The Winslow mail., 1924-02-29

Seaton. A compound manager was, of
course, necessary for the overseeing of
the workers, and he resolved to offer
old Seaton the position which he had
mentally reserved for him. Seaton was
known as man eminently qualified
for the position, but owing to his habits
none would employ him.
II was nearly three weeks since Win
ton had seen Sheila. He did not know
for certain that the girl and her father
were still in Malopo. He was thinking
of inQuiring for the old man when he
was surprised by q visit from him at
an early hour in the morning
Daddy Seaton was wearing a new
suit, he was perfectly sober, and looked
almost respectable.
Mr. Garrett, l don't suppose you'll
know who am," he began; but every
body in Malopo knows me, and they'll
tell you that there amt better work
man than Stanford Seaton when he
leaves liquor alone. That's been my
bane-but, then, I've had a heap of
trouble, sir"
Looking for job?" asked Winton.
"And employers fight shy of me be-
cause of my weakness" continued Sea-
ton frankly, determined to put his story
in his own way "But I can say there
isn't man in Malopo understands the
natives better. 1 heard you wanted
compound manager, and If you'll give
me a chance you won't regret it. 1
shall never touch drink again. I've had
enough Of it. SIR"
''rll try you, Seaton," answered Win
/ ton. Report for work tomorrow morn
ing; and you can move into that cot
tage as soon as you like"
1t was on the tip of his tongue to
add 'and your daughter" But Winton
cautiously refrained When he set
about a thing he had all the method and
prudence of his father, who had been
a financial power in New York before
a combine broke him. Winton was re-
solved either to win Sheila or to probe
the situation and discover the secret
Of the girls fascination over him.
His heart cried out for her, but his
+ head warned him of his unwisdOm.
And Winton, like most men, was
swayed by both; only with him they
were in unusual eQuipoise.
He unlocked the cottage door and
left Seaton inspecting the inside, re-
turning to work in his Office. About an
hour later, seeing the cottage door
wide open and supposing that Seaton
had left the key in the lock, he went
over to close the place. He looked in
side and saw this old man lying upon
the floor hopelessly drunk, an empty
bottle%Of trade gin beside him.
Seaton had certainly not had the bot
| tie about him when he arrived. There
was only one place where he could
have got it, and that was on the adjoin-
ing claim.
This was one of block owned by
/ the syndicate. 1t ran it's own native
store, which was in charge OF fellow
named Kash, an Armenian a little,
blear-eyed, scoundrelly-looking maraud-
| er who, Ned Burns had said, made
most of his revenue from the sale OF
|
prohibitOry law.
Saturday afternoon was a half hOli-
day in the compounds, and at noon the
gates were thrown open until midnight
AS most of the natives were Bechuanas,
the formal challenges, followed by
murderous intertribal fights with knob
kerries, which were a regular Satur-
day afternoon performance on the gold
fields at johannesburg, did not take
place at Malopo. During the weekend,
however, drunkenness and brawling
were universal, the length Of the reef
was scene of uproar and riot, to
which nobody paid any attention, and
the cause was the trade gin sold by
every stOrekeeper. 1t was the current
belief that the native could not be
stopped from procuring liquor, and the
syndicate winked at Kash's activities.
Winton had looked on the matter diff
ferently from the first. While deter
mined to go slowly, the sight of Sea-
ton lying dead drunk upon the floor,
reused him to furious anger. Burning
with Indignation, he crossed the syn
dicate claim and entered the store.
1t was one Of the filthiest places that
Winton had ever seen. The front was
hung with secondhand clothing and
gaudy- -colored blankets with lions and
heads Of women woven patchily into
their surfaces. Canned foods, put up
years previously and probably con-
demned, twists Of tobacco, cheap sweets
exposed to the innumerable flies, rolls
of Soiled calico in white and blue lit
tered the shelves, with beads and imi-
tation jewelry which the natives took
home to adorn the wives bought with
the earnings Of their apprenticeship.
Behind the counter stood Kash, blink
ing like an owl out of the darkness.
you've been selling liquor to my
compound manager" cried Winton an
grily
Kash flung up his hands in horror at
the suggestion. mo, sair!" he pro-