolled up. Each carried ma
chete, with which to how their way
through the bush. Three negroes ae-
lunch baskets. The third carried a Ian
tern and a rope. l recalled the rope
afterward, but at the time 1t never oc-
CURED to me that they proposed any
thing so foolhardy as descent into the
sink hole at the end of the cave. know
my father would never have permitted
the attempt.
A Continuation of This Story VIII
Be Found In Tomorrow's
Jaaua 0f The tTiuaAa.