The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-12-08
CHAPTER XIII.

CdAFlEh AA1A.
The night came on, fair and still, clear
and starlit; but there was no moon and
outside the immediate neighborhood OF the
main streets, the darkness was enough
to favor our hope of escaping notice with
out being so intense as to embarrass our
footsteps. Everything, in fact, seemed to
be on our side, and l was full OF buoy
ant condolences as I put my revolver IN
my pocket and, on the stroke OF midnight,
stole from my lodgings. I looked up to-
ward the bank and dimly deserted three
or four motionless figures, whom l took
to be sentries guarding the treasure. The
street itself was almost deserted, but from
where I stood l could see the Piazza
crowded with throng of people, whose
shouts and songs told me that the Colo
neps hospitality was being fully appre-
ciated. There was dancing going on to
the strains of the military band, and ev-
cry sign showed that our good citizens in
tended, in familiar phrase, to make
night of it.
/ walked swiftly and silently down to
the lefty. Yes, the boat was all right! l
looked to her fires, and left her moored by
one rope ready to be launched into the
calm black sea in an instant. Then l
strolled along, by the harbor side. Here
I met a couple of sentries. lnnocentiy
I entered into conversation with them,
-condoling on their hard fate in being kept
on duty while pleasure was at the nelm
in the Piazza. Gently deprecatlng sucn
excess of caution, I pointed out to them
the stationary lights of The Songstress'
RI
RESPECTFUL smile at the Coloneps uneasl-
ness, left the seed / had sown to grow IN
prepared soil. 1 dared do no more, ana
had to trust for the rest to their naturai
inclination to the neglect of duty.
When 1 got back to the bottom OF LID
erty street, 1 ensconced myself In the
shelter of little group of trees wnlcn
stood at one side of the roadway. just
across the road, which ran at right an
giles to the street, the wood began, and
ouarter of an hours walk through its
shades would bring us to the Jetty Where
the boat lay. My trees made perfect
screen. and here l stood awaiting events.
For some time nothing was audible Dut
an eyer-increasing tumult OF JoVlallty
from the Piazza. But after about twenty
minutes awoke to the fact that con-
slant dribble of men, singly or in pairs,
had heeun to flow past me from the Pi-
azza. down Liberty street, across the ROAD
behind me, and into the wood. Some were
in uniform, others dressed IN common
clothes; one or two 1 recognized as mem
sbers of Johnny Cars missing band. Inc
strong contrast between the prevailing
rsvelry and the stealthy, cautious air OF
these passers-by would alone have sug-
rested that they were bent on business !;
putting two and two together, l had not
the least doubt that they were the Presi-
dents adherents making their way down
to the waters edge to receive their chief.
So he was coming; the letter had done
its work! Some fifty or more must have
come and gone before the stream ceased,
and / reflected, with great satisfaction,
that the Colonel was likely to have his
hands very full in the next hour or two.
Half an hour or so passed uneventful-
": the bonfire still blazed; the songs and
dancing were still in full swing. 1t was
close upon the fateful hour of two, when,
looking from my hiding place, saw a
slight figure in black coming quickly and
fearfully along the road.
recognized the Signorina at once, as
I should recognize her any day among a
thousand, and as she paused nearly oppo-
site where 1 was, I gently called her
name and showed myself for moment.
She ran to me at once.
us it all right?" she asked, breath
lessly.
I'VE shall see in a moment" said 1.
'"The attack is coming off; it will begin
directly"
But the attack was not the next thing
we saw. We had both retreated again to
the friendly shadow whence we could see
without being seen. Hardly had we set
tied ourselves than the Signorina whis-
pered to me, pointing across the road to
g the wood:
- whats that. Jack?"
I followed the line of her finger and
made out row of figures standing mo-
rtionless and still on the very edge of the
wood. 1t was too dark to distinguish in
dividuals; but even as we looked the ST.
lent air waited to our eager ears . low
voiced command:
''Mind, not q Bound till I give the
word"
1.-THE PRESIDENT" exclaimed the Sig
norma, in q loud whisper.
"Hush, or he'll hear" said I, "and
we're DONE"
Clearly nothing would happen from that
quarter till 1t was called forth by events
In the opposite direction. The Signorina
was strongly agitated; she chung to me
closely, and saw with alarm that the
very proximity Of the man she stood In
such awe Of was too much for her COM
posture. When had soothed, and I fear
half frightened. her into stiffness, again
turned my eyes toward the Piazsa. The
fire had at last fickered out and the reyels
seemed on the wane. Suddenly a body of
men appeared In close order, MARCHING
down the street toward the bank. We
stood perhaps . hundred yards from that
building. which was. In its turn, about two
hundred from the Phsxa. Steadily tAey
came along; NO sound reached ~ from
the wood.
This b getting interesting" aid.
ThsrsI b troubls, soon."
A near as I could see, the Coloasl.s
1anA. Tor such Il was no Aoubt, did not
nalabef more than dve-and-twenty ct IL
sstside. Now they were at tire bank. !
-cpH hardy - What yAappsped but tier,