The Pearls of Torres by Louis Esson, Adventure, July 18, 1918, Art: unsigned Read online

  Adventure, July 18, 1918

  HEN Ted Jarrett, of New York City, and disappeared. When a crowd gathered drifted into the picturesque pearling

  ’round the dead body of the Malay, Rod was W village by Torres Straits, the quietly smoking a cigar.

  monotony of life had just been relieved by a

  “It was his own fault,” he said

  little shooting affair. The chief actor was Leon indifferently.

  Rod, a jewel-buyer, who traveled between Ted Jarrett entered the little shanty, a Thursday Island and the scattered villages on wooden building, with a galvanized iron the coast, engaging divers, arranging outfits roof, known by the grandiloquent title of the and occasionally buying pearls. He had Cape York Hotel, just in time to pick up the engaged two Malays, Muda and Tuah, as tag end of the story. Rod, who was angry at divers for one of the big fleet owners; but when losing his commission, declared that the they had signed the contract, and each received Malays had run amok. Muda had not been ten pounds in advance, they formed the plan to seen since. He might have been in hiding, slip away to the Aroe Islands, in Dutch waters, meditating revenge, or perhaps he had that had not been fished so much as Torres slipped away to the Aroe Islands after all.

  Strait.

  The American ordered drinks for the This simple scheme miscarried, because crowd. The girl serving behind the bar was a one night the Malays got so gloriously drunk French girl from San Francisco, and Ted and talkative, that they let out their secret.

  wondered how she came to be there in such

  “Big” Bailey; the police constable, arrested the strange surroundings, for there is no more culprits, and locked them up in the ramshackle cosmopolitan crowd on earth than the jail. The Malays promptly escaped, and went to pearlers of Torres Straits.

  interview Rod, who was smoking a cigar on the A smiling Chinese handed ’round the hotel veranda. In the midst of their vociferous drinks.

  explanations, Rod suddenly drew a revolver

  “Good luck!” cried the pearlers, and fired. Tuah fell, shot through the heart, and draining their glasses.

  Muda, with a scream, dashed down the street

  “Good luck!” said Jarrett.

  Adventure

  2

  In the bar-room were many races of given him no definite promise. She would white men, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, Russians, never marry a poor man, for it needed and different varieties of Southern Europeans; money, and plenty of money, to give her the while in the streets could be found Chinese, only life she cared about, the gay and Japanese, Indian Mohammedans, Singhalese, brilliant life of New York society. If he Malays, Kanakas, Filipinos, Australian blacks, failed there was no more to be said; and if he and various nondescripts, white, brown, black, succeeded, well, he might take his chance yellow, and every shade between.

  with the rest of her admirers.

  Pearling is a fascinating pursuit, and Next day Ted put his affairs in order, draws adventurers from the ends of the earth.

  and with a steamer ticket and a few thousand It had drawn Ted Jarrett from a

  dollars in his pocket, caught the train for lawyer’s office in New York City, and cast him Frisco, where he meant to set out to seek his into the Outer Spaces. Ted was twenty-five fortune in the islands of the South.

  years old, and already had been twice ’round For some months he knocked ’round the world; but each time, on his return, his the islands, making little more money than father gave him good sensible advice, and sent he spent, but enjoying life in his usual light-him back to the heavy law books which he hearted way; but one night at Suva, in the detested. Ted knew he would never cut much club, he met a man who told him of the of a figure in the legal profession, so on his pearling at Torres Straits, and his father’s death, three years before, he imagination was so kindled that he caught abandoned office work, and spent most of the the next boat for Sydney, and from there little fortune he had inherited in a trade went north, past the Great Barrier Reef, to enterprise in Mexico. But his heart was not in Thursday Island. A few days later he went the business, and he sold out at a loss.

  over to the mainland, determined to fit out a Ted was a big strong, athletic young lugger and reap a rich harvest of pearls.

  man, well educated and full of energy; but too In the Cape York Hotel there was good-natured to be a lawyer, and too easy much talk of sudden strokes of fortune, good going to make a successful merchant. So far he and evil, of thieving divers, of the fatuity of had failed in everything; and Evelyn Ward, a politicians, and of the sin, sweat, and sorrow young society beauty with whom he thought he of that particular torrid township.

  was in love, told him, one Summer’s evening, The conversation like the crowd, was after dinner at a stylish Broadway restaurant, mixed; but Jarrett soon got his bearings. He that, unless he turned over a new leaf, and learned that, on an average, the shell was as made a success of something, his attentions profitable as the pearls; but every man who would be no longer welcome.

  went out in a lugger clung to the hope that Ted’s face took on a sterner outline.

  some unusually fine pearls would fall to his

  “I suppose you think I’m a failure?” he lot. It was always the pearl that might be, said.

  not the shell that was, that attracted The girl shrugged her shoulders.

  adventurous fleet-owners.

  “What else can I think? One can’t live A Dutchman, from Java, and an

  on romantic dreams.”

  Italian had a heated argument about the

  “I was foolish enough to think that we respective merits of the Aroe Islands and could,” Ted replied, with a dry laugh.

