1957-08-31 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 1957.

..HOW CAN THE PRICE BE PAID WITHOUT MORE BLOODSHED?

Did

on a

a demon pounce fugitive in the moonlight?

SO THEY SAID AFTERWARDS

[5

-BUT THE INTERPRETER

GAVE ME A SLY GRIN...

WAH

that, strike or no w new draft of recruits strike, 1 way ns grieved as they from Hongkong that omiteu were at the death of their to bring with "It an inßuenza friend, because I felt that my form of peculiar malignance. negligence had indirvelly led to

1. Though couldn't as hond

When the newcomers landed

never

of the Government, do as they the order of events demanded. I could at least make varied. Almost at once the entire population of Gülbertese

a private rlet-offering of a

the fireworks. they thought labourery would disappear into necesary for a happy funeral,

If they would allow me to do

по

I did know how

mitch they valued fire-crackers 25 burials; but the idea of bribing them back to work with such an offer Was so for fan my mind that I got up le leave as soon as tho interpreter hud nished talking.

I wasn't surprised when the whole crowd sprung up, with renewed clamsir. They were evidently yelling their contempt of me and my crackers, "No wonder?" Ihought, sick at heart. "I must have sounded pretty cheap to them,"

The mob races

down the hill

hospital.

A week or so later, the British Phosphate Commisalentr', seff 50-odd Europeans would succumb en masse with their wives and families,

a

A matter of

dignity

THE 1,100 Ocean Islanders in

their beautiful villages would follow. Last of all, when everyone elsc had forgotten what it felt like to be ill, came the turn of the wretched tile government staff.

And infallibly, at this point, the manger of the phosphate congera would decide to cele

completo return to ket 11 with grand dinner-

brate his

HAD truth on my heet to Barty, get out when a bunch of them, headed by Peter the Painter, surped forward through the houting mob. It looker like instal trouble. "What now?" I asked the Interpreter. furning back to sland

ray ground in shally as you like to Imagine.

In the same second, Peter the Pointer stopped ten feet

sho of me, serfamed a few words through the din with his arm raised high as if to strike, then suddenly swerved left and led the whole 700 of them, except for two men, at a gallop down the hillside.

So things fell out about three wwelts icture Reggie was. due to return from leave. The nunnger's invitation came and was accepted at u moment when my wife Dilvia and I were the oily

representatives of his Majesty's local dignity stlt able to get up and sland on it. But was down with the usual fever by the date of the party Oliviu

and very like dengue); nobody else bone-nehe (the thing was

his feet: and I was on the station was yet back on obviously sickening for a nice little go of

my own.

My temperature was over 100. and I shouldn't have thought twice about calling The Ixture urder ordinary conditions The But I felt that Reggie, himself paused a model of omcial courtesy. before leaving to tell you your night well be annoyed if he fece is the looking-glass," he heard that not even the mar explained when he could acting for him hat? made an

Lange to speak.

fort to aliend

The interpreter turned to me In a convulsion of high-pitched, off expresslnless sniggers. organising committee

I had expected some sort of

Olivia told me from her bed

leaped from behind the rock.

he gave a high-pitched scroom and fled,

threw and trying to strike the bad weather-a rain-stopper, I

and desired with fearful plead some attitude, and falling and believe I was calledwas nailed ings to be locked up again."

I strongly hoped he would let falling again, and laughing anew to the floor across the entrance. each time for the exquisite fun It Jud never

It go at that, but he went on been known to "He deposed of being myself and not

to the effect that delay by an instant the Booding flickering, futlle shadow,

誓

Brimming

at last, oh well, if I lnd to be "And ally and official about 1 had THE better fortify myself with a drop

over

กรุ

insult, but definitely not this of pain rot to be an idiot, but with affection contemp.uous commeil on my I was set on going; so she sald looks topped off with his shane- Jess, open amusement, you dare to stand there giggling While the march off to play hell in the set lement!" I began. "Why you.”

thing I really remember rightly is

don't my

of the room in westerly squalls, an insane while man with the but there it lurked, waiting for face of a devil pursued him feet like mine to find it. Olivia through the bush with obvious woke with a shriek as all my intent to maim or murder," bones hit the floor together.

como 'ome,"

I

"Why, The dirly lar!" I comforted her bravely from began indignantly, but his the dark: "Istaliri", my dear, smooth volce continued as if I Essal', iss on'y ol Grumbo hadn't spoken, ".. after due consideration, Sergeant major Taitusi and I are of the opioidn a while man

·Reassured, she sank into sleep that it was not again.

But to me, as I lay whom he saw, but one of the gathering my forces, there came dangerous rock demons who are overwhelming need to brush my hair. I rolled over on my back, groped upwards with one hand from where I lay, found the I knew, Of course, that he brush, jerked the runner of tho could be up to no good. Though dressing table and brought its expound fences were forbidden, crockery crashing in ruin about the Chinese and Gilberlese my head, inside their respective bounds inbourers were supposed to stay

of the right stuff for a start and motive for popping behind that I can't think why--a sudden, go on keeping up my strength retk who I saw the little with whatever I could lay my Chinese gure ereeping round a hards qu 45 the evening bad of the bush frack ahead.

