The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-02-11
ON THE THROW
OF THE KNIFE
4 stofy In which .. American
oisl and IN Indian Girl
Are nivala.

2 4 etofy In Which aa American =
8 0isi a.d IN 1naisn Girl
4 Are n,vala.
Z ~ awnNDoLEN OvERToN.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
By all the laws Of true romance she
should have felt upon opening her eyes
a promonitioa that this was to be day
Of destiny, but she merely felt that the
engines had stopped, that the ship was
at anchor and that therefore it was
MOSTLY, insuferably warm. The cur.
taiDs across the stateroom windows did
not 80 much as move. She came down
from her berth and pulled them aside.
The coast of Guatemala was before her
and the port Of San Jose.
There had been rain in the night.
tropic shower. The clouds were lift
ing away. They were massed in white
and gold behind the two volcano peaks
that had sent forth the one fire, the
other water. in their time. and the
peaks themselves were side by side,
two cones Of glowing pink.
They were miles inland, many miles,
and the thick. lush tropic green was be-
tween, reaching to the curve of the
sand. There were some white houses
by the beach, white with red tiles.
They made the port Of San Jose. But
the ship was anchored well out In deep
water, and there were no craft In sight.
save a rowboat or two drawn up on
the sand and one that was starting out
from the PIER across the faint blue
water that dkowed back the clouds Of
white and gdoh The wake and the oars
gIistened In the new sunlight.
The girl leaned her bare arm on the
sill and stood looking out. She had seen
many beautiful things In her life, but
nothing so lovely as the coast and vol
cano peaks Of San Jose de Guatemala
at the break Of day.
The rOwboat came near, and she saw
that the quarantine officials sat in the
stern. but by the time she was dressed
and came on deck they had long since
gone. There was no one at all In sight
either aft or amidships, but when she
was forward Of the bridge she saw
some one standing near the bow. He
was q new passenger. He turned and
looked at her.
There was breeze, the faintest south
sea morning. breeze, that rippled her
thin white gown and moved the loose
tendrils of her hair. He raised his
straw hat civilly and turned back to
his consideration Of the shore. Pres
emily the purser Joined him, and be
stood talking, his hands jammed into
his sack coat pockets and his tan shod
feet wide apart on the deck. Then he
went into the saloon.
That was all Miss Strathmore saw OF
him, but she described him to her
mother accurately nevertheless,
Hes the only Latin l ever saw who
looked as though he could do things
and not talk about 1t afterward. His
skin is very white, and his Jaw shuts
hard, and, moreover, though his eyes
are brown, they are neither sparkling
nor soft. She objected to both. ''They
ore level and hard. That he may speal
English is my fondest WISH"
He did. He was put beside her al
breakfast. and the captain presented
/ him. His name was Merida.
"You sawme this morning." he said
'when ! was looking back upon my
house, my home. my heritage, N,
lands.'"
"And the laughing danes in whom
you did delight p !" she followed it up.
4 He gave 1t q quick look. Perhaps
he said and turned short about to tall
Chilean whom Miss Strathmore did no
like. They talked Spanish together
and she could not understand. So sh,
ate her breakfast and wondered VIII.
the Guatemalan should have objectet
to having his quotation finished out
Had she1kt some nail too neatly Oh
the head? He had risked that. But b.
knew Byron apparently. and his Eng
lish had not SO much as an accent. L
there was to be any further converse
ton, 1t lay with him to begin 1t. HI
did SO presently. but he kept to gener
alities and refused to be drawn on
about himself.
The captain was more communicative
on the subject later on. He belonge,
to the general sea dog type. Bette
make up to young Merida. Miss Eliza
BETH" he advised, coming to a stop Il
front Of her steamer chair. He own
about everything In sight over there.
His arm swept the view of dense gree
from the beach curve to the mountain
far away. Half Guatemala belong
to his brother and him. The othe
brother Is married-to Spanish prir
cess. toO-but he's not, and you'll d
the best two weeks work you ever di
IN your life If you catch him betwee
here and Frisco bay"
The captain liked the topic evident
ly. He drew up a stool and sat dow
to pursue 1t further, growing from th
5ocose to the serious.
He could recommend Matcho Msr1d,