  Torres Straits. A good case was made for When they finally parted that night, Ted both sides; but an old Queensland pearler had already made his plans, though Evelyn had maintained that the Torres shell was the best

  The Pearl of Torres 3

  in the world.

  constable, “having a crack at Rod.”

  “That will do for me, then,” said Jarrett.

  There was a scene of disorder.

  “But it’s harder to find,” remarked the Suzette was forgotten. The pearlers ran in jewel-buyer.

  different directions, but there was no sign of

  “All the more fun,” replied the young the Malay. Muda had escaped again.

  American.

  Li, the stolid Chinese “boy” kept THE lugger was drifting across the glittering carrying ’round the drinks.

  Straits.

  The girl behind the bar, who was called Ted Jarrett was now a full-blown Suzette, seemed to Ted much too delicate a pearler. It was a day of perfect beauty, and picture for such a rough-set frame. She had an the thrill of the tropics fired his blood.

  expressive face, a clear skin tinted a delicate Pearling, he thought, was a splendid game.

  olive by the sun, eyes soft and brown, but with His money had gone, but what of that? A a merry laugh in them, and a great mass of good haul of shell would pay all expenses, blue-black hair. Her figure was slight and and the pearls he found would be clear graceful; and Ted could not help noticing the profit.

  good taste of her dress, a simple frock of some He had leased the foreshore from a dark, semi-transparent material, suitable for the more or less paternal Government, and used tropics, but with a touch of coquetry in its the site for his own shack, a shell shed, and a scarlet belt that matched the red flower in her place for overhauling his boats.

  hair.

  Ted felt rather pleased with himself.


  Leon Rod, a handsome middle-aged But what would Evelyn think, he wondered, man of unknown nationality—he might have if she saw him in such a place, and in such a been anything, for he had traveled the world, costume. It would be difficult to turn him and spoke several languages fluently—sat at a into a society man again. He loved little table sipping a liqueur. He raised his glass adventure, untamed lands, tropic seas, to Suzette.

  strange people, and the big, vague dreams of

  “A tes beaux veux!”

  the wanderer. Had he the soul of a beach-Suzette wrinkled her dainty little nose.

  comber, after all?

  Rod walked over to the bar, caught her This, he had to admit, was the life wrist, and whispered something in French.

  that suited him, and though his financial Suzette’s cheeks blazed with shame and position was not exactly rosy, he was in indignation. Rod laughed, and bent over to kiss excellent health and spirits. His lugger was her, when Ted Jarrett grabbed him by the not yet fully paid up, and he was depending shoulders, wheeled him ’round, and then on a haul to clear himself; but he was a born pushed him violently to the door. Rod was a adventurer, undaunted by circumstances, heavy and powerful man, but he was taken by and buoyed up by the hopes of youth.

  surprise by the American’s quickness and Ted reveled in the pearling. His dexterity.

  lugger, fitted up with a dingey, pump, and The crowd laughed at the little incident; diving-gear, had a small but resourceful but as Leon Rod stumbled out of the door on to crew. He was proud of Utimaro, a little Jap, the veranda, a revolver shot passed just over who was one of the most daring divers of his shoulder and buried itself in the wall. There Torres Straits. Though slightly built, was a rush to the door.

  Utimaro was strong and sinewy, and there

  “It was Muda,” cried Big Bailey, the was no question of his skill and courage. He

  Adventure

  4

  was absolutely cold-blooded, and if the There is a law against diving below a prospects were good, there was no risk he certain depth; but Utimaro had never been would refuse to take. He was a silent little man, known to refuse before. His obvious more respected than loved by the rest of the intention was to pay Jarrett back for crew. Why he had offered him his services at a discovering his tampering with the shells.

  moderate wage was a mystery to Jarrett.

  “This is your last chance, Utimaro. If Besides Utimaro there was another Jap, you quit now, you’ll have to find another Sato, the “tender,” whose job it was to answer job,” But the Jap would not dive.

  the diver’s signals, and keep the pipes and The shell was so good, that Ted

  ropes free while he was under water. Malays Jarrett determined on going down himself.

  kept the pumps going, and the fifth man, a He had full confidence in his crew, and Levantine Greek, who was no diver, acted as knew the Malays would keep an eye on cook and general handy man.

  Utimaro. When he got into the dress, and the The divers had struck a good patch of heavy helmet was screwed on, he felt far shell. Utimaro returned from the bottom of the from comfortable. His ears buzzed; then he sea with his bag filled, and sat for a moment heard a loud bang, caused by the enjoying the fresh breeze. One of the Malays compressed air striking his ear-drums. But then stepped into the diving-dress and was Ted who had no thought of consequences lowered down.

  was going to see it through. He stepped Ted had admired the diving of Utimaro, down the ladder attached to the side of the and his eyes still followed the little man, who boat, and then cast himself off. He went went aft to the pile of shells. He noticed the Jap down to the bottom by the plumper which, had a piece of wire which he slipped away along with the life-line, was held by the quickly as Ted crossed over.

  silent Japanese tender.

  “What’s that, Utimaro?”

