The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1912-01-19
CHAPTER VII.

"oIcS are INV, ueSTuOeu anu WretcneO.
CHAPTER VII.
A HARD BITTEN GANG.
AfEXT morning Joan and Shell
III don. at breakfast. were
aroused by a swelling muir
muir Of angry voices. The
first rule Of Berande had been broken.
The compound had been entered with
out permission or command. and all
the 200 laborers. with the exception
Of the boss boys. were guilty of the
offense. They crowded up. threaten
ing and shouting, close under the
front veranda. Sheldon leaned over
the veranda railing. looking down
upon them. while Joan stood slightly
back. When the uproar was stilled
two brothers stood forth. They were
large men. splendidly muscled. and
with faces unusually ferocious. even
for Solomon islanders. One was
Carn-Jama. otherwise the Silent, and
the other was Bellin-Jama. the Boast
er. Both had served on the Queens
land plantations in the old days, and
they were known as evil characters
wherever white men met and gained.
I'VE fella boy we want m them
two black fella Mary" said Bellin-
! jana.
What do you want along black
fella Mary?" Sheldon asked.
| xiii M said Bellin-Jama.
"What name you fella boy talk
along me?" Sheldon demanded. with
show of rising anger. Big bell he
ring. You no belong along here. You
belong along field. Bime by, big fella
bell he ring. you stop along kai-kai,
you come talk along me about two
fella Mary. Now all you boy get
along out Of here"
The gang waited to see what Bellin-
jana would do. and Bellin-Jama stood
still.
ME no CO." he said.
"You watch out. Bellin-Jama." Shell
don said sharply. ''or send you along
Tulagi one big fella flashing. My word.
you catch m strong fella."
Bellin-Jama glared up belligerently.
"You want IN fight" he said. putting
up his fists in approved returned
Queenslander style.
Now. in the Solomons. where whites
are few and blacks are many, and
where the whites do the ruling. such
an offer to fight Is the deadliest Insult.
Blacks are not supposed to dare SO
highly as to offer to fight a white man.
A murmur Of admiration at Bellin-
Jama's bravery went up from the
listening blacks. But Bellin-Jama's
voice was still ringing in the air, and
the murmuring was just beginning.
when Sheldon cleared the rail. leaping
straight downward. From the top of
the railing to the ground. it was fifteen
feet. and Bellin-Jama was directly
beneath. Sheldon's flying body struck
him and crushed him to earth. Nc
blows were needed to be struck. The
black had been knocked helpless. Joan,
startled by the unexpected leap. saw
Carin,Jama. the Silent. reach out and
seize Sheldon by the throat as be
was halfway to his feet. while the ter
score blacks surged forward for the
killing. Her revolver was out. and
Carin-Jama let go his grip. Keeling
backward with bullet in his shoulder
In that feeting instant of action. she
had thought to shoot him in the arm
which. at that short distance. might
reasonably have been achieved. Blu,
the wave Of savages leaping forward
had changed her shot to the shoulder
1t was moment when not the slight
est chance could be taken.
The instant his throat was released
Sheldon struck out with his fist, anG
Carin-Jama Joined his brother on the
ground. The mutiny was quelled. ant
FIVE minutes more saw the brother.
being carried to the hospital. and thu
: mutineers. marshalled by the gant
bosses, on the way to the fields.
When Sheldon came up on tn,
: veranda. he found Joan collapsed OF
the steamer chair and in tears. TIL
sight unnerved him as the row jus
over could not possibly have done. H
glanced down at her helplessly, ant
moistened his lips.
II want to thank you," he began
There isn't doubt but what yo1
saved my life. and must say"-