The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-03-26

on the verge Of a run.
Half q block farther on the negro
scurried up the steps Of a brown stone
mansion and. assuring himself that
Johnson was still at his heels. opened
the door and entered.
The hall light was dimly burning.
and johnson caught an impression of
sumptuous furniture.
The negro never tarried. but mount
ed to the second floor. ~traversed a cor
ridor to the door Of a 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.
II Johnson's eyes were dazzled by
the sudden brilliancy. his brain was
no less confused by what he saw. The
most prominent feature Of the cham
Der was a large. white bed. and on
this there lay n of the strangest fg.
ures he had ever looked upon, not even
excepting that Of the dwarf who had
led him there.
he saw a mass Of tangled white hair.
knotted about by q red silk handker-
chief. and a drift Of white beard.
The rest Of the face showed brown.
like leather, and was set with a pair
Of piercing blue eyes.
Come here. where / can look at
you,' said the nan on the bed. Then:
well you're Johnson. all right. And
| bid him farewell at Pawaianne.
"VNi11i0 xn,,r fo%hon r,o,vl -, 49,
here II he was livin'," 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," he patriarch went on; ''Other-
wise you'd know all about me. I'm
Robert h. King. and king I've been.
too. these fifty years. But, oh, they're
an ungrateful lot! They're an un-
grateful lot!
II ruled EN- fair, and l ruled 'em
square. l lost my right hand, though.
when your father went. He'd a put
down this revolution. Do you hear3
1Qey started Il reVOlu0On!
johnson said that be heard.
There's q Malay out there named
Possa Sing. He's at the head Of this
here revolution. He started it because
l wouldn't let him have my gal. But
l had other plans. l was thinktn' OF
Red Bill Johnson-a full measure of q
man he was-and how he used to boast
about that little boy Of his'n back in
New York.
1T vas the last thing that he said
when l bid him farewell at Pawalanne
BE a father to little WILLIE And.
by Christopher. I'll do it yet in spite
Of that black Malay Possa Sing!
He got too strong for me-I'm not
the man l used to be-but he amt too
strong for Red Bill Johnson's boy. |
found your address in a New York d.
rectory. l got n from Batavia. and
$40 in gold it cos me too. And I rent
ed this house for to die in.
Il could trust the agents for that, but
for the rest couldn't trust them. I
had to see you. I've piled up pearls
and power for you. Willie. And that
amt all" He 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 calf" she asked
sweetly. with a nsping accent
AYE, stand there, Minnie. Do you
blame me for refusing t give her to 4
Malay?
"Half breed. but I've raised her like
a white mans gal. Them people'd die
for her. | crowned her queen before
we left That'll settle Possa Sing. He
was crazy for her, more than the rest,
but him that gets her gets all. And
she's a white mans gal" The old man
paused. When be spoke again bis
great whisper was strangely smaller.
$50 I brought her with me-" he said,
for Red Bill Johnson's boy. There's
q schooner at Macassar. Sail SOU by
west for Pantar strait
Those were the last words that Rob-
ert King, n King Robert, ever spoke.
When johnson emerged sufficiently
out Of his confusion to focus his eyes
on the patriarch he noticed that the
latter was staring strangely in the d.
rection Of the door.
Involuntarily Johnson wheeled and
saw standing there a dark youth.
whose face was stamped with an <
preston Of fierce and joyful ecstasy.
The girl had also turned, and there
sprang to her lips a sob that was trans
formed into q name. It was "Possa
Sing"
In his extremity johnson turned to
the girl.
what did he mean?" be whispered.
II am to be your BRIDE" she falter.
ed. He made M promise. l started
to see you this evening-to ask you not
to come" She was shaken in a sudden
burst Of weeping. and her accent got
the better of her. But, ah. saire, even
now. not yet. you have promised him
~4thA~~0V