adventure-第27节

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　The　clearness　of　it　reminded　him　of　her　face；　of　her　cleanly　stencilled　brows；　her　straightly　chiselled　nose；　the　very　clearness　of　the　gaze　of　her　eyes；　the　firmly　yet　delicately　moulded　lips；　and　the　throat；　neither　fragile　nor　robust；　butbut　just　right；　he　concluded；　an　adequate　and　beautiful　pillar　for　so　shapely　a　burden。

He　looked　long　at　the　name。　　Joan　Lacklandjust　an　assemblage　of　letters；　of　commonplace　letters；　but　an　assemblage　that　generated　a　subtle　and　heady　magic。　　It　crept　into　his　brain　and　twined　and　twisted　his　mental　processes　until　all　that　constituted　him　at　that　moment　went　out　in　love　to　that　scrawled　signature。　　A　few　commonplace　lettersyet　they　caused　him　to　know　in　himself　a　lack　that　sweetly　hurt　and　that　expressed　itself　in　vague　spiritual　outpourings　and　delicious　yearnings。　　Joan　Lackland！　　Each　time　he　looked　at　it　there　arose　visions　of　her　in　a　myriad　moods　and　guisescoming　in　out　of　the　flying　smother　of　the　gale　that　had　wrecked　her　schooner；　launching　a　whale…boat　to　go　a…fishing；　running　dripping　from　the　sea；　with　streaming　hair　and　clinging　garments；　to　the　fresh…water　shower；　frightening　four…score　cannibals　with　an　empty　chlorodyne　bottle；　teaching　Ornfiri　how　to　make　bread；　hanging　her　Stetson　hat　and　revolver…belt　on　the　hook　in　the　living…room；　talking　gravely　about　winning　to　hearth　and　saddle　of　her　own；　or　juvenilely　rattling　on　about　romance　and　adventure；　bright…eyed；　her　face　flushed　and　eager　with　enthusiasm。　Joan　Lackland！　　He　mused　over　the　cryptic　wonder　of　it　till　the　secrets　of　love　were　made　clear　and　he　felt　a　keen　sympathy　for　lovers　who　carved　their　names　on　trees　or　wrote　them　on　the　beach…　sands　of　the　sea。

Then　he　came　back　to　reality；　and　his　face　hardened。　　Even　then　she　was　on　the　wild　coast　of　Malaita；　and　at　Poonga…Poonga；　of　all　villainous　and　dangerous　portions　the　worst；　peopled　with　a　teeming　population　of　head…hunters；　robbers；　and　murderers。　　For　the　instant　he　entertained　the　rash　thought　of　calling　his　boat's…crew　and　starting　immediately　in　a　whale…boat　for　Poonga…Poonga。　　But　the　next　instant　the　idea　was　dismissed。　　What　could　he　do　if　he　did　go？　　First；　she　would　resent　it。　　Next；　she　would　laugh　at　him　and　call　him　a　silly；　and　after　all　he　would　count　for　only　one　rifle　more；　and　she　had　many　rifles　with　her。　　Three　things　only　could　he　do　if　he　went。　　He　could　command　her　to　return；　he　could　take　the　Flibberty…Gibbet　away　from　her；　he　could　dissolve　their　partnership；any　and　all　of　which　he　knew　would　be　foolish　and　futile；　and　he　could　hear　her　explain　in　terse　set　terms　that　she　was　legally　of　age　and　that　nobody　could　say　come　or　go　to　her。　No；　his　pride　would　never　permit　him　to　start　for　Poonga…Poonga；　though　his　heart　whispered　that　nothing　could　be　more　welcome　than　a　message　from　her　asking　him　to　come　and　lend　a　hand。　　Her　very　words〃lend　a　hand〃；　and　in　his　fancy；　he　could　see　and　hear　her　saying　them。

