Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-10-09
NO. s..

LhC llBht WIS ullllll X,
and Johnson caught an impression OF
sumptuous furniture.
The negro never tarried, but mount.
ed to the second floor, traversed cor
ridor to the door of n rear room paus-
ed until johnson had caught up with
him, then knocked and threw the door
wide open.
The room was a-shimmer with light.
If Johnson's eyes were dazzled by
the sudden brllliancy, his brain was
no less confused by whit he saw. The
most prominent feature of the cham
Der was a large, white bod, and on
this there lay one of the strongest fig
ures he had ever looked upon, not even
excepting that Of the dwarf who had
led him there.
He saw mass of tangled white hair,
knotted about by red silk handker-
chief, and drift of white beard
The rest of the face showed brown,
like leather, and was set with n pair
of piercing blue eyes.
Come here, where l can look at
you,' said the man on the bed. Then:
well, you're Johnson, all right. And
bid him farewell at Pawaianne.
willie, your father would "a been
here If he was livln'," the old man
continued There are debts that no
man forgets. I've come for to seek
you on his account I've got here none
too soon"
I'm sorry you're SICK" said Johnson.
Your father died when you was lIt.
tle," the patriarch went on; "other-
wise you'd know all about me. I'm
Robert ii. King, and king I've been,
too, these fifty years. But, oh, they're
an ungrateful lott They're an un.
grateful lot!
Il ruled 'em fair, and l ruled 'em
square. lost my right hand, though.
when your father went. He'd "a put
down this revolution. Do you hear?
They started a revolutionv
Johnson said that he heard.
There's n Malay out there named
Possa Sing. He's at the head Of this
here revolution. He started 1t because
wouldn't let him have my gal. hut
l had other plans. l was thinkin' of
Red Bill Johnson-a full measure of
man he was-and how he used to boast
about that little boy OF his'n back In
New York
ut was the lust thing that he said
when | bid him farewell at Pawalanne
-'Bo father to little Willie And,
by Christopher, I'll do 1t yet, In spite
Of that black Malay Possa Slngl
Tie got too strong for me-Pm not
the man used TO Debut he amt too
strong for Red Bill Johnson's boy.
found your address in New York d.
rectory. | got one from Batavia, and
$40 in gold 1t cost me too. And rent
ed this house for to die In
Il could trust the agents for that, but
for the rest | couldn't trust them.
had to see you. I've piled up pearls
and power for you, Willie. And that
amt all" lie paused.
Minnie" he painted hoarsely.
Johnson turned and half rose impul-
sively from his chair. The door had
opened. Standing there, graceful, slim,
shrinking, was the girl Of the unspoken
message.
did my father callT' she asked
swoetly, with lisping accent.
AYE, stand there, Minnie. DO you
blame me for refusing to give her to
Malay2
Half breed, but I've raised her like
n white mans gal. Them people'd die
for her. | crowned her queen before
we left. Thatll settle POssa Sing IIo
was crazy for her, more than the rest,
but him that gets her gets all And
she's white mans gal" The old man
paused. When he spoke again his
great whisper was strangely smaller
$50 brought her with me-" he said,
"for Red Bill Johnson's boy. There's
schooner at Mncassar Sail SOU by
west for Pantar strait
Those were the last words that Rob
ert King, or King Robert, ever spoke.
When Johnson emerged sufficiently
out Of his confusion to focus his eyes
on the patriarch he noticed that the
latter wHs staring strangely In the di-
rection OF the door.
Involuntarlly Johnson wheeled and
saw standing there dark youth,
whose face was stamped with an ex
preston of fierce and Joyful ecstasy.
The girl had MISC turned, and there
sprnng to her lips sob that was trans
formed into name. It was "Possa
singw
In his extremity johnson turned to
the girl
"What did he mean2" he whispered.
~ am to be your BRIDE" she falter-
ed. "IIo made me promise. | started
to see you this evenlng-tO nsk you not
to come" She was shaken In sudden
burst Of weeping, and her accent got
the better Of her. "But, ah, saIre, even
now, not yet, you have promised him
nothlngw
There are moments of exquisite con
seriousness In the lives OF all OF us when
we recognize Clearly the parting OF tho
ways. Such moment Johnson oxpe
rienced now. On one side he saw the
fiat routine Of his civilized mediocrlty-
dull work, advancing years, unlovely
poverty and then-king OF n tropic Isle
romance, "penrls and power"
lie wavercd, he heayed mighty
sigh, and then, recovering his hat from
the floor where he had placed II beside
his chair, and, looking neither 20 tho
right nor loft nor unlocking his set
Jaws for speech, he strobe out OF the
room
The fiat was dark and silent when
Johnson got home.
II smelled somewhat ut cold cooking,
and his wife, waking from her sleep,
called out for him not TO forget TINT In