The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-10-08

nalod n common message eye 20 eye No
word passed, but the message was IVAN
Trccl" When we had glanced at one an.
other, we looked all Of US at our host
looked somewhat guiltily. lie was deep
In thought, his eyes on the stove, but he
seemed 10 feel our gaze upon him, and he
looked up abruptly. Master Van Tree
he said and stopped.
You know him wellf" the duchess
said appealing 10 him softly. We felt a
Kind OF sorrow for him and some dolioacy,
too, about accusing one of his countrymen
Of a thing 50 cowardly. do you think
II Is possible" she continued, with an
effort possible that he can have done
this, Master Lindstromi"
II have known him from n boy" the
merchant said, looking mp, a hand ON
either knee and speaking with simple
ity almost majestic, and never knew him
do a mean thing, madam. l know no
more than that" And he looked round
| ON us.
THAT is a good deal. still he went of
In a flt Of jealousy when Master Carey
brought Dymphna home. We must re-
member that"
Yes, l would he knew the rights of
that matter, said the Dutohman heartily.
And he has been hanging about the
place all day." my lady persisted.
YES" Master Lindstrom rejoined pa
tiently, yet do not think he did this"
Then who did, she said, somewhat
nettled.
That was the question. had my opin-
ion, as l saw Master BERTHE and the duch-
ess had. / did not doubt IL was Van Tree,
yet a thought struck me 1T might be
well, " suggested, that some one should
ask Mistress Anne whether the door was
open when she left the room. She passed
out just in front OF me-"
But she does not go by the door," my
lady objected.
mo; she would turn at once and go up
stairs" l agreed. But she could see the
door from the foot of the stairs-if she
looked that way, mean."
The duchess assented and went out Of
the room to put the question. We three,
left together, sat staring at the dull fame
Of the lamp and were for the most part ST.
lent, Master BERTHE only remarking that 1t
was after midnight. The suspicion he and
l entertained Of Van Trees guilt seemed
to raise barrier between us and our host.
My wound, slight as 1t was, smarted and
burned, and my head aohed. After mid
night, was itf What day 1t had beani
When the duchess came back, as she did
In few minutes, both Anne and Dymph.
ma came with her. The girls had risen
hastily and were shivering with cold and
alarm. Their eyes were bright, their man
ner was excited. They were full Of sympa-
thy and horror and wonder, as was nat
ural, OF nervous fear for themselves too
But my lady cut short their ordinations
Anne says she did not notice the door, "
she said
No." the girl answered, trembling WIS.,
IDLY as she spoke. Il went up straig hit to
bed. But who could 1t hey Did you see
nothing of him as he struck your Not a
featured Not an outlineS"
No" murmured.
did he not say wordf" she continued,
with strange insistence "was he tall or
shortf'' Her dark eyes, dwelling on mine
seemed to probe my thoughts, as though
they challenged me TO Keep anything Uack
from her. WAS 1t the man you hurt
this morning." she suggested.
NO." L. answered reluctantly. "Tbis
man was short"
short, was her Was 1t Master Van
Tree, them"
We, who felt also certain that 1t was
Van Tree, started nevertheless at hearing
the charge put into words before Dymphna
wondered, and l think the others did,
too, at Mistress Anne's harshness Even
my lady, SO blunt and outspoken by ma.
ture, had shrnnk from trying to question
the Dutch girl about her lover. We looked
at Dymphna, wondering how she would
take 1t.
We had forgotten that she could not
understand English. But this did not
serve her, for without pause Mistress
Anne turned to her and upfalteringly
said something in her scanty Dutch which
came to the same thing. word or two
OF questioning and explanation followed
Then the meaning of the accusation
dawned at last on Dymphna's mind. 1
looked for an outburst of tears or protes-
tations. Instead, with glance of wonder
and great scorn, with single indignant
widening of her beautiful eyes, she replied
by curt Dutch sentence.
What does she sayi" my lady ex-
claimed eagerly.
"She says" replied Master Lindstrom,
who was looking on gravely, that it is a
base lie, madam"
On that We became spectators. 1t
seemed to me, and / think to all of us,
that the two girls stood apart from us In
circle of light by themselves, confront
ing one another with sharp glances, as
though a curtain had been raised from
between them, and they saw one another
In their true colors and recognized some
natural antagonism or 1t might be some
rivalry each In the other. 1 think l was
not peculiar In feeling this for we all kept
silence for space, as though expecting
something to follow. In the middle of this
silence there came low rapping at the
door.
One uttered faint shrek; another stood
as II turned to stone. The duchess cried
for her child. The rest Of us looked at one
another. Midnight was past. Who could
be abroad, who could want us at this
hourf AS rule, We should have been In
bed ana asleep long ago. We had no
heighDors save the cotters on the far side
OF the island. We knew of no one likely
to arrive at this time with any good In
tent.
II will open" said Master Lindstrom,
but he looked doubtfully at the women
folk as he said It,
"One minute" whispered the duchess.
THAT table is solid and heavy. Could you
not
Put 1t across the doorf' concluded her |
husband. Yes we WILL" And 1t was |
done at once, the two men-my lady |
would hot let me help--so arranging It |
that 1t prevented the door being opened to |
its full width.
THAT will stop a rush, said Master |
BERTHE, with satisfaction.
1t did strengthen the position, yet It |
was nervous moment when our host pre- |
pared to lower the bar "Who is therei"
he cried loudly
We waited, listening and looking at
one another, the fear Of arrest and the |
horrors Of the inquisition looming large In
the minds Of some of us at least The an.
swer, when 1t came, did not reassure US
&zs k5i4I;.,fyezs