Yet he had punished only the chief of those who had been in
actual rebellion, and had repressed the violent punishments of the
earlier part of the conflict. He had forbidden any one to be burned
alive, and had ordered that no one should be executed without his first
judging--with the consent of the governor!--the facts of the case.
Dyck had built up for himself a reputation as no one in all the history
of the island had been able to do. He commanded by more than official
authority--by personality and achievement. There was no one in the
island but knew they had been saved by his prudence, foresight and skill.
It was to their minds stupendous and romantic. Fortunately they showed
no strong feeling against Lord Mallow. By placing King's House at
disposal as a hospital, and by gifts of food and money to wives and
children of soldiers and civilians, the governor had a little eradicated
his record of neglect.
Lord Mallow had a way with him when he chose to use it. He was not
without the gift for popularity, and he saw now that he could best attain
it by treating Dyck Calhoun well. He saw troops come and go, he listened
to grievances, he corrected abuses, he devised a scheme for nursing, he
planned security for the future, he gave permission for buccaneer trading
with the United States, he had by legislative order given the Creoles a
better place in the civic organism.
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