There　was　much　in　her　wilful　conduct　that　caused　him　to　wince　in　the　heart　of　him。　　He　was　appalled　by　the　thought　of　her　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　the　drunken　rabble　of　traders　and　beachcombers　at　Guvutu。　　It　was　bad　enough　for　a　clean；　fastidious　man；　but　for　a　young　woman；　a　girl　at　that；　it　was　awful。　　The　theft　of　the　Flibberty…Gibbet　was　merely　amusing；　though　the　means　by　which　the　theft　had　been　effected　gave　him　hurt。　　Yet　he　found　consolation　in　the　fact　that　the　task　of　making　Oleson　drunk　had　been　turned　over　to　the　three　scoundrels。　　And　next；　and　swiftly；　came　the　vision　of　her；　alone　with　those　same　three　scoundrels；　on　the　Emily；　sailing　out　to　sea　from　Guvutu　in　the　twilight　with　darkness　coming　on。　Then　came　visions　of　Adamu　Adam　and　Noa　Noah　and　all　her　brawny　Tahitian　following；　and　his　anxiety　faded　away；　being　replaced　by　irritation　that　she　should　have　been　capable　of　such　wildness　of　conduct。

And　the　irritation　was　still　on　him　as　he　got　up　and　went　inside　to　stare　at　the　hook　on　the　wall　and　to　wish　that　her　Stetson　hat　and　revolver…belt　were　hanging　from　it。



CHAPTER　XVIIIMAKING　THE　BOOKS　COME　TRUE



Several　quiet　weeks　slipped　by。　　Berande；　after　such　an　unusual　run　of　visiting　vessels；　drifted　back　into　her　old　solitude。　　Sheldon　went　on　with　the　daily　round；　clearing　bush；　planting　cocoanuts；　smoking　copra；　building　bridges；　and　riding　about　his　work　on　the　horses　Joan　had　bought。　　News　of　her　he　had　none。　　Recruiting　vessels　on　Malaita　left　the　Poonga…Poonga　coast　severely　alone；　and　the　Clansman；　a　Samoan　recruiter；　dropping　anchor　one　sunset　for　billiards　and　gossip；　reported　rumours　amongst　the　Sio　natives　that　there　had　been　fighting　at　Poonga…Poonga。　　As　this　news　would　have　had　to　travel　right　across　the　big　island；　little　dependence　was　to　be　placed　on　it。

The　steamer　from　Sydney；　the　Kammambo；　broke　the　quietude　of　Berande　for　an　hour；　while　landing　mail；　supplies；　and　the　trees　and　seeds　Joan　had　ordered。　　The　Minerva；　bound　for　Cape　Marsh；　brought　the　two　cows　from　Nogi。　　And　the　Apostle；　hurrying　back　to　Tulagi　to　connect　with　the　Sydney　steamer；　sent　a　boat　ashore　with　the　orange　and　lime　trees　from　Ulava。　　And　these　several　weeks　marked　a　period　of　perfect　weather。　　There　were　days　on　end　when　sleek　calms　ruled　the　breathless　sea；　and　days　when　vagrant　wisps　of　air　fanned　for　several　hours　from　one　direction　or　another。　　The　land…breezes　at　night　alone　proved　regular；　and　it　was　at　night　that　the　occasional　cutters　and　ketches　slipped　by；　too　eager　to　take　advantage　of　the　light　winds　to　drop　anchor　for　an　hour。

Then　came　the　long…expected　nor'wester。　　For　eight　days　it　raged；　lulling　at　times　to　short　durations　of　calm；　then　shifting　a　point　or　two　and　raging　with　renewed　violence。　　Sheldon　kept　a　precautionary　eye　on　the　buildings；　while　the　Balesuna；　in　flood；　so　savagely　attacked　the　high　bank　Joan　had　warned　him　about；　that　he　told　off　all　the　gangs　to　battle　with　the　river。

It　was　in　the　good　weather　that　followed；　that　he　left　the　blacks　at　work；　one　morning；　and　with　a　shot…gun　across　his　pommel　rode　off　after　pigeons。　　Two　hours　later；　one　of　the　house…boys；　breathless　and　scratched　ran　him　down　with　the　news　that　the　Martha；　the　Flibberty…Gibbet；　and　the　Emily　were　heading　in　for　the　anchorage。

