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
dollars--more 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
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.
Pages:
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106