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About Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 8, 1921)
'i'-iX &. Nci!r v"-.- DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD ' -& tl A ' ' " ' ' - NO Ay.v.v.v.ViV.1 (CHAPTER XVII Continued.) 12 Presently they were In tho refec tory, and a moment after that they "were over the stones, and near the en trance of tho nilns, and thi'n a native ppearcdarmed and running In. With out an Instant's hesitation Dyck ran forward, and as ho entered, put his aword Into tho man's vitals, and ho leU, calling out as ho fell. "Tho rest will be on us now," said Dyck, "and wo must keep going." Ho was about to Issue from the place when three more natives ap peared, and he shot two without wait ing. Catching a pistol from Sheila he aimed at the third native and wound ed him, but did not kill him. Tho man ran Into the wood surrounding tho monastery. Presently more Maroons came a dozen or more, nnd rushed for the entrance. They were met by Dyck's Are, and now also Sheila fired and brought down her man. Dyck flrcd again and wounded another, and with great skill loaded again, but at that moment three of the Maroons, In whirlwind of rage, rushed down Into the ruins. It was dark and they were aston ished to see that Dyck was there, nnd they were more astonished to receive first one and then another his Iron In their bowels. The third man made a stroke at Dyck with his lance, and did. no more than gash Dyck's left arm. Then ho turned and fled out Into the open, nnd was met by a half-dozen others. They nil were about to rush the entrance when suddenly four Bhots behind them brought three of them down, and the rest fled Into tho wood shouting. In another moment Dyck and the ladles were In the open, and making for the woods, the women In front, the men behind, loading their muskets as they ran, and alive to the risks ot the moment. The dresses of the ladles were talned and selled with dust and damp, but otherwise they seemed lit tle the worse for the adventure, save tkat Mrs. Llyn was shaken, and her fare was ashen gray. tnC why did you come?" she said, aft er they had mounted and had got un der way, having secured the horses which Sheila and her mother had rid e. Briefly Dyck explained how, as soon I ffecwKvyc' as he bad dealt with the revolt of the Maroons at his own place, he came v Straight to Salem to protect her and 5BeUa. We bad not heard of the rising of the Maroons," she said. "The gover nor was ai Salem yesterday and a message came fcra his staff to say he was needed to deal with a critical In cident, and would lie come at once. His staff were not at Salera, but at 9e next plantation nearer to Spanish town. Lord Mallow went. If he sus pected the real trouble he said naught to us, but was gone before you could realize It The hours went by, night ame and passed, then my mother nnd I, this morning, made up our minds to take a ride to the monastery, and then round by the road you traveled by back to Salem." "Xbere are Maroons now on that bill above your place. TJiey were there in ambush when we passed to day, but we took no notice. It was cot wise of us to Invite trouble. Some of us would have been killed, but " He then told what had been In his mind, and what ho thought might be the outcome the killing or capture of the whole group, and safety for all at Salem. His words went, to the farthest corners of Sheila's nature. When he had finished, she continued her story. "We rode for nn hour un challenged, and then came the Ma roons. At first I know not what to do. We were surrounded before we could .act. I had my pistol ready, and there was the chanco to escape that faint chance If we drovn our horses on; but there was also the danger of bo big fired at, nnd who could tell what a terrible end might have been to the event I So we sat still on our horses, and I asked them how they dared to assault white ladles. I nsked them If they had never thought what venge ance the governor would take. They did not understand my words, but they grasped the meaning, and on of them, the lender, who understood Eng lish, was inclined to have reason. As it was, we stopped what might have been ox murder by toying it would '' bo wteer to he-J us as hostages, and ! WA oritpa AmnHmni rpftaf mnn ,JjVas killed by you. A shot from your pistol brought him down as he rushed forward to enter the ruins. But he took care of us as we went forward, and when I shot one of his followers for laying his hand upon me In the saddle ho caught me by the log un der my skirt he would allow no re- allatlon. I