Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-05

tainly. Perhaps this money Is his
fetish. koln. Did You ever hear of a
fetish? In the old days. away back
on the west coast"
Never mind prating Of your adven-
lures in Africa" struck in Koln-yct
with a smile of friendliness that took
the edge from his sneer. These two
men knew each other well. II know
what a fetish is, ia! And 1 don't care
will put. this American captain in he'll
and we shall divide his money"
He made sudden cautious sign.
''Eh! That girl. Call her over
Houtman turned and looked at Zomy
Sal, beckoned her to join them. She
laid down her sewing and came, smil-
ing. Now. when Sal smiled, men won
dered. In these ends Of earth they sell
dom saw a woman smile with this
hearty, pleasant frankness. So. though
Zomy Sal was ever silent. men loved
to talk with her and buy drinks. for
the sake of her quick, warm smile. 1t
took them back to honest things they
had nearly forgotten.
Yes, one must admit that Lee Hung
picked his helpers wisely! He did all
things wisely, that yellow man.
Houtman tried Sal with French and
Hollandsch, to which she shook her
head and smiled the more. Hating
English made her speak, but her broad
country tongue was beyond either of
these men, Koln watched her with mar
rowed, evil eyes, and finally made an
irritated signal to Houtman. Zony Sal,
after a glass Of ale. went back to her
sewing.
"Fetishes mean nothing to me-" said
Koln, reverting to their line OF talk.
Bah! I am man.
80" observed Houtman, twas the
big squarehead who found Hanson
lying sick on the beach at Medan, one
night. He was a man. too! Hanson
was sick and weak. None the less, they
say that the squarehead reached the
residency with broken jaw, a dislo-
Gated arm and one eye gone. No, no,
my friend-I am not afraid! But I am
20 longer young, and am cautious. 1t
is best to take no chances. Hanson is
a stranger to this place. has never been
hero before, and we can do it easily
enough if we do it right
You're sure of all that?' demanded
Koln, quickly.
| Houtman nodded. smilingly. vaguely.
"Oh. ia! Sure enough. That mate
| Of his was very drunk, and talked free
| ly. This is Hanson's first trip up the
coast here. Some one will bring him
here to this bar, and this is the place
to work it. No one will interfere"
! Koln's brows lifted in a question. "But
I've always heard that this yellow man
| was square and honest"
X X X
is fellow who owes me some
| money, in the Guang Tit Lee sawmill
the American manager. He will do
the trick for us. The Nimrod is a
Straits Company boat, so she'll drop
| her hook off the Borneo. The whole
| affair is as certain as daylight, ex-
| vept our part of it.. That must be
| arranged"
"All right" Koln lit a thin, pallid
Dutch cheroot and leaned back.
whats our part of it, them"
ITO finish Hanson after he's
| drugged, and take the money"
Houtman said this simply, coolly.
One gathered from his air that it was
| entirely a business proposition with
| him.
Zomy Sal went on with her sewing,
silent as usual, but no longer smiling.
Down around the Banda and Ara
fura seas. where he was best known,
Capt. John Hanson was a marked
| man.
All peculiar shippers are marked
! men. Of course. hut Hanson was the