The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-12-15
4betWeen Two FireSa
By ANTHONY HOPE
.At will make opportunities
than he p ,s
,c,,Aprrp xx1I1-(Continued.)

this calm ruthlessness. Another long
pause followed. Then the President said:
I'm sorry for all this, Martin-sorry
you and l came to blows"
"You played me false about the money,
I said bitterly.
Eyes, yes" he answered gently; Il
don't blame you. You were bound to me
by no ties. Of course you saw my plan"
~ supposed your excellency meant to
keep the money and throw me over"
mot altogether" he said. "Of course
I was bound to have the money. But 1t
was the other thing, you know. AS far
az the money went, would have taken
care you came to no harm.
"What was it, then?"
IL thought you understood all along,
be said with some surprise. L saw you
were my rival with Christina, ana my
game was to drive you out OF the country
by making the place too hot for you.
"She told me you didn't suspect ABOUT
me and her till quite the end"
"Did she?" he answered with smile !;
II must be getting clever to deceive Two
such wide-awake young people. Of course
I saw it all along. But you had more
grit than | thought. I've never peen SO
nearly done by any man as by you. IN
sorry, Martin; liked you, you know. But
Iikinrs mustn't interfere with duty, he
went on. smiling what claim have you
at my hands?'
"Decent burial, 1 suppose" answered
He got up and paced the room Tor a
moment or two. l waited with some anx-
iaty. for life is worth something to
Young man, even when things look piacK-
ct. and never was hero.
II make YOU this Offer" he said at last.
'Your boat lies there ready. Get INTO ner
and go; Otherwise
81 see" said 1. "And you will marry
herr"
''Yes," he said.
against her will?"
He looked at me with sometnlng ike
pity. Ill, nil
"Who can tell what woman Will VIII
be in a week? In less than that sne' VIII
marry me cheerfully. l hope you may
erieye as short time as she will
In nv inmost heart knew it was true.
had staked everything, not for a WON
ans love, but for the whim of girl For
a moment it was too hard for me, ana l
bowed my head on the table by me ana
hid nv face. Then he came and put MS
hand on mine, and said:
Eyes, Martin young and old, we are all
alike THEY'RE not worth guarding for.
But natures too strong.
MAY 1 see her before goT asked.
"Yes," he said.
"Alone?"
Eyes" he said once more. go now
f she can see you"
I went up and cautiously opened the
door. The Signorina was lying on the
he'd. with a shawl over her. She seemed
to be asleep. 1 bent over her and kissed
her. She opened her eyes, and said in a
weary voice:
as it you, Jack?"
Eyes, my darling" said I. Il am going
I must 60 or die; and whether l go or
die, must be alone"
She was strangely quiet, even apathet-
ic. As 1 knelt down by her she raised
herself, and took my face between her
hands and kissed me, not passionately,
but tenderly.
my poor Jack = she said; ''it was no
use. dear. 1t is no use to fight against
him"
"You love me?" 1 cried in my pain.
"Yes," she said, 'but am very tired;
and he will be good to me-"
Without another word went from her,
with the bitter knowledge that my great
grief found but a pale reflection in her
heart.
81 am ready to CO." said to the Presi-
dent.
"Come them" he replied. Here, take
these, you may want them," and he thrust
bundle of notes into my hand (some of
my own from the bank I afterward dis
~covercd).
Arrived at the boat, I got in mechan-
acally, and made all preparations for the
start. Then the President took my hand.
"Good-by, Jack Martin, and good luck.
Some day we may meet again. just now
there's no room for US both here. You
bear no malice?"
mo, sir" said 1. "A fair fight, and
you've won."
As I was pushing off he added:
when you arrive, send me word"
I turned the boats head out to sea,
and went forth on my lonely way into the
night.
CHAPTER XIV.
As far as l am concerned, this story
has now reached an end. With my depart
ure from Aureataland I re-entered the
world Of humdrum life, and since that
memorable night nothing has befallen me
worthy Of a polite readers attention. 1
have endured the drudgery incident to
earning living; I have enjoyed the re-
laxations every wise man makes for him
self. But I should be guilty of unpar-
donable egotism If supposed that 1, my,
self, was the only. or the most, interest
Ing subject presented in the foregoing
pages, and feel shall merely be doing
my duty In briefly recording the facts in
my possession concerning the other per
SONS who have figured in this record and
the country where its scene was laid.
did not, of course, return to Eng
land, on leaving Anreataland. had no
desire to explain in person to the direc-
tors all the facts with which they viii
now be in a. position to acquaint them
selves. / was conscious that, at the last
at all events had rather subordinated
their interests to my own necessities, and
4 knew well that my conduct would not
amest with the indulgent judgment that It