knew boldness was the fe part to play. But In tho end we were bound with pes as you found us, while they alted for moro of their people to me those, no doubt, you found am- ushed on the hill. As we lay In the itchen, bound as you 6aw us, the adcr said to us we should be safe f ho could Iiavo his way, but here were bad elements among the oroons. and he could not guarantee D3 By GILBERT PARKER Author of "The Seat of the Mighty' "The Right of Way" MtXttX It Yet ho knew tho government would pay for our release, would no doubt give tho land for which they had asked with no avail. Wo must, there fore, remain prisoners. If wo mado no efforts to escape, It would be better for us In tho end. 'Keep your head steady, missy, try no tricks, and all may go well; but I havo bad lot to control, and they may fly at you.' That was the way ho spoko. It made our blood run cold, for ho was one man, with fnlr mind, and ho had around him men, savage and Irresponsible. Black and ruthless, they would stop at nothing except tho sword at their throats or the teeth in their flesh." "Tho teeth In their flesh 1" said Dyck with a grim smile. "Yes, that Is tho only way with them. Naught can put the foar of God Into them except blood hounds and that Lord Mallow will not have. Ho has been set against It un til now. But this business will teach Sheila Fired and Brought Down Her Man. him. He may change his mind now, since what he cares for Is In danger his place and his ladies I" Mrs. Llyn roused herself to say: "No, no, Mr. Calhoun, you must not say that of him. His place may be In danger, but not his ladles. He has no promise of that . . . And see, Mr. Calhoun, I want to say that, In" any case, you have paid your debt, If you owe one to us. For a life taken you have given two lives to mo nnd my girl. Tho account is squared, if It were ever in doubt Believe me, I spenk as one who has a right to say H! Errls Boyno was naught to mo, naught at all, but he was my daugh ter's father, and that made everything difficult I could make him cease to be my husband, nnd I did ; but I could not make him tease to be her father." "I had no lo7e for Erris Boyne," said Sheila, with nil effort, for she felt "choked. Misery wud heavy on her. "None at all, but he was my father and there Is nothing more to say." "See, all's well still a Salem," said Dyck, waving a hand forward as though to change the talk. "All's ns we left it." There In the near distance lay Sa lem serene. AH tropical life about seemed throbbing with life and souk ing with leisure. "Wo were In time," he added. "The Maroons aro still In ambush. The sun is beginning to set, though, and the trouble may begin. We shall get tiiere about sundown safe, thank God 1" "Safe, thank God and you," said Sheila's mother. CHAPTER XVIII. The Clash of Race. In King's house nt Spanish Town tho governor wns troubled. All his plans and prophecies had come to naught He had been convinced there would be no rebellion of the .Maroons, and he was equally Bure that his ca reer would be made hugely successful by marriage with Sheila Llyn but tho Maroons had revolted, tho mar riage was not settled 1 Messages had been coming from the provost marshal general of reports from the counties of Middlesex and Cornwall, that tho Maroons wero rav nglng everywhere and that bands of slaves had Joined them with serious disasters to the plantation people. Planters, their wives and children had been murdered, and in some districts the natives were In full possession und had destroyed, robbed and rav aged. He had summoned his com mander of the militia forces, had cre ated special constables, and armed them, and had sent a ship to tho Ba hamas to summon a small British fleet there. Ho had also mapped out a campaign against the Maroons, which had one grave demerit It wn planned on a basis of ordinary war fare and not with Jamaica conditions in mind. The provost marshal warned him of the futility of these plans, but "iAmVmAi V-V Wy-yy Ayyyyty,syy.y V-W FENSE he hnd persisted In them. Ho had later been shocked, however, by news that the best of his colonels had been ambushed and killed, and that others had been made prisoners and treated with barbarity. From everywhere, except one, had come either news of defeat or setback. One good thing he Immediately did; ho threw open King's house to tho wounded, and set tho surgeons to work, thereby checking bitter criti cism nnd blocking the movement rising against him. For It was well known he had rejected nil warnings, had per sisted in his view that trust In the Maroons nnd fair treatment of them selves and