The Mena star., 1899-08-03
CLAREncE HER8eRT r1EH.
 tCopyright rso7 by J. B LIppIncott Col

even senorita Dorotea. By the way, what are you going to do about that young lady?"
 For instance?"
 "Oh. shucks, Harry don't beat about the bush. If that girl continues to help you as she has, and keeps her mouth shut. she's trump. Are you going to sail away and leave her at the end of the world with merely conventional promise to call if you ever happen to be in Spain when she's living there?"
 No, I'm not, old one. When the Countess of Devon change owners. it is possible that Senorita Dorotea may have an interest in her. My mind has been pretty well occupied with this speculation of ours for the past two weeks, but-well- How's GraciaP"
 You'll see for yourself when we go below for breakfast. She thinks good deal of Senor Enriquto-tells me all the time that don't half appreciate his friendship for me; so you're welcome to be as brotherly or cousinly as you please with her, especially as she's likely to sail with us on the Hong Kong voy- age"
 "Really? Good The girls ought to be very chummy together. But, l say. suppose anything should happen 10 me, or, through some unforeseen msfor- tune, I should lose the stuff? If you'd contracted to buy the ship, and support a wife in the bargain you'd be in good deal of hole. After all. Dick, it's a frightful big gamble And don't know thatyou're justified in taking chances"
 "Oh, bosh! I'd like to know what chances I've taken, or am likely to take, compared with yours. I've got $20,000 in gold, right here on this table, to do with as see fit; 1 could get mar ried and skip with even that II uch, couldn't I? And Pm likely to sit up nights worrying about partner who went under water for me in midocean, bottled up in diving suit, who tumbled off a submarine precipice and man. aged to get OH top again, who's been proving about with ghosts and skele- tons, and who hit an island, 450 miles away, with proa, as plumb as if he'd had it fast to cable; ain't [? Why, man, you've got more lives than Kill kenny cat! I reckon 1 can stand the chances if you can"
 'Well, we'll do our level best and hope that everything'll come out all right. I'm not particularly interested in Yap, so I'll start back in an hour or two and get down to business"
 Not much you won't. It was pretty good navigating to make the island as you did, running before the wind; but going back is another matter. You'd have to make a reach of 400 miles nor'- nor'-wes' before you could put about for Guajan, and you couldn't go AS hours without sleep. Of course, you could get the sun and figure about where you were; but it might take week, standing off and on; and we can't afford either the risk or the time. As it happens. there are two Pouynipete Spaniards aboard who want to reach Agana this voyage; but under the cir cumstances I'd run you up there re- gardless of consequences. reckon that letters from Sebasti iano and De Garma will smooth over the irregularities of this trip, and when we own the Count ess can do as please with her"
 Here the conversation was drowned by the whistle, as we signaled for l pilot off Tomi bay; and by six bells we were anchored opposite Rul. inside l the reefs. The cura Juan was almost paralyzcd when I shook hands with him. How my presence on the steamer was possible, when he had last seen me rowing ashore at Apra, he simply could not understand; and when Diaz told him of my being picked up at sea. he crossed himself several times. That the natives sailed from one island to another, in the Carolines, he knew, but the trips were seldom long ones. and very rarely beyond sight of land.
 (To BE CONTINUED