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have to bother about wild pigs destroying the young trees。 All I'll have to
do is to keep the weeds hoed until the trees come into bearing。 First； I'll
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buy the island； next； get forty or fifty recruits and start clearing and
planting； and at the same time I'll run up a bungalow； and then you'll be
relieved of my embarrassing presencenow don't say that it isn't。〃
〃It is embarrassing；〃 he said bluntly。 〃But you refuse to see my point
of view； so there is no use in discussing it。 Now please forget all about it；
and consider me at your service concerning this 。 。 。 this project of yours。
I know more about cocoanut… planting than you do。 You speak like a
capitalist。 I don't know how much money you have； but I don't fancy you
are rolling in wealth； as you Americans say。 But I do know what it costs
to clear land。 Suppose the government sells you Pari…Sulay at a pound an
acre； clearing will cost you at least four pounds more； that is； five pounds
for four hundred acres； or； say； ten thousand dollars。 Have you that much？〃
She was keenly interested； and he could see that the previous clash
between them was already forgotten。 Her disappointment was plain as
she confessed：
〃No； I haven't quite eight thousand dollars。〃
〃Then here's another way of looking at it。 You'll need； as you said； at
least fifty boys。 Not counting premiums； their wages are thirty dollars a
year。〃
〃I pay my Tahitians fifteen a month；〃 she interpolated。
〃They won't do on straight plantation work。 But to return。 The
wages of fifty boys each year will come to three hundred pounds that is；
fifteen hundred dollars。 Very well。 It will be seven years before your
trees begin to bear。 Seven times fifteen hundred is ten thousand five
hundred dollarsmore than you possess； and all eaten up by the boys'
wages； with nothing to pay for bungalow； building； tools； quinine； trips to
Sydney； and so forth。〃
Sheldon shook his head gravely。 〃You'll have to abandon the idea。〃
〃But I won't go to Sydney；〃 she cried。 〃I simply won't。 I'll buy in to
the extent of my money as a small partner in some other plantation。 Let
me buy in in Berande！〃
〃Heaven forbid！〃 he cried in such genuine dismay that she broke into
hearty laughter。
〃There； I won't tease you。 Really； you know； I'm not accustomed to
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forcing my presence where it is not desired。 Yes； yes； I know you're just
aching to point out that I've forced myself upon you ever since I landed；
only you are too polite to say so。 Yet as you said yourself； it was
impossible for me to go away； so I had to stay。 You wouldn't let me go to
Tulagi。 You compelled me to force myself upon you。 But I won't buy
in as partner with any one。 I'll buy Pari…Sulay； but I'll put only ten boys
on it and clear slowly。 Also； I'll invest in some old ketch and take out a
trading license。 For that matter； I'll go recruiting on Malaita。〃
She looked for protest； and found it in Sheldon's clenched hand and in
every line of his clean…cut face。
〃Go ahead and say it；〃 she challenged。 〃Please don't mind me。 I'm
I'm getting used to it； you know。 Really I am。〃
〃I wish I were a woman so as to tell you how preposterously insane
and impossible it is；〃 he blurted out。
She surveyed him with deliberation； and said：
〃Better than that； you are a man。 So there is nothing to prevent your
telling me； for I demand to be considered as a man。 I didn't come down
here to trail my woman's skirts over the Solomons。 Please forget that I am
accidentally anything else than a man with a man's living to make。〃
Inwardly Sheldon fumed and fretted。 Was she making game of him？
Or did there lurk in her the insidious unhealthfulness of unwomanliness？
Or was it merely a case of blank； staring； sentimental； idiotic innocence？
〃I have told you；〃 he began stiffly； 〃that recruiting on Malaita is
impossible for a woman； and that is all I care to sayor dare。〃
〃And I tell you； in turn； that it is nothing of the sort。 I've sailed the
Miele here； master； if you please； all the way from Tahitieven if I did
lose her； which was the fault of your Admiralty charts。 I am a navigator；
and that is more than your Solomons captains are。 Captain Young told
me all about it。 And I am a seamana better seaman than you； when it
comes right down to it； and you know it。 I can shoot。 I am not a fool。
I can take care of myself。 And I shall most certainly buy a ketch； run her
myself； and go recruiting on Malaita。〃
Sheldon made a hopeless gesture。
〃That's right；〃 she rattled on。 〃Wash your hands of me。 But as Von
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used to say； 'You just watch my smoke！'〃
〃There's no use in discussing it。 Let us have some music。〃
He arose and went over to the big phonograph； but before the disc
started； and while he was winding the machine； he heard her saying：
〃I suppose you've been accustomed to Jane Eyres all your life。 That's
why you don't understand me。 Come on； Satan； let's leave him to his old
music。〃
He watched her morosely and without intention of speaking； till he
saw her take a rifle from the stand； examine the magazine； and start for the
door。
〃Where are you going？〃 he asked peremptorily。
〃As between man and woman；〃 she answered； 〃it would be too
terriblyerindecent for you to tell me why I shouldn't go alligatoring。
Good…night。 Sleep well。〃
He shut off the phonograph with a snap； started toward the door after
her； then abruptly flung himself into a chair。
〃You're hoping a 'gator catches me； aren't you？〃 she called from the
veranda； and as she went down the steps her rippling laughter drifted
tantalizingly back through the wide doorway。
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CHAPTER XA MESSAGE
FROM BOUCHER
The next day Sheldon was left all alone。 Joan had gone exploring
Pari…Sulay； and was not to be expected back until the late afternoon。
Sheldon was vaguely oppressed by his loneliness； and several heavy
squalls during the afternoon brought him frequently on to the veranda；
telescope in hand； to scan the sea anxiously for the whale…boat。
Betweenwhiles he scowled over the plantation account…books； made rough
estimates； added and balanced； and scowled the harder。 The loss of the
Jessie had hit Berande severely。 Not alone was his capital depleted by
the amount of her value； but her earnings were no longer to be reckoned
on； and it was her earnings that largely paid the running expenses of the
plantation。
〃Poor old Hughie；〃 he muttered aloud； once。 〃I'm glad you didn't live
to see it； old man。 What a cropper； what a cropper！〃
Between squalls the Flibberty…Gibbet ran in to anchorage； and her
skipper； Pete Oleson （brother to the Oleson of the Jessie）； ancient； grizzled；
wild…eyed； emaciated by fever； dragged his weary frame up the veranda
steps and collapsed in a steamer…chair。 Whisky and soda kept him going
while he made report and turned in his accounts。
〃You're rotten with fever；〃 Sheldon said。 〃Why don't you run down
to Sydney for a blow of decent climate？〃
The old skipper shook his head。
〃I can't。 I've ben in the islands too long。 I'd die。 The fever comes
out worse down there。〃
〃Kill or cure；〃 Sheldon counselled。
〃It's straight kill for me。 I tried it three years ago。 The cool weather
put me on my back before I landed。 They carried me ashore and into
hospital。 I