tho slaves were all that was needed. As ho walked In tho great salon or hall of audience where tho wounded lay over seventy feet long and thirty wide, with great height, to which beds and conveniences hnd been hnstUy brought It seemed to him that he was saving, if bnrely saving, his name and career. Standing bcsldo one of the Doric pillars which divided the salon from an upper and lower gallery of communications, ho received tho Cusf,os of Kingston. Tho doors nt tho south end of the great salon opened now and then into tho council cham bers beyond, nnd ho could see tho sur geons operating on the cases returned from the plantations. "Your honor," said the Gustos, "things have suddenly Improved. Tho hounds havo come from Cuba and In the churge of ten men ten men with sixty hounds. That Is the situation nt the moment All the people at Kings ton are overjoyed. They see tho end of tho revolt." "The hounds I" exclaimed tho gov ernor. "What hounds?" "The hounds sent for by Dyck Cal houn surely your honor remembers I" Surely his honor did, nnd recalled also that ho forbade the Importation of the hounds; but he could not press that prohibition now. "The mutineer and murderer, Dyck Calhoun!" he ex claimed. "And they have come I" "Yes, your honor, and gone with Calhoun's man, Michael Clones, to Salem." Lord Mallow was at onco relieved and nonplussed. No doubt the policy of the hounds was useful, and it might save his own goose, but It was, In a sense, un-English to hunt the wild man with hounds. "Tell mo about tho landing of the hounds," said Lord Mallow. "It was last night about dusk that word came from tho pilot's station at Port Royal that the vessel Vincent wns making for port, all sails stand ing, nnd that sho came from Cuba. Presently Michael Clones, the servant of Dyck Calhoun, came also to say that the Vincent wns the ship bring ing Calhoun's hounds from Cuba, nnd asking permit for delivery. This ho. did because he thought you were op posed to the landing. In the light of our position here, we decided to granc the delivery, and It was so done." During tho Castes' narrative, Lord Mallow was perturbed. He had tho common sense to know that Dyck Calhoun, ex-convlct nnd mutineer as ho was, had personal power In tho Is land, which he as governor had not been able to get, and Dyclr had not abused that power as he might have done. Ho recalled that Dyck's premonition of an outbreak and cau tion In sending for the hounds was a stroke of genius. Yet he felt the time had come when he might use Dyck for his own pur poses. That Dyck should ho at Salem was a bitter dose, but that could amount to nothing, for Sheila could never marry the man who hnd killed her father, however bad and mad her father was. First, clearly, he must not think of applying tho order to confine Dyck to ids plantation; also ho must give Dyck authority to use tho hounds In hunting down tho Maroons nnd slnves who were committing awful crimes. Ho forthwith decided to write, ask ing Dyck to send him nn outline of his scheme against the rebels for com ment and approval. That ho must do, for the game was with Dyck. "How long will It tnko tho hounds to get to Salem?" he a&ked tho Custos presently In his office, with deep-set lines in his face and a determined look In his eyes. Ho was an arrogant man, but he wns not Insane, and he wanted to succeed. It could only bo success If ho dragged Jamaica out of this rebellion with flying colors, and his one possible weapon was tho man whom he had reason to detest. "Why, your honor, as we sent them by wagons and good horses they should be In Salem and In Dyck Cal houn's hands this evening. If they press they should bo there by now almost, for they've been going for hours, -and the dlstanco Is not great." The governor nodded, and began to write. A half-hour later ho handed to tho Custos what ho had written. "See what you think of that, Cus tos," ho said. "Does It, In your mind, cover the ground as It should?" Tho Custos read it all over Blowly and carefully, weighing every word. Presently 'ho handed back tho paper. "Your honor, It Is completo and mas terly," he said. "It put tho crushing vs s Copyright br Sir Gilbert Parker of tho revolt Into tho hands of Mr. Gal. houn, and nothing could bo wisor. Ho will orgnnlzo tho business llko a master. Wo haven't forgotten his fight for tho navy on tho Arlndno. Didn't tho admiral toll tho story at tho din ner wo gave him of how this ex-con-vict nnd mutineer, by sheer genius, broke the power of tho French at tho critical moment nnd saved our fleet, though It was ouly thrce-fourihs that