, 1913-04-03

uung imply. one a ehecker boaru N
blue and white squares, the other d
white pennant centred with a red disk
1t was the International code sigma
Of distress.
The man ordered the great bell to be
rung as a signal for the plantation
hands 10 cease WORK and go to their
barracks Then he mounted his man
horse and made the last round of the
day.
In the hospital were two new cases.
To these he gave castor oil He con
graduated himself. II had been an
easy day Only three had died ae
Inspected the copra drying that had
been going on. and went through the
barracks to see If there were any sick
lying hidden and defying his rule of
segregation. Returned to the house.
he received the reports Of the boss
boys and gave instructions for next
days work. The boats crew boss also
he had in. to give assurance. as was
the custom nightly. that the whale
boats were hauled up and padlocked
IDiS WIS u LuoNt utNt~NuEy UEttuulltl.
for the blacks were in n funk. and a
whale boat left lying on the beach in
the evening meant a loss of twenty
blacks by morning Since the blacks
were worth $50 n piece or less. accord
ing to how much of their time had
been worked out. Berande plantation
could III afford the loss. Besides.
u,Iol~ Ixootc I,oo~ t IT,
Solomons. and. also. the deaths were
daily reducing the working capital.
Seven blacks had fed into the bush
the week before. and our had dragged
themselves back. helpless from fever.
with the report that two more had
been killed and kai kai'd (eaten, by
the tospitable bushmen. The seventh
man was still at large and was said
to be working along the coast on the
lookout to steal a canoe and get away
to his own island.
viaburi brought two lighted lanterns
to the white man for inspection. He
glanced at them and saw that they
were burning brightly with clear.
broad flames. and nodded his head
One was hoisted up to the gaff Of the
Flagstaff. and the other was placed on
the wide veranda. They were the
leading lights to the Berande anchor
age. and every night in the year they
were 30 inspected and hung out.
He rolled back Oh his couch with a
sigh of relief. The days work was
done. A rife lay on the couch beside
him. His revolver was within reach
Of bis hand. An hour passed, during
which he did not move. He lay in a
state of half slumber. half coma. He
became suddenly alert A creak or
the back veranda was the cause The
room was l. shaped: the corner in
which stood his couch vas dim. but
the hanging lamp in the main part of
the room. over the billiard table and
Just around the corner so that 1t did
not shine on him. was burning bright
ly. Likewise the verandas were well
lighted. He waited without move
ment. The creaks were repeated. and
he knew several men lurkcd outside.
What name?" he cried sharply.
The house. raised a dozen feet above
the ground. shook on Its pile founda-
lions to the rush of ~retreating foot
steps.
They're getting bold" he muttered.
Something will have to be done"
The full moon rose over Malaita and
shone down on Berande. Nothing
stirred In the MINDLESS air, From the
hospital still proceeded the moaning
of the sick. In the grass matched
barracks nearly two hundred woolly
headed man eaters slept of the weari-
ness Of the days toll. though several
lifted their heads to listen TO the curses
OF one who cursed the white man
who never slept. On the four veran-
das of the house the lanterns burned
Inside, between rifle and revolver. the
man himself moaned and tossed In
intervals of troubled sleep.