The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-06-01

TOll WllOlu w you XVI youi i
mation?" asked Dyck Calhoun with IN
air OF suspicion.
"From Darius Boland, y'r honor"
answered Michael, with a smile. "WhO
Is Darius Boland, you're askin' In y'r
mind? Well, he's the new manager
come from the Llyn plantations in
Virginia and right good stuff ne Is,
with a tongue that's as dry as cut
wheat In August. l saw him this
mornin' on the quay ut Kingston. He
was orderin' the porters about with an
air-oh, bedad, an air! / saw the
name upon the parcels-Miss Shella
Llyn Of MORA, Virginia, and so l spoke
to him. WELL said he, who might
you be2 For there's queer folks In
Jamaica, I'm told So l said ! was
Michael Clones, and at that he doffed
his hat and held out Il hand. We'll,
here's luck said he. Luck Mt the
very start! I've heard of you from
my mistress. You're servant to MIR.
Dyck CalhOun-ain't that itT And !
nodded and he smiled agatha smile
that'd cost money anywhere else than
In Jamaica. Queer way OF ak he has,
that man, as queer as"
IL understand, Michael. But what
else? How did you come to talk about
the affairs of Mrs. and Miss Llyn7 He
didn't just spit it out, did he?"
"Sure; not so quick and free as
spittin', y'r honor, but when he'd sorted
me out, as it were, he said Miss Llyn
had come out here to take charge of
Salem, her own estate In Virginia be-
in I'm such good runnin' order and her
mind bein' active. Word had come
Of the trouble with the manager here,
and one Of the provost marshal's depu-
ties had written accounts Of the fog
ging and ill-treatment Of slaves, and
that's why she come-tO put things
right at Salem"
"To put things wrong in jamaica,
Michael, that's why she's come. To
loose the ball Of confusion and free
the flood Of tragedy-that's why she's
come! Man, Michael, you know her
history-whO she was and what hap
pened to her father. Well, do you think
there's no tragedy In her coming here?
I killed her father, they say, Michael.
l was punished for 1t. / came here
to be free Of all those ~things-lifted
out and away from them all. / lOnged
to forget the past, which Is only shame
and torture; and here It is all spread
out ut my door again like a mat, which
/ must see as ! go In and out. There
was no talk on Boland's part Of their
coming here, was there, Michael?"
"None Mt all, sir, but there was that
in the mans eye and that In his tone,
which made me sure he thought Miss
Llyn and you would meet"
"That would be strange, wouldn't It,
I'm this immense continent! !" Dyck re-
marked cynically. "She knew l vas
here before she came. l wonder her
mother let her come here. Her mother
knew part of the truth. She hid 1t all
from the girl-and nov they are here !!
michael. order my horse and l will
go to Spanish Town. This matter must
be brought to n head. The truth must
be told. Order my horsew
at is the very heat of the day, sir"
"Then at five o'clock, after dinner,
have my horse here"
Sam I to ride with you, sir?"
Dyck nodded.
"Yes, Michael. There's only one
thing to do-face all the facts with all
the evidence, and you are fact and
evidence, too. You know more Of the
truth than any one else."
Several hours later, when the sun
was .abating It's force a little, after
travelling the burning roads through
yams and cocoa, grenadillas and all
kinds of herbs and roots and vagrant
trees, Dyck Calhoun and Michael
Clones came into Spanish Town.
Dyck looked around upon the town
with Q eyes. He saw II like m for
the first time visiting II. He saw the
people passing through the wide
verandas Of the houses. like a vast
colonnade. down the street, to be hap
PLY sheltered from the fierce sun. AS
they passed Kings house they saw
troops Of the vicerOy's guests issuing
from the palace-oflcers of the kings
navy and army. officers and men Of the
Jamaica militia, pale-faced, big-eyed
men Of the creole class. mulattoes
quadroons and octoroons, Samboes
with their wives In loose skirts. white
stockings and pinnacle hats. Snatches
Of song were heard and voices Of men
who had had a full meal and had
"taken observations"-as looking
through the bottom Of . -'ass of
liquor was called by people with naval
spirit-were mixed In careless carou.
sal.
All this Jared on Dyck Calhoun and
gave revolt to his senses Yet he was
only half-conscious Of the great sen.
suousness Of the scene as he passed
through Il. All was brought to focus
at last. however. BY their arrival II
Charlotte Bedford's lodgings. which,