The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-03-15

sin-yes, causing sin by their diseased
imaginingsF'
"Pheww Sheldon leaned back from
the table in mock fear.
LAS if anything good were worth
while when 1t has to be guarded and
put in leg irons and handouts in order
TO keep II good Your desire for
chaperon as much as implies that I am
that sort Of q creature. l prefer to be
good because it is good TO be good
rather than because 1 can't be bad be
cause some Argus eyed old trump
won't let me have chance TO be bad"
But tit is not that" he put in. LIT
Is what others will think"
LET them think. the nasty minded
wretchesl 1t is because men like you
are afraid OF the nasty minded that
you allow their opinions to rule you"
81 am afraid you are a female Shell
ley" he replied And as such you
really drive me to become your part
ner in order to protect you"
IF you take me as a partner in
order to protect neil sha'n't be
your partner. that's all. You'll drive
me into buying Pari-Sulay yet"
"All the more reason he attempt
ed.
do you know what I'll doT" she
demanded. I'm find some man in the
Solomons who won't want to protect
me-"
Sheldon could not conceal the shock
her words gave him.
You don't mean that, you know"
he pleaded.
II do: really do. I am sick and
tired Of this protection dodge. Don't
forget for a moment that / am per-
fectly able to take care of myself.
Besides, l have eight OF the best pro-
tectors in the world-my sailors. You
were living like a savage when l
came along and found you-eating
nothing but timed meat and scenes
that would have ruined the digestion
OF a camel. Anyway, I've remedied
that, and since we are to be partners,
it will stay remedied. You won't die
of malnutrition, be sure Of that"
eff we enter into partnership" he
announced, 1T must be thoroughly
understood that you are not allowed
to run the schooner. You can go
down to Sydney and buy her, but a
skipper we must have
AT so much additional expense and
most likely whiskey drinking, ire
sponsible and incapable man to boot.
Besides, I'd have the business more at
heart than any man we could hire.
As for capability, tell you i can sail
all around the average broken captain
or promoted able seaman you find In
the south seas. And you know / am
q navigator"
"But being my partner" he said
coolly, "makes you none the less a
lady"
THANK you for telling me that my
contemplated conduct is unladylike."
She arose, tears Of anger and morti-
fcation in her eyes, and went over to
the monograph.
II wonder If all men are as ridicul-
Gus as you?" she said.
He shrugged his shoulders and
smiled. Discussion was useless-he had
learned that; and he was resolved to
keep his temper And before the day
was out she capitulated. She was to
go to Sydney on the first steamer, pur-
chase the schooner, and sail back with
an island skipper on board. And then
she inveigled Sheldon into agreeing
that she could take occasional cruises
in the islands. though he was adamant
when 1t came to recruiting trip on
Malaita. That was the one thing
barred.
And after it was all over, and terse
and businesslike agreement Cby her
urging) drawn up and signed, Sheldon
paced up and down for a full hour,
meditating upon how many different
kinds of fool he had made of himself
He had never seen a more Independent
woman who stood more in need Of a
protector than this boy minded girl who
had landed on his beach with eight
picturesque savages, a long barreied
revolver, a bag Of gold, and a gaudy
merchandise of imagined romance and
adventure.
he had never read OF anything 10
compare with it. he smoked cigarette
after cigarette. Satan, back from a
prowl around the compound, ran up to
him and touched his hand with a cold,
damp nose. Sheldon caressed the ami
maPs ears, then threw himself into a
chair and laughed heartily. What
would the commissioner Of the Solo
mons think? What would his people
at home think? And in the one breath
he was glad that the partnership had
been effected and sorry that Joan
Lakeland had ever come to the Solo
mons Then be went inside and
looked at himself in a hand mirror.
He studied the reflection long and
thoughtfuIly and wOnderingly.