The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-02-01

N%~N-
Jessie"
The next morning Sheldon came In
from the plantation 70 breakfast 10 tind
the mission ketch Apostle at ancnOr
her crew swimming two mares and
filly ashore.
Miss Lakeland sent them" said
Welshmere. the missionary doctor
stepping ashore and shaking hands
with him. There's also a box OF sad
dies on board. And this letter from
her. And the skipper OF the Flibberty
Gibbet"
The next moment and before be coule
greet him Oleson stepped from the boat
and began.
"She's stolen the Flibberty. Mr. Shel
don. Run clean away with her. She's
wild one. she gave me the fever
Brought it on by shock And got me
drunk as we'll"
DR.. Welshmere laughed heartily.
Nevertheless she is not an unmiti
gated evil. your Miss Lakeland She's
sworn three men off their drink or, to
the same purpose, shut Off their wills
ky. You know them Brahms. Curtis
and Fowler She shipped them or
the Flibberty Gibbet along with her
She's the skipper of the Flibberty
now," Oleson broke in. "And shell
wreck her as sure as God didn't make
the Solomons"
DR.. Welshmere tried to look shocked
but laughed again.
"She has quite a way with her." he
said Il tried to back out of bringing
the horses over. Said | couldn't
charge freight. that the Apostle was
under a yacht license. that / was go
ing around by Savo and the upper
end of Guadalcanar. But 1t was no
use. Bother the charge. said she
You take the horses like good man,
and when | float the Martha IN re-
turn the service some day"
And bother your ORDERS said she
to me" Oleson cried. "'rm your
boss now said she. and you take
your orders from me- Look at the
load of ivory nuts, | said. Bother
them said she. I'm playin for some
thing bigger than ivory nuts. Wen
dump them oversize as soon as we get
under way. What | want to know
is she your partner or amt she?
That's what | want to know"
"She u.s. Sheldon assured him.
well, who'd have believed It'll I've
peen few unlikely things In these
Solomons-rats two feet long, butter
flies the commissioner hunts with
shotgun, ear ornaments that would
shame the devil and head hunting
devils that make the devil look like
an angel. I've seen them and got
used to them. but this young woman
OF yours
Miss Lakeland is my partner and
part owner of Berande." Sheldon in
terrupted
so she said" the irate skipper dash
ed on. But she had no papers to
show for 1t. How was | to known
And then she's hired them drunken
loafers. three of the worst scoundrels
that ever disgraced the Solomons-
Is quid a month each-what dye
think OF that? And sailed away with
them too! phew! You might give me
a drink. The missionary won't mind.
Eve been on his teetotaI hooker four
days now. and I'm perishing."
DIR. Welsbmere nodded In reply to
Sheldon's look of inquiry. and viabu-i
was dispatched for the whisky and ST.
phons.
lit is evident. Captain Oleson." Shell
don remarked to that refreshed mari
ner, ''that Miss Lakeland has run away
with your boat. Now please give a
plain statement of what occurred"
Right o, Here goes. I'd just come
in on the Flbberty. She was on board
before dropped the hook-in that
whaleboat of hers with her gang of
Tahiti heathens. that big Adamu
Adam and the rest. Don't drop
the anchor. Captain Oleson, she sang
out. 4 want you to get under way for
Poonga Poonga. says, Excuse me.
Miss Lakeland. and yells for'ard Let
gor
'And then we had 1t out. didn't be
lieve her. | didn't think you'd take
her on as a partner, and told her as
much and wanted proof. She got high
and mighty. and told her was old
enough to be her grandfather and that
| wouldn't take CANNON from a chit
like her. And then | ordered her OF
the Flibberty Captain Oleson. she
says, sweet as yoa fitase. I've few
minutes to spare on you. and I've got
some good whisky over on the Emily.
Come on along. Besides. want your.
advice :tcc. this vTTscssssIs business.
Everybody says you're a crackerjack
saiorman'- what she said
'crackerjack. And | went In her whale
boat. Adamu Adam steering and look
ing as solemn as funeral.
''On the way she told me about the
Martha and how she'd bought ner
and was going to float her. She said
she'd chartered the Emily and was
sailing as soon as | could get the Flib-
berty under way. ! was to sail direct
for Poonga -poonga and If 1 couldn't
take her word that she was your part
ner she'd get along without me and
the Flibberty. And right there's where
she fooled me.
Down in the Emily's cabin was
them three soaks-you know them
Fowler and Curtis and that Brahms
chap. Have drink. says she.
thought they looked surprised when
she unlocked the whisky locker and
sent a niger for the glasses and wa
ter monkey. But she must nave tip
ped them or nnbeknownst to me. and