The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-08-03

French, ''can you detach that fly for me?'
Major Butler" said O'Rourke to him
self. us this Major Butler, l wonder"
| He answered, also speaking in French,
that he would do his best, and walked
to the bush. O'Rourke secured the branch
to which the fly was attached. and cut it
away, after which he disentangled the
hook, and the angler and he raised their
hats to each other.
| Major Butler, for O'Rourke's not I'M
natural guess had hit the mark express
ed his obligations with some little diff
Guilty. and O'Rourke, who was Paris bred,
responded that he was infinitely delighted
to be of service. If this were Major But
Ter, thought Ny. O'Rourke, it would be
good fun to conquer his prejudices, and
| apart from the amusement, it would be
agreeable to have a country house to call
at during his stay. Then he thought of
that charming girl.
He began by asking after sport, and
the qualify of the stream and the fish,
and the major, who was an accessible and
friendly soul when once the ice was brok-
en- with him, displayed his take, and f1oun-
dered on with his French in a very cour-
ageous and adventurous manner.
| Presently he hooked a half-pounder,
who behaved in a very lively manner, and
was finally grassed workman-like.
O'Rourke looked on with interest.
'They give plenty of SPORT" he said.
capital SPORT" replied Butler, heart
| lily. They're not feeding we'll to-day,
though. Two or three days ago a young
friend of mine, an American, who's stay
ing at my place, fetched out seven pounds
in half an hour. Used fly quite strange
to the water, too. gaudy American thing,
but very killing"
| There can't be any Americans over
here"
"Only one that 1 know of" said the
major. "Maskelyne." He had time
enough to think that this was the novel
list, ten to one, and a very different sort
of fellow from the man he had expected.
PLEASED to meet you," he said. "Shall
be glad if you'll look me up"
THANK you," said O'Rourke, sweetly.
THANK you very much indeed. Maske-
lyme and 1 are very old friends"
mot the novelist" said the major, 81
lently. "Of course not. Spoke much too
intimately from the first mention of him
only to have met him yesterday"
"You are Major Butler?" asked
O'Rourke. There are ways and ways of
putting this sort of interrogatory. But
Ter bowed assent. "Maskelyne told me
with whom he was staying. My name is
O'Rourke."
"Oh!" said the major, blankly; you're
not the"
| "I'm afraid 1 am" answered O'Rourke,
with so admirable good humor that But
Ter could not refrain from smile. 'We
needn't talk politics if we differ, as I
dare say we. do"
Honestly. if Major Butler could have
withdrawn his invitation he would have
done SO, and he was a little annoyed
with himself for having given it. But
he bethought him, the man was a friend
of Maskelyne's, and Maskelyne spoke of
him in the very highest terms. But then
again. there was something about-people
talked-they said the Irish members were
here to make terms with that Infamous
old scoundrel Dobroski, a rascal who
thirsted for royal blood and wanted chaos
to come again.
do you stay long?" asked Butler, with
a diplomatic purpose.
"Yes, a week or two, perhaps more. A
friend of mine-I dare say you know him
he's really very distinguished man
Farley, the novelist-is staying in the
same hotel with me at Janenne, and so
long as he stays shall stay"
Angela and Maskelyne were each good
deal surprised half an hour later to see
Major Butler coming down the avenue
toward the chateau side by side with
O'Rourke. Perhaps at bottom the major
himself was little surprised, but he was
certainly vanquished. He confessed that
he had never met pleasanter man in his
life than this Home Ruler, whom in ad-
vance he had been prepared to detest.
CHAPTER VI.
Dobroski and O'Rourke sat together in
a chamber of the Cheval Blanc
you thought my scheme a madman's
vision when you heard it first" said the
old man, in his tired and tranquil way.
''But now? Speak without fear, and
with perfect candor."
Il see q practical possibility In it,
returned the other. "a bare possibility,
but still a possibility"
Possibility enough to make it worth
while to strike when the time comes?"
| "POSSihilitv enough tn mako n Worth