of tho French?" "Go on with your tale of the hounds." said Lord Mallow. "Your honor, as tho hounds went nway with Michael Clones thero wns greater applause than I havo over seen In tho Island except when Rodney defeated Do Grnsso. Imagine n little sloop In tho wash of tho sens nnd the buccaneers piling down on him, and no chance of escape, and then a great British bnttlcshlp np poarlng, and tho situation saved thnt was how wo were placed hero till tho hounds arrived. Your honor, this morning's, tills early morning's, exit of tho hounds was llko n proces sion of veterans to Wnlhalla. Thero wns tho sun breaking over the tops of the hill, a crlmsonlsh, grayish, opaline touch of soft sprays or mists brenklnc nwnv from tho onset of tho f , " ...,. . ... . . . Bunnse; ami an mo trees wun nignt llps wet sucking In tho sun and drinking up tho light llko an over seer at n Christmas breakfast; and you know what that Is. "Then, suddenly, tho sharp sound of a long whip nnd a voice calling, and there rises out of tho landing place tho procession the sixty dogs in three wagons, their ten drivers with their whips, but keeping order by tho sound of their voices, low, soft and peculiar, and then tho horses starting Into a quick trot which presently would be come n ennter and tho hounds wero off to Salem I There could be no fear with the hounds let looso to do tho hunting." "But suppose that when they get to Salem their owner Is no more." The Custos laughed. "Him, your honor him no morel Isn't ho tho man of whom tho black folk say, 'Lucky buckra morning, lucky new comer I If that's his reputation, and the coming of his hounds Just when the island most needed them Is god proof of It, do you think he'll be killed by a lot of dirty Maroons I Ah, Cal houn's a man with the luck of the devil, your honor! Ho has tho pull as sure as heaven's nbove he'll make success. If you command your staff to have this posted as a proclamation throughout tho Island, It will do ns much good as a thousand soldiers. It will stop the slaves from revolting; It will squelch tho Maroons, and I'm cer tain sure Calhoun will have Maroons ready to light for us, not against us, beforo this thing Is over. I tell you, your honor, It menns the way out that's what It menns. So, If you'll give me your order, keeping a copy of It for the provost-marshal, I'll seo it's delivered to Dyck Calhoun before morning perhaps by midnight. It's not more than a six hours' journey In the ordinary way." At that moment nn aide-de-camp en tered, and with solemn face presented to the governor the Inst report from r?1?. "But Suppose That Whn They Get to Salem Their OvflHr Is No Mom." tho provost marshal general Then ho watched tho governor rend tho report "Ten mo-e killed and twenty wound ed!" said the governor. "It mast be stopped." Ho gave tho Custos Uio letter to Dyck Calhoun, and q fow roonunts later handed the proclamation t his aide-de-camp. "That will settle the business, yUur honor," said tho aldo as he read Ule proclamation, CHAPTER XIX. Sheila Has Her Cay. "Then, tell me, please, what yc-' know of the story," said tho governotr to Sheila at King's house one uftef- Wl TO ' 'o weeks later. "I only get n.cJKL'i- reports from tho gonernl com manding. But you being close to tho Intlranto sourco of tho events must know all." "I know nothing direct from Mr. Cal houn, your honor," she said, "but only through his Bcrvant, Michael Clones, who la a friend of my Darius Boland, and thoy havo met often sine tho first outbreak. You know, of course, what happened at Port Louise how tho slaves and Maroons seized and mur dered tho garrison, how families wero butchered when thoy armed first, how barbarism broke looso and mado "all men combine to light tho rebels. Even boforo Mr. Calhoun camo they had had record of a sack of human ears, cut from tho dead rebel-slaves, when they had been killed by faithful slaves, and good progress was made. But tho re volters fixed their camps on high rocks, and by blowing of shells brought many fresh recruits to tho struggle. It wns only when Mr. Calhoun cams with his hounds thnt anything decis ive wns done. For tho rebels Maroons nnd slaves were hid, well entrenched nnd cautious, and tho danger was be coming grcntcr every day. On Mr. Calhoun's arrival ho sot tho hounds to work and tho rebellion In that dis trict wns soon over." "It was gathering strength with In creasing tragedy elsewhere," remarked tho governor. "Somo took rcfugo In hidden places, and camo out only to steal, rob and murder nnd worse. Thero Is but ono wny to dcnl with these people. No gaming