The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-01-24
A Romance of
The South Seas


"You make me feel like big man
who has robbed small child OF a lol-
ly." he said, with sudden contrition.
"And the small child is crying for It,"
She looked ut him, and he noted that
her lip was slightly trembling and that
her eyes were moist.
"But the small child won't cry any
more for It," she was saying. This
Is the last sob. But some day I'm go
ing to sail the Martha again. know
Il. | know II"
In reply. and quite without premedi-
tation. his hand went out to hers,
covering II as II lay on the railing.
But he knew beyond the shadow of a
doubt that it was the boy that return
ed the pressure he gave. the boy sor-
rowing ovei the lost toy. The thought
chilled him.
"Never mind" he said. "You can
go sailing on the Martha any time you
please-recruiting on Malaita If you
want to-"
IL was n great concession he was
making, and he felt that he did it
against his better Judgment. Her re-
ception of it was Il surprise to him.
with old Kinross in command 2"
she qucried. mo. thank you. He'd
drive me to suicide | couldn't stand
his handling of her. I'll never step
on the Martha again unless it is to
take charge of her. I'm a sailor, like
my father. and he could never bear
to see vessel mishandled."
An hour later, just as they were
riding out of the compound, Sheldon
glanced at her sharply and noted her
face nothing even as he looked, and
turning orange and green.
It's the fever" she said. "Tll have
to turn back"
pound she was shivering and shaking,
and he had to help her from her horse.
Funny. isn't it, she said, with
chattpring teeth. Like seasckness-
not serious, but horribly miserable
while it lasts. I'm going to bed Send
Noa Noah and Niaburi to me. Tell
Ornfiri to make hot water. I'll be out
of my head in fifteen minutes. But
I'll be all right by evening. Short and
sharp Is the way it takes me-
Sheldon obeyed her instructions,
rushed hot water bottles along to her
and then sat on the veranda CHANGING
across the compound to the grass
house. Yes, he decided, the contention
of every white man in the islands was
Solomons was no place for
Il woman.
He clapped his hands and I.alaperu
came running.
Here. you" he ordered; ''go along
barracks. bring m black fella Mary.
plenty too much, altogether"
\ few minutes later the dozen black
women of Berande were ranged before
him. He looked them over critically,
finally selecting one that was young,
romely as such creatures went. and
whose body bore no signs of skin dis
ease.
"What name. you" he demanded.
"Sangui?"
ME Mahua," was the answer.
"All right. you fella Mahua. You
finish cook along boys. You stop along
white Mary. All the time you stop
along. You savvee|
Me savee," she grunted and obeyed
his gesture TO go to the grass house
What Nance" he asked Viaburi
who had just come out of the grass
house.
big fella sick" was the answer.
White fella Mary talk m too much
alice time. Alice time talk m big fell
Ia schooner"
Sheldon nodded. He understood. 1t
was the loss of the Martha that had
brought on the fever. He lighted Il
cigarette, and in the curling smoke of
t caught visions of his English moth
ar and wondered If she would under
stand how her son could love IA wo-
man who cried because she could not
be skipper of schooner in the can
libal isles.
The most patient man in the world is
prone TO impotence in love. and Shell
Ion was In love.
But how To approach her? He di-
1ined the fanatical love of freedom in
her, the deep seated antipathy for re
'traint of any sort. No man could
,yer put his arm around her and win
Ter. She would fiutter away like
frightened bird. Approach by contact
that, he realized, was the one thing |
he must never do. His hand clasp
must be what il had always been-the |
land clasp of hearty friendship. aud
Nothing more. And then. one morning.
quite foruitously the opportunity |
anne.
MY dearest wish is the success OF |
Berande," Joan had just said apropos !
II discussion about the cheapening
II freights on copra 10 market.
do you mind II tell you the dear
,st wish Of my hearth he promptly |
II long for IL. dream