The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1899-07-07


sharing the captains quarters, also
the fact of our being the only Amer
icanos on board. evidently led him to
favor US with a closer observation
than if we had been his own country
men. Your Spanish priest is the most
companionable and interesting man in
the world when he wishes to be, and
Padre Sebastiano was no exception to
the rule. Having overcome my repug-
nance to him for obvious reasons,
found myself rather liking the man.
He spoke SO frankly upon even church
matters that l began to consider him
harmless, and fancied my first impress
sion mistake
Halstead was too reasonable a man
to claim more than a fair share of the
senorita's society, much as he liked
her; SO, as Don Silvestre retired to the
smoking-room after dinner for tobac-
CO and cards, took her aft, where we
could watch the phosphorescent foam
from the screw and talk without being
overheard; for I saw she had some
thing to say.
She had oeen listening attentively to
my conversation with the padre. and
had been trying to recall sundry
scraps of talk which she had overheard
between him and his Jesuit compan-
ion; but before mentioning them she
questioned me in regard to my pro-
posed movements after leaving the
steamer.
81 heard you the padre tell. Senior
Enrique" she SAID. "that you were this
voyage merely taking as siesta from
your affairs. and too many Of los
Ame1icanos have seen to believe they
do rest very long. They do work. work.
work like slaves, all of the time. And
when they get rich-oh. so very rich
still they do work, and no siesta take.
Yet the Senior Enrique does one take
which will last a month surely, with
his very good friend el captain; and
when he on land goes at ell Qua jan, it
will three months be-such long. long
months-before be will again see ell
vapor in which he may return. Now,
un Americana. the senior will not
rest for all these long months: not sol
What, then. will he do in ell Guajan.
where one never works? Make love
perhaps to la senorita whom he
never has seen? But even that work
is not. How"
"One moment. senor.ta; why should
you think have any intention of
staying in Guajan?"
"Ok, but it SO simple isl Amigo milo"
(here she laid her pretty fingers on my
arm). "los Americanos generosos are:
it so kind was of you to think of la
pobrecita'x dresses. doubt not that
even such un hombre could not resist
at the least seeing la senorita when she
does wear them. And she will not the m
wear before the steamer shall 60
away, do you not see? Ell Captain Dix
did for her feel, a so, but it was not he
who to think tried how be la senorita
might help at once-ai, but he to see
her was not. long enough!"
"WelI that's pretty clever line of
reasoning. mia senorita. But don't
you think you are giving that photo
strong attraction. to make me think
of leaving you to Capt. Dick. and bury
ing myself among those out-of-the
way islands for whole three months.
just to get acquainted with the orig
inal?"
"That not is so, Enrique milo" (blush-
ing warmly at this audacious ia miliar-
ity). "I-. am alive, and-you shall to
be with me have for two of the weeks
yet. think not you would me leave
for but Photograph if said you
should not; have I la gran conceit ?"
(She looked so tewitching in the
moonlight that to save my neck
couldn't avoid giving her waist gen.
tie squeeze). "No! you some affair
in ell Guajan have-though never could
/ guess what it nay be. 1t something
which of more worth is to yon than
your affairs in Manila. or you neglect
them would not for so long 1t some.
thing is which you do undertake for
ell Ricardito as weji as yourself. and in
which he does you trust as few men
do trust each otner, or your friendship
I could make like a broken thread
with jealousy of NE. I'm gran presun-
cion is it not, aMigo milo? But true.
not the less. Else you embrace me
would not, and ell captain would look
at me not with the eyes that talk. oh.
SO much-so much that the little shiv-
ers he does make come to me some
times. ano ! am afraid. Well, then, if
this something stronger is than love
of woman, what 1t can be but the love
of gold-such heaps of glittering. shin
ing gold! Yet gold there is not in ell
Guajan, else eel gobernador would in