The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-02-07
OHAPTER u.
so1EETHrN0 IB poNK.

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CHAPTER II.
SOMETHING Is DONE.
~ the morning David Sheldon de-
eided that he was worse. That
he was appreciably weaker there
was no doubt. and there were
other symptoms that were unfavorabIe.
He began his rounds looking for
trouble. He wanted trouble. In fun
health the strained situation would
have been serious enough; but as It
was. himself growing helpless. some
thing had to be done The blacks
were getting more sullen and defiant,
and the appearance Of the men the
previous night on bis veranda-one OF
the gravest Of offences on Berande-
was ominous. Sooner or later they
would get him. If he did not get them
larst. II be did not once again scar on
their dark souls the flaming mastery
Of the white man.
He returned to the house disappoint-
ed. No opportunity had presented it
self of making an example of'insolence
or northumberland as had oc-
CURED on every other day since the
sickness smote Berande The fact that
none had offended was in itself sus-
picious. They were growing crafty.
It.was one man against two hundred.
and he was horribly afraid of his
sickness overpowering him and leav-
ing him at their mercy. He saw VI
sions Of the blacks taking charge OF
the plantation. footing the store. burn
ing the buildings and escaping to Ma
Iaita. Also one grewsome vision he
: caught Of his own head. sun dried aud
smoke cured. ornamenting the canoe
house Of a cannibal village. Either
the Jessie would have to arrive or
he would have to do something.
The ben had hardly rung. sending
the laborers into the fields. when Shell
don had a visitor. Forty men. armed
with spears. bows and arrows and
war clubs, gathered outside the gate
Of the compound. but only one enter
ed. They knew the law of Berande,
1as every native knew the law of every
white mans compound In all the thou
sand miles of the far flung SolomOns
The one man who came up the path
Sheldon recognized as Seelee. the chief
of Baiesuna village. The savage did
not mount the steps. but stood be-
meath and talked to the white lord
above.
Seelee was more intelligent than the
average Of his kind. but his intelli-
gence only emphasized the l0wness OF
that kind. His eyes. close together and
small. advertised cruelty ana crafti-
ness. A gee string and q cartridge
belt were all the clothes he wore
As he talked, or~iistened. he made
grimaces like q monkey. He said yes
sy dropping his eyelids and thrusting
his chin forward He spoke with
childish arrogance strangely at vari-
ance with the subservient position be
occupied beneath the veranda. He.
with his many followers. was lord and
master of Balesuna village. But the
white man. without followers, was
lord and master Of Berande-ay. and
on occasion. single handed. had made
himself lord and master Of Balesuna
village as wen. Seelee did not like to
remember that episode. It had oc-
CURED IN the course OF learning the
] nature Of white men and of learning
to abominate them. He had once been
guilty Of sheltering three runaways
from Berande.
Unfortunately. he was ignorant Of
the ways OF white men. This particu-
lar white man educated him by arr1v-
ing at his grass house IN the gray OF
dawn. In the first moment be had felt
amused. He was SO perfectly safe IN
the midst Of his village. But the next
moment. and before he could cry out,
a pair Of handouts on the white mans
knuckles had landed on bis mouth,
knocking the cry Of alarm back down
bis throat. Also. the white mans other
fist had caught him under the ear and
left him without further interest In
what was happening. When he came
to he found himself In the white mans
whaleboat on the way to Berande.
When his tribe had returned the three
runaways, he was given his freedom.
And finally. the terrible white man
had fined him and Balesuna village
ten thousand cocoanuts. After that he
had sheltered no more runaway Ma
laita men. Instead. he had gone into
the business of catching them. It was
safer Besides, be was paid one case
ofltobacco per head. But II be ever
got chance at that white man. IL he
ever caught him sick or stood at his
back when he stumbled and fen on a
bush trail-well. there would be head
that would fetch a price in Mala-
tia.
Sheldon was pleased with what See
lee told him. The seventh man of the
last batch of runaways had been
caught and was even then at the gate.
He was brought in, heavy featured
and defiant, his arms bound with Co
coanut sennit. the dry blood still on
his body. from the struggle with his
captors.