Coming　into　the　compound　from　the　rear；　Sheldon　could　see　nothing　until　he　rode　around　the　corner　of　the　bungalow。　　Then　he　saw　everything　at　oncefirst；　a　glimpse　at　the　sea；　where　the　Martha　floated　huge　alongside　the　cutter　and　the　ketch　which　had　rescued　her；　and；　next；　the　ground　in　front　of　the　veranda　steps；　where　a　great　crowd　of　fresh…caught　cannibals　stood　at　attention。　　From　the　fact　that　each　was　attired　in　a　new；　snow…white　lava…lava；　Sheldon　knew　that　they　were　recruits。　　Part　way　up　the　steps；　one　of　them　was　just　backing　down　into　the　crowd；　while　another；　called　out　by　name；　was　coming　up。　　It　was　Joan's　voice　that　had　called　him；　and　Sheldon　reined　in　his　horse　and　watched。　　She　sat　at　the　head　of　the　steps；　behind　a　table；　between　Munster　and　his　white　mate；　the　three　of　them　checking　long　lists；　Joan　asking　the　questions　and　writing　the　answers　in　the　big；　red…covered；　Berande　labour…　journal。

〃What　name？〃　she　demanded　of　the　black　man　on　the　steps。

〃Tagari；〃　came　the　answer；　accompanied　by　a　grin　and　a　rolling　of　curious　eyes；　for　it　was　the　first　white…man's　house　the　black　had　ever　seen。

〃What　place　b'long　you？〃

〃Bangoora。〃

No　one　had　noticed　Sheldon；　and　he　continued　to　sit　his　horse　and　watch。　　There　was　a　discrepancy　between　the　answer　and　the　record　in　the　recruiting　books；　and　a　consequent　discussion；　until　Munster　solved　the　difficulty。

〃Bangoora？〃　he　said。　　〃That's　the　little　beach　at　the　head　of　the　bay　out　of　Latta。　　He's　down　as　a　Latta…mansee；　there　it　is；　'Tagari；　Latta。'〃

〃What　place　you　go　you　finish　along　white　marster？〃　Joan　asked。

〃Bangoora；〃　the　man　replied；　and　Joan　wrote　it　down。

〃Ogu！〃　Joan　called。

The　black　stepped　down；　and　another　mounted　to　take　his　place。　　But　Tagari；　just　before　he　reached　the　bottom　step；　caught　sight　of　Sheldon。　　It　was　the　first　horse　the　fellow　had　ever　seen；　and　he　let　out　a　frightened　screech　and　dashed　madly　up　the　steps。　　At　the　same　moment　the　great　mass　of　blacks　surged　away　panic…stricken　from　Sheldon's　vicinity。　　The　grinning　house…boys　shouted　encouragement　and　explanation；　and　the　stampede　was　checked；　the　new…caught　head…hunters　huddling　closely　together　and　staring　dubiously　at　the　fearful　monster。

〃Hello！〃　Joan　called　out。　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　frightening　all　my　boys？　　Come　on　up。〃

〃What　do　you　think　of　them？〃　she　asked；　when　they　had　shaken　hands。　〃And　what　do　you　think　of　her？〃with　a　wave　of　the　hand　toward　the　Martha。　　〃I　thought　you'd　deserted　the　plantation；　and　that　I　might　as　well　go　ahead　and　get　the　men　into　barracks。　　Aren't　they　beauties？　　Do　you　see　that　one　with　the　split　nose？　　He's　the　only　man　who　doesn't　hail　from　the　Poonga…Poonga　coast；　and　they　said　the　Poonga…Poonga　natives　wouldn't　recruit。　　Just　look　at　them　and　congratulate　me。　　There　are　no　kiddies　and　half…grown　youths　among　them。　　They're　men；　every　last　one　of　them。　　I　have　such　a　long　story　I　don't　know　where　to　begin；　and　I　won't　begin　anyway　till　we're　through　with　this　a