  When he reached the floor of the The Jap looked up with a scowl.

  ocean, Ted was dazzled by the enchantment

  “What’s

  the

  game?”

  of the scene, that looked as beautiful and The Jap did not reply.

  unreal as a fairy palace. He saw the most Ted looked at the shells, and found that exquisite shells, of every shape and color, some had been stacked on edge in the sun, so trees made out of coral, delicate fishes that the oyster would open easily, and allow a flashing among the marine growths, curious big pearl to be fished for with a piece of wire.

  flowers and ferns of the sea. But he had no This was a favorite device with the colored time to indulge his sense of wonder. He kept divers, who have a good eye for an oyster his eyes fixed on one object only—shell.

  likely to contain a pearl.

  Overhead

  the

  lugger drifted,

  “That’ll do, Utimaro,” said Ted, “I’ll dragging him on, and quickly he gathered open the rest myself.”

  the large oysters, and dropped them into his Now he knew why Utimaro had been so bag. Utimaro was right, they had certainly willing to work for him. Ted was a new man at struck a patch. Ted filled his bag, gave the the game.

  signal to be hauled up, and rose quickly to

  “Utimaro!” called one of the Malays.

  the surface. Sato unscrewed the helmet; and It was again the Jap’s turn to dive.

  Ted sat down exhausted, eagerly-filling his Utimaro looked over the ship’s side.

  lungs with the fresh air. Utimaro did not

  “Too deep,” he muttered at last, “it is speak; but the Malays grinned, for the young not the law.”

  American’s grit had impressed them.

  The Pearl of Torres 5

  Ted gave the word to return home, lay perfectly round, with a smooth skin and back exhausted on the deck, and lit his pipe.

  delicate iridescent luster. Ted could hardly The lugger danced over the waves.

  believe his eyes, for never before had he It was a day for dreams. In the drowsy seen anything like it. There was no pearl to tropic afternoon the scene was a picture of match it in the gem-shops of Thursday delight, with the burning blue of the sea and Island. What was the worth of that little sky, the red beach at the foot of the cliffs, and sphere of nacre? Ted examined it carefully.

  the white roofs of the houses peeping: amid the Who could say? A fine pearl is like a fine vivid green foliage of the coconut, poinciana, picture, it is something unique, beyond and the palm trees. The air was warm, but a price, it becomes a matter of fancy, of light breeze blew across the sea.

  artistic taste. Well, if it were sold for twenty, Ted sat up. For some weeks luck had twenty-five, thirty thousand dollars, Ted gone against him. There was not a pearl in thought it would be cheap.

  every shell, Ted soon discovered, nor in every But he had no intention of selling hundred shells. It was a gamble, but the lure this pearl. He had worked for it, he had was irresistible. Now he had discovered crossed the world to find it, he had dived for Utimaro’s trick, his prospects seemed brighter.

  it himself, and he felt proud of his efforts.

  At any moment a man might make a fortune.

  Utimaro stood unobserved behind

  With a flat, thin-bladed knife, he started him.

  on the shells he had just dived for himself. The When Ted looked up the Jap was

  opening of eveiy oyster was an exciting pointing to the little jetty the lugger was experiment.

  approaching.

  Quickly he opened shell after shell,

  “At last,” Ted reflected, “I have putting any gems he found into a little tin box.

  something to show, a perfect pearl, a queen He had suffered many disappointments. At first of gems, worthy to hang as a pendant on the he thought that every oyster contained a pearl white throat of a New York beauty.”

  of some kind, and he mistook every bright The lugger touched the jetty.

  bubble for one. Often he thought it was real till Ted hid the pearl in his belt.

  the knife proved his
error—the bubble burst.

  The little box was half-filled with NEXT evening as the moon was rising, Ted pearls, mostly baroques, ill-shaped gems of Jarrett stepped out of his shack, and ran comparatively small value, yet serving to down the beach for a swim.

  encourage the hope that the rare pearl, Evelyn’s He told nobody of the precious pearl pearl, might yet be found.

  he had found, and he thought nobody knew.

  As he opened shell after shell, finding Before going down to the sea, he looked only a bubble or a baroque, he would just carefully ’round the shack, and slipped the curse, and tackle another pile.

  little leather bag, containing the pearl, into a

  “Better luck next time,” he would say.

  hole in the wall.

  As the lugger was nearing the shore, he picked As he was enjoying his swim, Sato, up a big oyster, inserted his knife at the “lip” of the Japanese tender approached, and, when the shell, and cut through the strong central Ted came out of the water, handed him a muscle that bound the flat and round sides note. It came from New York, and he together. His knife touched something that recognized Evelyn’s handwriting.

  made his heart jump with excitement.

  As he hastily dressed he was

  It was a beautiful pearl. It was big, surprised to find how slightly moved he was.

  Adventure

  6

  New York, was very far away, and somehow genuine courtesy, seemed to take no special the lights of Broadway were less alluring than notice of him. After the incident with Rod, the moonlight on the lonely sea.

  he felt rather shy in her presence, keeping He tore open the letter, glanced at it somewhat aloof, with a chivalrous care not hastily, and was about to return when Sato, to presume on her gratitude.