The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-05-28

|
and Joe did not recognize Captain
Tom.
Slamming the door shut, Joe return
ed to his sister, who was convulsed
with laughter annie, you're quit of
him now. that's certain" said he.
81 don't think so,' replied she.
"You don't. eh?" said Joe. Very
we'll we'll see. Let me lay my hands
on him once more and III fix him."
Joe rushed out and pulled the front
door shut after him.
Aware of Joe's mistake, Annie
would have set matters right were 1t
not that Captain Jim was then In her
house She knew right well the cause
of Joe's antipathy to him and there
| fore discreetly let events shape their
own course. 1t was the way Joe
handled and mistook Captain Tom
that amused her.
| Captain Jim again cautiously opened
the bedroom door. and seeing Annie
alone went over to her. He,did not for
get to take his hat, which he gripped
in his left hand.
'I was not Altered Annie" said he,
"only of bein' ketched in tibet bed
ROOM"
! 81 know Jim, but I don't want to see
you in trouble" which was literally
true. for her opinion of Captain Jim
had undergone quite a change, since
she believed that he had made the
purchase of Christmas presents which
Smith was then guarding in the wood
shed.
CAPTAIN Jim took chair and sat be-
side her.
Smith felt the cold in the woodshed
and having become impatient neeped
through the keyhole and partially saw
tall man holding Annie's head in a
suspicious position. He saw Captain
Tom.
ooh. the william" exclaimed Smith
under his breath. The circumstances
was so interesting that Smith kept his
eve at the keyhole. oblivious Of COM
fort or temperature.
Captain Tom being of a combative
disposition, on eiectment from the
house, at once sought club. mo man
can fire me outn't a friends house."
he inwardly exclaimed. without a set
Element" He proceeded around to the
woodshed and found a billet of wood
near the DOOR With a chuckle of sat-
sfaction he grasped it. and the door
being aiar he would "jest quietly slip
in an git a glimpse of his enemy
! through the keyhole" So he entered
the woodshed and noiselessly closed
the door. He CROPPED his way SLOWLY
along step by step. Holding his club
in front of him. as a sort of feeler, he
struck it against the woodpile.
The noise attracted Smiths atten-
ton. Removing his eye from the key
hole he looked straight back, into the
darkness of the shed and exclaimed
under his breath. "phwat the divil is
thet?" Captain Tom, seeing the light
suddenly flash through the keyhole,
halted in listening attitude.
Smith, however became nervous
and muttered. "thaves," and grasped
the kitchen door knob.
Captain Tom. in his turn, became
alarmed. He had seen the sudden
CLEAN of light on. some moving object
and then heard a%licking sound. (The
click of the door lock) He STEP
ned back to the shed door and took
hold of it's edge with his left hand and
stood in defensive attitude. 'Blow
my whistle" said he in a whisper, eff
tibet air ruffian amt a-layin' fer me in
this shed"
Leaving Smith and Captain Tom
straining their eyes at each other
through the darkness of the wood
shed and both on the alert, fear
ing some unforeseen attack, especially
Captain Tom, who beats the air with
his club, We must return to Captain
jim and Annie.
When he sat beside her, it was with
'Nterr"inatiOn to know his fate forth
with. He did not like these Interrupt
~.o-.s ana he was beginning to think
they were little too many for lone
wilder. However, it being Christmas
Eve, may have accounted for so many
callers, though he remembered Bar
bara's words at Mans surprise party.
Annie, darlin'," he began, its jest
as you be a-sayin now, you promise
tew be my wife as soon as you kin git
a divorce from Walker an you kin
have all the money you want. You kin
go tew Sel-um, or anywhar you hat a
mind tew an stay thar, an I'll iine you
as soon as my contract with tibet nav
igation company expires. Now, it be
all a-restin' with you. Be you answer
in yes or no?'
What shall I say to put him off,"
she thought, when, as if by some spir-
itual aid, she was relieved from imme-
diately answering by several smart
raps on the front door.
She sprang to her feet and ex-
claimed, ''who can it be, now"
Captain Jim also arose. evidently a
bit frightened, for he again began to
tumble in his pocket, at the same time
Rervously saying. 1T be tibet damned
Macdonald, I'm sartin."
Annie turned her back to smother a
laugh.
At that moment Captain Jim passed
her wing ..I'n lest whit In tho chnd