The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-05-13
CHAPTER xIII.-continued.


I thought the man would have a fit
of apoplexy; even his vast store OF deep
sea profanity failed him for the mo-
ment. His crew were Germans, but
enough OF them understood English 10
keep the run OF what was going on. and
j could see they were rather enjoying
the situation; evidently the skipper was
a thorough brute at sea. He was
speechless with rage; but, as had the
advantage Of him, there was nothing
TO do but pull off TO his schooner and
sail away. She was just standing out
past Orote when the carbonate jolted
up with the colonel and his two lieu
tenants. Dorotea saw that Legaspe
was likely 10 get wigging for allowing
the visitors TO leave before her father
saw them, and shrewdly put an entire
ly different light upon the affair by shy
ing English. for my benefit:
"Padre milo, you the Senior Enrique
must thank for protecting me at the
risk Of his life. Tn brute capitano did
land from la goleta and did order his
men 10 take away the copra. telling
the Senior Lepaspe that he would pay
out mere nothing; and when | did
say that he could not have 4, he in
suited me. Then the Senior Enrique
did give him five minutes 10 60 away
before he killed him, though the brute
did have seven men from his goleta."
Well, that settled the stranger, and
made me the biggest man on the is
land. The gobernador's right arm
went over my shoulder, and his left
under my right, in twinkling; then,
after three pats on the small of my
back and a moment or two OF ecstaiic
silence, he reversed the arms. left over
my right shoulder, etc, three more
pats, more silence, kisses on both my
cheeks, then an endless string of ex-
travagant protestations concerning his
lifelong obligation 10 me. | had seen
the thing done many times before
among people of the Latin races, but
being kissed by man was. TO say the
least, novelty. Even Legaspe ex-
pressed himself in exaggerated terms
concerning the way i'm which | had
called the captains hand; and, an no
mention was made OF his supposed
mistake, he was our very humble serv-
mt. Lest other dangers OF similar
nature should threaten IL, however,
Dorotea mentioned TO her father Hal
steals assumed intention of buying
the copra at "a high figure, on specula.
ton, and suggested the advisability OF
placing a guard over II at night. The
colonel's cupidity was aroused, and the
guard was set; but, owing to Br'er
Mlguel's ghostly influence, the most
ne could make his men do was to pa
troll the shore each night in a proa.
As IL was likely TO be a threemonths
Job, the soldiers didn't relish this; but
they had to obey orders.
IL was the 9th OF May when we came
90 near losing the copra. On the third
morning after Halstead was TO appear
II everything had gone right with him;
and as the time approached became
strangely apprehenslye-so much 20
that | found IL difficult TO maintain an
air Of careless ease. In fact. had il not
been for Doroiea. might have be.
trayed my real interest in Guajan q
. dozen times. But with each day that
passed IL became more evident that
hsu no rival in her heart. Sometimes
abe would speak with dread Of Hal.
stead's return. and b,-nthlessly ask
me TO promise that wogld surely visit
chem In Granada the following spring
Still. July was yet so far away that
my departure seemed only n dim pos
sJbslity to kcr--a something which she