Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-22
CHAPTER vi.
The whipIash.

The Whiplash.
Hernandez stepped out upon the
porch Of the low-roofed bungalow. He
moved with lazy strides He was
prosperous apparently, this Portu
guese, Hernandez Here was no evi
dence Of adversely nor of hard luck
Years before he had escaped from
the eruption Of Mount Pelee in Mar
Unique
Now II was the year 1915. II was
January of that year. He was located
may, comfortably established-on his
own plantation in the southern waters
For months or years-who knows?-
he had lived life Of ease upon this
island just off the coast of Porto Rico
Hernandez strobe to the table and
tapped bell.
''lnez," he cried sharply, bring me
drink" He was a Portuguese, this
Hernandez, tall, slender. dark The
expression on his face was sinister.
and across his face was an old-time
scar planted by saber stroke.
Within q woman had been humming
-humming little snatches of familiar
Spanish songs. At his command the
humming ceased. There was an ex-
clamation OF rage-of feminine rage.
Inez Castro stepped out upon the We
randa.
Il am no servant" she exclaimed
angrily, ito be summoned by a bell"
Drink" said Hernandez sharply,
'sgive me drink"
She poured it out for him and hand.
ed him the glass. MAY l hope 1t
chokes you," she exclaimed, stamping
her foot.
stop your snarling there, you Span
ish cat" exclaimed Hernandez, land
listen to me. / have an order from
Porto Rico that ! most fill-and fill
tonight"
Inez was all attention in a moment.
"How much do they want?" she
asked.
Fifty pounds of gum opium" said
her lord and master, "and 20 pounds
OF flake cocaine"
He strobe into the bungalow and
approached a rude fireplace at the
farther end of the apartment. He
stopped and threw back the corner of
a many-colored rug that partially con-
cealed the tiles. The tiles were loose
ly set. He removed dozen Of them
then he threw back an openings
trap door in the floor beneath. Inez
watched him until he disappeared into
this wide hole. Then she glided out
to the veranda. She poured out a
tiny drink and tossed 1t off. She lit
q cigarette.
Before her lay a partially plowed
field. She heard the jingle of an OK
chain. She heard a quayering voice
and then suddenly from the rear of
the bungalow a strange trio entered
the arena of events.
Ponto, a fat little Mexican = who
boosted ever of his Aztec blood =
crawled behind primitive and inef
fectiye pillow.
And the teami A strangely as.
sorted team was this. On the right,
with its head thrust through wooden
yoke, was an OK. On the left hand
side, also with his head thrust through
a wooden yoke and with his brawny
shoulders Juggling. ever Juggling, at the
pillow, there was hitched--a man.
Ponto, cursing. raised his whip AID
brought down his lash time after time
with strict impartialfty upon the shout
ders of the OK and upon the bare back
of the man.
Hernandez just then appeared on
the veranda bearing with him large
wicker dress-suit case.
Hernandez, slowly smoking pana-
tela. scanned the horizon, Suddenly
his eyes narrowed He strobe swiftly
into the living room and as swiftly
back again and in his hands he bore
a pair of up-to-date binoculars. He
held them to his eyes and carefully
adjusted them keeping them trained
upon q speck, mere speck, that had
appeared upon the surface of the sea.
With bound he was off, circling
the bungalow in the opposite direction
from that which Ponto and his ill-as-
sorted team had taken. He met him
half way.
"Ponto," he exclaimed, I'VE shall
have visitors. Unhitch the brute. Get
pickaxes--get spades"
Hernandez led the way to the fore
ground between the veranda end of
the bungalow and the shore. He
pointed to well-plowed strip OF
ground.
sThere," he cried, "at that spot. Dig
dig like the very devil"
RnAorEp afl