The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-02-14


Now, gentlemen, you will not think
mo very soft sort Of coon, | hope,
when | say the nearer got to the little
village with the small white church in
the midst-the village TO which Cate
rina's fathers chalet belonged-the less
resentment felt for the old mans past
murdcrOus attempt upon my life. | car
ried a scar or two as the result Of that
knock and that horrible tip over the
cliff hut | was more affected by tho
thought of seeing Caterina again And,
sure enough, | soon saw her
The man was toying with an AK upon
a pine log in front Of the house. | saw
his tecth glcam at me while ! was ye5
some little distance away. You see,
had made myself into a middle aged
person of great respectability and ap-
parent wealth, a German botanist or
goologist or something Of that kind
flattered myself | should prove an ire,
sistible bait
And so | did
MY friend, inquired of him he
fore he had the chance to speak. lis
there not a short cut to Berisal from
here?''
"Yes, sir, " he replied promptly. Il
shall take the liberty of showing it to
you.
bad changed my voice as well as
my appearance. 1t seemed to me un-
likely in the extreme that Caterina
could recognize me, and yet ere the man
could get his coat and take his stick,
villainous sort of club, who should look
out but Caterina herself
tell you, gentlemen, | was near Civ
ing mp my little plan Of revenge at sight
of her or at least Of compromising it
then and there. She was the same Ca
terina with difTcrence-there was
more sadness in her than before. And
when she cried, Father, do not 60, >"
this time also it eXacted all my self
control to help me to dissemble.
We began our climb. When we
reached the old mule track, / declined
to go first. We had a little wrestle in
/ politeness, as it appeared, but l won the
day.
My gentleman stopped nearly at the
very spot which had seen my misadven-
ture and turned upon me, with plea
Of fatigue. 1t was just here, too, that
designed giving him his punishment
"Yes, we will rest, | said And
then in my natural voice, as | covered
him with a revolver and held out with
the other hand the bracelets had bought
for the purpose, bade him slip his
wrists into the things.
/ | could have enjoyed the rascal's dis
comforture if he had been any ones IA
| ther except Caterina's. As it was, l
had to keep my wits about me, When
he had got over the first shock at the
sight Of me (and it was genuine shock
to HIM, he was clearly bent on trying
to get me over the precipice a second
time.
But did not allow him the smallest
opening ON that score. | had him hand
cuffed and then set him to return before
me to the chalet His cloak gave him
cover for his shame in case we should
meet any other travellers
There was some fine drama in the
sceno1 that ensued when had thus
brought him back to his domestic hearth.
Look, girlr' he cried to his daugh-
ter, raising his manacled hands when
we were inside the house.
As for me, l could only add, 1T is
/ l, " and | blushed as l spoke.
Caterina seemed for n moment thun-
derstruck. l might, if l had not been
in love, have expected joint attack,
in which should assurodly have been
annihilated, But had not misread her
interest in me. There was more joy in
her face eventually at the realization
that | lived than there was sorrow at
her fathers predicament,
Watching her, forgot her father and
cared nothing for the vengeance | had
craved. | was, as had believed, pas
sionately in love.
Well, gentlemen. it only remains for
me to tell you that | married this vii
lain's daughter, and that | have never
regretted it. If criminal instincts are
hereditary, as our wise men nowadays
tell US they are, there must be eXcep-
tions My wife has been success, and
my children do not promise to be ex-
traordinarily bad in character,
The young listeners to this story SEEM
ed surprised at its Issue.
"But, sir, p" said one of them, "what
in goodness did you do with your IA
ther- in. law?'
II arranged for his emigration to
America
"Not North America, do hope.
"Oh, dear, no-South. Million.