Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-03-09

being kissed by man was, to say the
least, a novelty. Even Legaspe eX-
pressed himself in exaggerated terms
concerning the way in which I had
called the captains hand; and, as no
mention was made Of his supposed
mistake, he was our very humble serv-
ant. Lest other dangers of a similar
nature should threaten it, however,
Dorotea mentioned to her father Hal
stead's assumed intention of buying
the copra at a high figure, on specula-
ton, and suggested the advisability of
placing a guard over it at night. The
colonel's cupidity was aroused, and the
guard was set; but, owing 10 Br'er
Miguel's ghostly influence, the most
he could make his men do was to pa
troll the shore each night in a proa.
As it was likely to be a three-months'
job. the soldiers didn't relish this; but
they had to obey orders.
II was the 9th of May when we came
so near losing the copra. On the third
morning after Halstead was to appear,
if everything had gone right with him;
and as the time approached l became
strangely apprehensive-so much so
that | found it difficult to maintain an
air of careless ease. In fact had ii not
been for Dorotea. | might have be-
trayed my real interest in Guajan
dozen times But with each day that
passed it became more evident that /
had no rival in her heart Sometimes
she would speak with dread of Hal
stead's return, and breathlessly ask
me to promise that / would surely visit
them in Granada the following spring.
Still, July was yet so far away that
my departure seemed only dim pos
sibility to her--a something which she
must not even think about I won
dcred a little what she would say when
She knew. and how the colonel was GO
ing 10 feel
Sebastiano had fully recovered by
this time, and had resumed his inyesti-
cations. Bearing the old fellow really
no i'll Will, one day suggested to him
the possibility that Santa Rosa ~ 81
be eight or ten miles To the eastward
of the charted position; and on the
evening of May S he burst into the
patio. where we were at dinner, with
his oily countenance fairly shining He
had been out in his big proa all day,
and at last had been successful. There
were eNultatiOn, greed, many things,
in the look he cast upon me; but the
man had suffered disappointment and
illness. and the Lord knows | didn't
feel like begrudging him this bit OF
good luck. | listened TO him. con-
graduated him heartily upon his great
discovery. and prophesied great
things for his book. until midnight
child could have seen that ! had no
personal interest in the reef-then l
said goodnight and went upstairs.
stepping quietly along to the door
Of Dorotea's room. I gave a few faint
taps upon it, and in a moment her voice
aSkeC
"Quicn llama?
Soy -Enriquito. Open the door
for "A moment" In second she stood
before me in a loose wrapper that
made her look wonderfully pretty.
"Dorotea, querida. I'm going for a
long sail before daylight. win You
come with me- about halfpast three -
The request would have been severe
test of any woman's love, but. with her
arms upon my shoulders. She whis-
pered:
II viii go anywhere az any time.
with you. Enriquito milo"
So. while the stiffness was unbrobeu
save for the rustling banana leaves. we
stole away 10 the beach and put 20 sea
in the proa; il was to be for the last
time. l wanted 10 remove my friend
Br'er Miguel in time TO pre.ent COM
plications next day; SO, gliding along
in the wake of the guard-boat until
II almost reached the head of the bay.
I landed and hastily dug the figure
from its concealment among the bags
Wrapping . piece If mating about
the thing, SO as not 10 frighten Doro-
tea. / luggcd il along TO where she sat
waiting Tor me. She had heard all
about Br'cr Miguel as we came along,
and. though frightened al my temeri-
ty-to call il by no stronger name
her sense Of humor afterward got the
better al her fear,. Having decided
that our waxen companion could hnd
no better final resting place than the