Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-08-13
CHAPTER w.
The Hand Sinister.

The moonlight bathed her In soft
luminance as she leaned over the
ships rail; and it seemed to Wallen
that he had never seen so beautiful
q face. No, beautiful" wasn't the
word at all. 1t was more than that
a something that counted for more
than mere prettiness of features.
81 know you're just dying to find
out how / came aboard here" she
laughed. 81 could see it in your face
every time you looked at me at sup
per-"
'Yes," Wallen admitted. 'That's
true, Miss MacKay. In fact, I've been
waiting here on deck for ages to ask
you"
She did not answer at once-she
was leaning farther over the rail. her
eyes fixed on the bubbling phosphores-
cence as 1t glided past the ships hull.
you are a western man, as we
speak of the West here, Mr.. Wallon,"
she said at last seriously; "and per-
haps you do not know the East very
welI-that is, the outpost East, as l
call it. Conventions here are-are
quite different. You, I am sure, are
mentally disappearing of my presence
on board; you are thinking that /
should be accompanied by my mother
or my father or brother, or at least
by female companion of some sort,
instead Of which have Only-this."
She drew her hand from her pocket,
and IN the open palm, as she rested
1t on the rail, lay a small but very
serviceable automatic pistol.
1t was unexpected, abrupt, and 1t
startled him. He stared blankly at
the exquisite silver chasing Of the
thing as 1t glinted in the moon
beams.
'But-but to be where that isis
necessary" he ventured, little awk-
wardly.
She shook her head as she returned
the weapon to her pocket.
81 do not mean it In that sense
that 1t Is necessary" she answered.
"Those of us who live in the Islands
of the Peninsula are brought up with
firearms from the time almost that we
can walk, and conventions with us fol
low the code framed by the conditions
which surround us.
'It's-it's quite different FROM
she laughed outright, merrily now
"Vassar, for example. l was there
two years. And so you see, MI. Wal
len, If enc wants to go anywhere
down here 1t is simply question OF
availing oneself Of the first OppOrtu
nifty, whatever 1t may be.
Its a very horny and commonplace
explanation" she said. II am going
to pay a Compromised visit to my
uncle and aunt in Sumatra. We live
that is, father and lon Menado. just
north of the Makassar strait. All we
see of the outside world Is an occa
sional trading schooner; and so when
Captain LayntOn put in to ride out
few days bad weather, with him came
the opportunity / was speaking of.
"He said he was to touch at mum
Der of ports beginning with PObi an6
work down to Singapore. Well. a,
Singapore can get passage across tt
Sumatra, and that's the whole story
You see''-she was demurely serious
now-'T have been very precise be
cause / understand that you are really
in command now, and If you disap
proved too terribly you might order
me ashore at the first port"
''Put you ashore!" exclaimed Wal
len with laugh. mot much! Be
sides, we're not touching at any por
before Singapore. And"-with sud
den inspiration-"TIl tell you what
Miss MacKay, we'll run you over t.
Sumatra from there, If you like
.Oh. will your" she cried excitedly