The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-03-09


ifed opportunity for tcedlth and
poueT. His decision Is tCh1t I
(PauI ThoTneJ Gm tcditing to
hear.
Chapter %
A Desperately Honesfck Man
LIE could handle the Dyaks-
l 1 even had a certain hold upon
them through Anthony Forester.
There were ways to aSsuage the
Maiays, who wanted nothing here
but the revenue 10 begin with. He
could even see ways TO save Man.
tusen's face. Mantusen could 60
back to the Sultan of Saremba with
the Balingong revenue guaranteed
forever by a white mana white
man as good as working TOR hifn.
What greater triumph could Man.
tusen have taken home than that!
Two more Balingongs and Man
tusen would be sultan himself!
There was something wrong
with the whole thing. and my
uncle knew It. But ne could not
find out what It was The millions
that lay in that raj-if only they
could be got out-kept pulling him
into It with an irresistible appeal
l could not have believed that
CLYDE would have been drawn n,
but il seemed 10 me that he t1os
being drawn in before my eyes.
And now after dark when Lun-
dok came aboard the Linkang
once more the answer that Clyde
gave him made me sure Of Il
Lundok brol ut word Of course
that the terms Clyde had sent
were impossible. That was to be
expected-in fact had been
Clyde's intention. Lundok and
Clyde nov had another long talk,
both of them ostensibly trying to
negotiate an agreement. while YET
a different purpose, ! thought, was
in the minds of each. Clyde had
come to no decision as far as !
knew: and exactly what was in
Lundok's mind was very hard 70
make out.
Only a few Malay faces have
the impassivity- which Mantnsen's
could sometimes affect. Lundok's
face wa livel. and expressive.
and should have been readable,
but found this Of little help. The
thing IS that a Malay has An en-
tirely different reaction. basically.
than a white man has. to any situ-
alton. His mind was as different
from ours as hi clothes were dif-
ferent from our clothes
Lundok wore black trousers with
side iacings al the calves, which
made them more than skin-tight
about his typically short and
spindIy Malay legs His short
i1cket, exposing his naked stom-
ach. was also black. but his sash
was a rich purple, and from il
giinted q kris hilt deliberately
worked in gold. His headcloth,
twisted tight and small. more like
a skull cap than turban. was Of
gold cloth; while his feet were
bare. las is 3mmon with Malays
OF even the most lordly class.
Yet all these things. which seem
very eccentric when you first see
them. are easy 20 get used 70.
What | never could get used to.
nor fully understand, was the
workings of the mind behind the
slanted. surfaee-lighted eyes.
Powwow
We knew that Lundok was more
w honest than any ether Malay
we had yet known-and a. the
same time could be counted on to
make any representatio what
ever IL Il would save face for
either himself or Manfusen. Thus
the whole powwow with Lundok
was distorted By the necessary
pretense that neither side was IN
the slightest difficulty. In TACT az
times the conversation seemed
based on the cracked assumption
that Mantusen had Us at serious
disadvantage.
In the end Clyde sent Msntusen
q fresh proposition. worked cat IN
some detail. and Il was 20 reason
able. and on the whole 50 practical
IN its ar angement that even I
was moved to the conclusion that
Clyde had made up his mind and
was actually trying 70 persuade
Mantusen.
Mantusen, Clyde stipulated. was
10 retire % Saremba. with al hon.
OF. By an agreement which was
expreSsediy voluntary on his part
and 70 his Ereat aofantage. A sum
representing the revenue which
Mantusen was accustomed 70
squeeze out OF BalinEong was o
be paid him q. regular intervals
IN the form Of al annuity. An an
unity 10 the Sultan Of Saremba
was also % be guaranteed.
Clyde. however. was % take
over all the responsibilities Of the
rajahship. and was % have re full
life-a7d-death authority Of rajah
OF Balingong. Ciyde's rziahship
was 20 be permanent as long as he
fulfilled his part q the contract.
These terms were % be SET down
IN Arabic. and SWcrn 70 BY Man
tusen upon tha Koran: and the