or drinking among slaves must bo allowed, blow ing of shells or benting ot drums must bo forbidden, nnd every free negro or mulatto must wear on his arm a sign perhnps a cross In bluo or red." "Slavery is doomed," said Sheila firmly. "It's end Is not far off." "Well, they still keep slaves In tho land of Washington and Alexander Hamilton. They aro better off hero at any rate than In their own country where they wore llko animals among whom thoy lived. Hero they aro safe from poverty, cared for in sickness, and have no fear of being handed over to the keepers of carrion, or being tho food of tho gnlllnaso. They can feed their All on frlcnssecs of macaca worms and steal without punishment teal or ring-tailed pigeons nnd black crabs from the mnssa." "But they are not freo. They aro atoms In heaps of dust They have no rights no liberties." Sheila was agitated, but sho showed no excitement She seemed, savo for her dark searching eyes, llko ono who had gone through experience which had disciplined her to control. Only her hands wero demonstrative yet quietly so. Any ono watching her closely would have seen that her hands were sensitive, expressed oven moro markedly than her eyes or lips what were her feelings. Her tragedy had altered ber In one sense. She was paler and thinner than ever sho had been, but there was enough of her, and that delicately made, which gavo the governor a thrill of desire to mnko her his own for tho rest of his life or hers. He hnd nlso gone through much since they had last met, and ho had seen his own position In the bal ance uncertain, troubled, Insecure. He renllzed that ho had lost reputa tion, which hnd scarcely been regained by his consent to tho uso of the hounds nnd giving Dyck Calhoun a freo hand, as temporary head of the militia. Ho could not put him over tho regular troops, but as tho general command ing was, In effect, tho slave of Dyck Calhoun, thero was no need for anxi ety. Dyck Calhoun had smashed tho rebellion, hnd quieted tho island, hnd risen above all tho dark disturbances of revolt like n master. Ho had estab lished barracks and forts at many points In tho island, nnd had stationed troops In them ; ho hnd cowed nnd sub dued Maroons and slnves by tho hounds. Yet ho hrfd punished only tho chief of those who had been In actual rebellion, and hnd repressed the vio lent punishments of the curlier part of tho conflict. Dyck had built up for himself u rep utation as no one In nil tho history of the island had been able to do. He commanded by moro than official au thorityby personality and achieve ment, There was no ono In tho Island but knew they hud been saved by his prudence, foresight und skill. It was to their minds stupendous nnd romnn tlc. Fortunntely they showed no strong feeling ngnlnst Lord Mallow. By placing King's houso at disposal as a hospital, and by gift of food nnd money to wives nnd children of sol dlcrs and civilians, tho governor had a llttlo eradicated his recorA, jf neg lect. Lord Mallow had a way wr& him when ho choso to use It. Ho wo,j not without tho gift for popularity, und ho saw now that ho could best a.uln It by treating Dyck Calhoun well. .Qe saw troops come and go; ho Ilstcujkd to grievances; ho corrected abuses; ho devised a Bchcmo (or nursing; ho planned security for the future; he gavo permission for buccaneer trading with the United States; he had by leg islative order given the Creoles a bet tor place In Uio civic organism. Ho was not blind to tho fact that ho might by discreet courses Impress favorably his visitor. All ho did was affected by that thought. Ho could not but think that Sheila would Judge of htm by what ho did as much as by what he said. Ho looked at her now with Interest and longing, no loved to hear her tulk, and she had Information which wns no doubt truer than most he re ceived was closor to the brine, as It .vere. "What more can you tell me of Mr. Calhoun and bin doings?" ho nsked presently. 