The Washington times., 1914-06-27

Z q Caribbean was all agleam, save
here the coral reef teeth gnashed IL
il % foam; inside, a sand beach. yellow
the moonlight. curved east and west
Il causeway until the distance swal-
| i we'd It. Back of that lay the groves
o cocoanut trees, their plumes waving
IL the undying undulations that never
ceased since first the trade winds
" ads preached upon them. Beneath the
| p ms themselves the jungle was ink
black, patched here and there with sill
" r. The air was heavy with the slow
r nble Of an ever restless surf, and all
aUout the sea was whispering, whisper
| II as If minded to tell its mysteries.
I was the sort of night that had
ever wakened wild impulses in Captain
| Innocencio's breast. 1t was on such a
ght that he had first felt the touch
o. a woman's lips: it was on such an
her night that he had first felt a
mans warm blood upon his hands. That
I'D been long ago, to be sure, in far
r ayti. and since that time both of those
7nsations had lost much of their nov-
city, for he had lived fast and hard,
2 nd his exile had plunged him into many
evils II was on such a moonlight night
feeling southwark between moonrise and
|moonset, southwark whittier all the scum
o, the Indies fioated. But even to this
| day when il came to the full Of a Feb
rUary moon, with the fragrant salt
Trades blowing and the sound of a throb-
long surf beneath 1t, the sated, stag
/ NJ ut blood of Captain Innocencio went
l., {. his thin. mulatto face grew hard
d a certain strange exultance blazed
v thin him
His crew had long since come TO rec
O. nize this frenzy and had they now
n-held him. poised half nude at the rail.
fierce eyes bent upon the forbidden
ore, they would have ventured no re-
lrk- as it happened. however, they
ere all asleep, all three Of them, and
I captains lips curled scornfully.
y nat could black men know about such
otleties as the call of moonlight?
" nat odds to them II yonder palm
l-onds beckoned? They had no curiosity,
r. resentfulness, otherwise they. too.
ght have dared TO break the San Bias
law.
L was four years now since he had
f~st begun to sail this coast and even
tough he was known on every cape
and bay from Nombre-de-Dios to Ii
huron. and even though it was recog-
rized that the Senior "Beel" Weeliams
paid proper price for cocoa and ivory
ruts, his head trade had never beaten
down the peoples distrust. On the
contrary, their vigilance had increased,
i anything. and now after four years
Of scrupulous fair dealing. he, Captain
Innocencio, was still compelled to sleep
of shore and under guard like any
common stranger.
Il had made the Haytian laugh, al
first, for who would wish to harm a
San Bias woman with the streets of
'olon but a hundred miles to the west?
> aen as the months crept into years
and for voyage after voyage he never
Faw San Bias woman's face he be-
came furious. Next he grew angry.
L IN sullen. and sense of injury burned
20 him. He set his wits against
eirs. but invariably the sight of his
hooners sails was a signal for the
omen to melt away. and invariably
hen night came, and he and his blacks
rad been herded back aboard their
O. md Of their voices served to fan the
ne within his breast
Night after night, in sheltered coves
open river mouths, the captain of
q Espirita had lain belly down upon
y little roof of the deck house, his
ad raised serpent wise, his gloomy
es fixed upon the cook fires in the
stance. And when some woman's
= -
slit walls, or when some maiden's
l. ng came floating seaward he had
-eathed curses in his bastard French
d directed a message of hate at the
ntinel he knew was posted in the
ngle shadows. At times he had
LIED at his crew OF spiritless Jamai-
n "niggers," and lusted for a follow
of his own kind, men with the
enchN blood of his island In their
4.ns. men who would follow where
moonlight fiickered. He had even
. ne SO far at one time as to search
water fronts from Port Limon TO
aHta Marta in quest OF such fellows;
had winnowed the offscourings Of
four seas gathered there. but
;hout success They were villain
chaps for the main part. crossed
n many creeds and colors, and
ady for any desperate venture, but
could not find three helpers Of
Ticient hardihood TO tamper with
San Bas virgins. Instead they had
old him the tales he already knew
heart: tales of swift and sudden
-ribution overtaking blacks and
lItes; retribution that did not halt
en- at the French or the hated Amer
amos. They told him that OF all the
Dtley races gathered here since
rliest Spanish days the San Bias
.Dod alone retained its purity. 1t was
s boss. the Senior Williams. who had
ne back farthest into history and
was he likewise who had threat
ed him with prompt discharge IL
presumed TO trespass. The Senior
.Illiams was not one to permit profit
lie trade relations to be JeopardiZed
the whirn of a Haytian muIatto.
Innocencio had listened pessively,
en- smiled when alone. He owed no
pyalty. He had no law. Even the
.Hne he went by was a Fiction.
he continued to make his trips. and
lcn he came driving ih ahead Of the
mining trade winds. his schooner
den with the treasures Of the island,
0e back streets Of Colon awoke 10 his
rescnce and prepared to greet him.
ut. however loud the music in the
antinss. however fierce the eXUltation
the liquor in him, however wild the