But he let me go no further, proceeded. "Excuse....excuse! No hell whatever in settlement, My A couple of whiskies before I giggles the laughter of congra- left more than justified the first Kulution. 'Looking-ginsa tace part of her advice. Their effect

high expression of "Chinese on me was all the more bracing esteem. Courteous Kift of I suppose, because at that age

Olivia woke with another crackers-money l grneiously hardly ever touched spirits, They after dark. But I must admit I thrick. There was a distinct accepted; these two men are sent me off humming gay ito.Wasn't troubling much about touch of temper in it this time. wailing to

teceive same from Junes along the lonely way to that kind of thing just then. I "Are you by any chance tighi" your hands."

was simply brimming over with the asked me, rather cruelly 1 human ailection, and I thought thought: They returned to

they be was too. same day. Ture was not insother anti-pollee strike on Ocean Istend while Peter the I inter retained there,

the manager's house.

Another helpful thing work the

From strikes to parties and their con- sequences.

Spirited -Encounter.

WHEN the average Gilbertesn

Asianter of 30 years ago

keep him put

#LT

Why, after all, did (for that evening at least) probe deeper than thas for was to break down the quensy motive? dislike I hud for dry and that grossly

"You funny ol, naughty ot, poor ol boy! I crooned towards

murtinis

overratext

I woke up the next morning without a unce of fever and treo of the smallest sympton of! hangover. The moral of

this

is that you can get a lot of good out of the ercature your limits are us moderate as mino

beverage, champagne. Two or

or in s he came sneaking nearci. three of the former before "Caught the act! But nem- dinner put me Into fine shape mind. Iss on'y good ol' Grumble" were; and that is the proper for a methodical attack on the And to convince him beyond all climax of the story, but not the lutter as soon as the. excellent reasonable doubt. of my pleasure end of the record.

herry they gave us had been at this meeting, I leaped ous faithfully dealt with. Some from behind the superb brandy when the ladies whoopee after glad whoopee of retired and I forget how many friendship, and, arms flung high, Seatches for the road at about rushed forward to embraco him 10.30 set me on my homeward there a that moonlit pathway. path. if no! in fact entirely cured

rock with The flicker of

an eyelid

least too free from care to give graciousness of his response. He 00 as

♪ hool not,

4

יי

•

of my temperature, at 1 shall ever forget the w S

I was dressed I

whether I had

went down to the police ond er stopped in his tracks; his hands barracks for a talk with:,the new up, clawing at his checks, Chinese Interpreter and Cline b while nway a Lew

Ser- bis mouth foll ope; he screamed geant-mojór Taltusi. These illicit months in prison, his main iden I reradmber, still the chaste

chattering, as a rule was to settle down to clarity, the shining happi- acream when I was almost on top locations must be

high-pitched excursions of coolles, from their

· 17 lovely, long, well-fed rest 1155 of any impressions as of him, then turned and hurled told them severely, after giving stopped, I from the grim fask of food-ated home through the mocn- umsets back along the way ho gelling for his family. No such gut. I remember how the block ind come.

a rather modified rendering of Iraulls to his Intelligence

and sliver, trees, and the great

my adventure. turbed wire were needed to amethyst cloud galleons, and the The disappointment of 11 There was a faint wraile on the

darling honeysuckle stara be knocked, all the sparkle out interpreter's face that I didn' tween them, and the pale green of me, I had no heart for much ke. Sir" he asked in Thus, the less home-loving oneath my feet seemed to mur want my friendship. I sent a sible that the evil fellow

Ricks and stones that rolled chasing anyone who did not his punctilious style, "is it pos Chinese could, and did, escape mur 110m confinement

und ripple. practically End tinklo all together

and twinkle, single wistful howl of farewell escaped from your detaining whenever they d

in an speeding in hla wako and hand last night was identical ecainay of being that song in trudged the rest of the perfect unison with my own ne home. in melancholy silence,

way with the no-good convicted felon will see, have a strong cornee I climbed the craggy hillside, The double doors of our bed- coll at 10:44 and sought by us fourd mkalig from his priman room were wide open to the In vain until 10.507. remember dancing like à verandah when I reaches the faun out on a gangplank over a residency, and I should chally soft, raving that scared me silly have got to bed without disturb. I replied irritably. "And while "How should I know,mant" when sober.

ing my poor sick wife but for wore on it, why the deuce did

But although this did, as you

tion with my behaviour coming I home from the manager's party. It wasn't the thing that actually drove me to drink while zeling for Reggie McClure.

on the

I remember stopping You might say that a microbe other side to stand and gate by imported by Chinco labourers a twisted rock, Iughing for.de. was mainly to blame. Inovar light at the queer shadow i

who

an architect's.illy protkul you give up looking for him at

A ballon of wood for the out-Because at that time," pre elda doors to clone against in clacly, sir, bo ratumed 407

known to infest this island. There is A certain similar- Ity... *

Did his wicked old cyelid flicker at me or not? 1 have never been sure. But I agreed with him bezrtily and suggested that, as the poor fellow hnd had such a fright we might with decency forbear to pursue the little matter of his temporary cscape any further,

That would indeed seem very just and proper," he "answered urbanoly. So the matter ended there.

CONCLUDED

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