'He Is lucky In having so perfect a narrator of feU hlstorta- yet so unexpected a narrator." A flush stolo slowly up Sheila's face, and gavo a glow oven to the roots of her hair. Sho could not enduro these references to the dark gulf botweea her and Dyck Calhoun. "My lord," she said sharply, "It la not meet that yon should say such things. Mr. Calhoun was jailed for killing ray father-let It bo at that, Tho last time yon saw ma yon offered mo your hand and heart Well, do you know I had almost mado up my, mind to accept your hand, then the nows of this trouble was brought to you and you left us to ourselves and our dangers I" Tho governor started. "You are as unfriendly as a 'torral garamlghty' you make mo draw my breath thick as tho blackamoors, as thoy say. I did what I thought best In tho clrcum stances'," ho said. "I did not think you would bo In any danger. I had not heard of tho Maroons being so far south as Salem." "Yet It Is tho man who foresees chances that succeeds, as you should know by now, your honor. I was greatly touched by tho offor you mada mo indeed yes," sho added, seeing tho rapt, eager look In his face. "I had been told what had upset me, that Dyck Calhoun was guilty of killing my father, and all tho world scorned dread- tx. Yo8, in tho reaction, It was al most on my tonguo to say yes to you, for you qro a good talker, you had skill In much that you did, and with honest advico from a wlfo might do much more. So I was In a mind to say yes. I had had much to try me, indeed, so very much. Ever since I first saw Dyck Calhoun ho had been tho ono man who had over Influenced mo. Ho was forever In my mind even when ho was In prison oh, what Is prison, what Is guilt oven to a girl when sho loves I Yes, I loved him. Tlioro It was. no was ever on my mind, nnd I camo hero to Jamaica ho was hero for what elso? Salem could have been restored by Darius Boland or others, or I could havo sold It. I camo to Jamaica to And him here unwomanly perhaps, you will say." '"Unusual only, with a genius llko you." "Then you do not spenk what is in your mind, your honor. You say what you feel Is tho right thing to scy the slave of circumstances. I will be wholly frank with you. I camo here to see Dyck Calhoun, for I know he would not come to seo me. Yes, thero It wns, a real thing In his heart If ho had been a lesser man than ho Is, he would have come to America when he was freed from prison. But he did not, would not, come. He knew ho had been found guilty of killing my father, and that for him nnd mo there could be no marriage Indeed, he never asked mo to marry him. "Yet I know he would havo done so If he could. When I camo to know what ho was Jailed for doing, I felt there was no place for him aud mo together In the world. Yet my heart kept cry lng out to him, and I felt thero waa but ono thing left for me to do, and thnt was to mako It Impossible for mo to think of him even, or for him to think of me. Then you came and offered me your hand. It was a hand most women might havo been glad to accept from tho standpoint of mntcrlal things. And you wero Irish like my- self, and llko tho boy I loved. I waa sick of the robberies of life and time, and I wanted .to bo out of it all In somo sccuro place. What placo so secure from the sorrow that was eat ing at my heart as marriage! It said no to overy stir of feeling that waa vexing me, to every show of love or remembrance. So I listened to you. It was not because you were a gov ernor or a peer no, not that! For, oven In Virginia I Iiad offers from one higher than yourself and young er, nnd a peer nlso. No, It was not mntcrlal things that influenced ma, hut your own Intellectual eminence; ; for you havo more brains than most men, as you know so well." Tho governor Interrupted her with n gesture nnd a burst of emotion. "No, no, I am not so vain as you think. If I wero I should hnvo seen nt Salem thnt you meant to say yes." "Yet you know woll you have gifts, though you have mado sad mistaken here. Do not think it wns your per sonality, your looks that Induced me to think of you, to listen to you. When Mr. Calhoun told mo tho truth, nnd gavo mo n letter he hnd written to int. " "A letter to you?" There wns surprise in the gover nor's voice surprise and chagrin, for the thing had moved him powerfully. "Yes, n letter to mo which he never meant mo to have. It was a kind of diary of his heart, and It wns written even while I wns landing on tho Island on Christmas day. He gavo It to me to read, and when I read It I saw there was no placo for mo in' the world exccpta convent or marriage Tho convent could not ho, for I was no Catholic, and marriage seemed tho only thing possible. That day yon camo I saw only ono thing to do one mad, hopeless thing to do." "Mad and hopeless I" burst out Lor Mallow. "How so? Your very rea son shown that It was sane, well founded In the philosophy f ta heart" (TO HH CONTINUED.) Like to Write Letter. The English-speaking race la the most industrious in tho world In the matter of lcttor writing. Tho Aus tralians take first place, with 13 let-, ters per head per year; Cannda and tho United Kingdom comes third with 70. The German nverago is only 49, and Italy Is a hng way k hind with, only - !'r