The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-11-13

MISS MILNE AND |.


lastly put Principally, your nerOlSru
when the boat foundered, entitle you
to our lasting gratitude. When you
do get released from your imprison-
ment, trust you will give us the OPP
portunity of thanking you in person.
My daughters health, | am thankful
to say, has not suffered from the ex-
element and exposure she underwent;
a day or two of rest, and the kind
care Of your friends at Manly, have
done very much to avert any evil
consequences. Our medical man has
done nothing beyond insisting on her
remaining indoors for three or four
days. Will you convey to the man
Warren our heartfelt thanks, and as
sure him that he shall not be allowed
to go without some token of our
gratitude? Trusting you will soon be
released from your most undesirable
position, believe me, dear Doctor Rig
by, sincerely yours,
"W. PELHAM"
"P. SIT Is my intention to visit
Manly this evening. that | may have
the opportunity of thanking your good
friend, Doctor May, as l ought to
thank him"
This was the promised letter, and
it came the morning following that
which brought the one from my dear
old friend May. And what did it mean?
In the first place. it meant that the
past was gone, the evil undone, the
good restored; and the invitation to
come and see them could mean moth
ing else than that the colonel himself
was willing that | should be placed
upon my old footing in the family.
If only | could go, not to meet him,
but to have a chat with May after
was said! The more | thought of it,
the more l longed to go.
About three that afternoon |, con-
trary to custom, wandered cautiously
in the direction of Warren's cave. All
was quiet, and | therefore slipped in.
He was carving something from
piece of soft wood with a pOcketknife
| had lent him. He started up from
his work as l entered, and tried to
hide it.
You might let me see it, Warren"
81 did not want you to until it was
finished, Doctor. it's for you. l may
as we'll show it now, though
He took from behind him an ink
stand, or. rather the frame of an ink
stand most exquisitely carved-a boat
being wrecked upon a stormy sea; it
was memento of Edith's second
wreck. 1t is on the table before me
now, and has throughout held the ink
for the writing of this narrative.
do you say this is for me, War
REM"
Yes; if you'll take it, SIR
Take it, Warren! Indeed. l will; T
shall value it as one of my choicest
treasures. But | came down this after
noon to ask you if you can direct me
as to the easiest may to Manly, and
also If you think it safe for me to go
early?"
What do you call early?"
about half-past seven"
"If you are very cautious. You
must start with your fishing rod along
the ocean side; then, when well past
the old mans house, make for the
telegraph line. There will be no dan
ger after that until you get within
sight of Manly; then you must beat
down to the harbor. and by keeping
well under the cliff you will avoid
the police. Once past them you are
right. Would you like me to come
with you, doctor?"
mo, thank you. Warren"
A quarter past nine found me open
ing the gate that leads to the back
premises of my friend, DR.. May. Once
in Mays garden, paused a moment
t. decide whether l should go straight
to the back door or climb up some
other way. The latter course, soon
decided, would be the better one; twas
we'll to keep the servant out of our
secret, so l made for the consulting
room window. 1t was wide open, and
from the shadow of a coral-tree ]
could distinctly see the doctor talking
t. some one on the other side of the
table. To see who this was necessi
tt,ted my moving nearer, and this not
only revealed Colonel Pelham to be
the second person, but also brought
me within hearing distance.
81 should not have opened my
heart to you In this way, Doctor May
had not your extreme kindness to
us and your friendship for Doctor
Rigby tempted me; and then the fact
Of being in a strange country and
among strange people inclines me to
take the full advantage of what
friends one does find"
But" asked May, evidently full of
interest, from what | can gather
Doctor Rigby, throughout this unfor.
tunate affair of which you have told
me something. did nothing that was
really blamable."
mo; beyond sticking rather tena-
ciously to his engagement after
thought he ought to have given 1t
up"
.Jf from his noint of view there