Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-23
she said, smiling wistfully. II ought to
have discounted his Spanish mode of ad-
dress. But is it really necessary that
shnu1d reyDa{n

she said, smiling wistYully. IT ought to
have discounted his Spanish mode of ad-
dress. But Is it really necessary that 1
should remain below?"
ut is. If shots are fired. or stones
slung at US, the cLarthouse will probably
be hit. All, yes, I am sure you would
risk that and more. But we may sustain
casualties. And Christobal ought to have
help. You see, 1 am asking you to act
the Drawer part"
He caught her hand and looked into
her eyes There are so many messages
that can be given in that silent language;
for blissful moment Elsie forgot the
other woman. Not until she had left the
bridge did she realize that Courtenay, too,
must have been equally forgetful. And
and the unknown. But here she was.
face to face with him. and in such close
proximity that she was unaccountably
tin1id. While her heart leaped in tumult
she forced her lips to answer:
You are right You are always right.
was selfish in thinking that-that l.
might
There was a pitiful quivering In the cor
ners of her mouth. Courtenay felt her
hand tremble.
BE a brave girl. Elsie" he murmured.
You must go now. Have no fear. We
are in Gods care. May His angels watch
over you'll"
But you, you will not risk your life?
your
She was strung to that tense pitch when
unguarded speech bubbles forth the souls
secrets. All she knew was that Courte-
nay was looking at her as a man looks at
the woman he loves. And that sufficed.
was music. He told her to go. yet held
her hand a willing prisoner. His words
had the sound of a prayer, but 1t was the
orison of a knight to his lady. He bade
her fear not while he trembled a little
himself. though she we'll knew it was not
fear which shook him. Neither of them
paid heed to the presence of Suarez. For
an instant they had glimpse of heaven,
but the curiously harsh voice of the Span
ish miner fell on their ears, and they
came back to earth with a sudden drop.
1.-THE Feathered People are singing their
war chant" he said, and his gesture
seemed to ask them to listen. They
started apart. and it was not Elsie alone
meath the tan on his face, and pretended
mighty interest in the doings Of the
savages. The girl recovered her self-con-
troll more rapidly. She half whispered
the meaning of the miners cry, wherein
Courtenay tried to laugh.
"They will be singing a dirge next"
said he, with jaunty confidence. Nov,
Elsie, off with you! Be sure shall come
and tell you when you may appear on
deck"
She hurried away. She rocked naught
Of the Alaculof challenge. Though the
raucous notes OF the tuneless lay could be
heard plainly enough, they did not reach
her ears. When she raced down the
| saloon companion she found Christobal
bending over the small case of instru-
ments he always carried. He straight
ened himself in his peculiarly stiff way.
What did the captain want?" he
asked, with a suspicious peevskness
| which, for once, detracted from his ha-
Jared Elsie back into her senses.
He wished me to translate Senior
Suarez's explanation Of another smoke
signal" she answered.
"Oh. was that all?"
practically ALL
He told you himself, suppose, that he
wished you to stay here"
He did more. He drove me away"
Against your will?''
NO. Am I not one of the ships COM
pany? Is he not the centurion? He says
to this woman, Go, and she goeth, nor
| does she stand upon the order of her 60
! ing. Oh, please don't look at me as If
were cracked. Surely one may mingle
the Bible and Shakespeare in an emer-
gency?"
"One may also tear linen sheets into
strips said Christobal gravely. Elsie's
| Quip had saved the situation. He at
| tributed her flushed cheeks and sparkling
eyes to the fever of the threatened fight.
She applied herself eagerly to the task
Already the fume and agony of vain re-
greet were striving to conquer the ecstasy
which had flooded her whole being. She
remembered that passionate longing to be
clasped in Courtenay's arms which she
experienced when she saw him in the
canoe, and now. after draining to the
dregs the cup of bitterness she had
forced on herself during these later days,
here she was, ready as ever to quaff the
| love potion. Poor Elsie! She longed for
| ha nf or hn- n o,,1xr hax- Il
MED to young women with live blood in
! their veins.
Courtenay, meanwhile, was examining
the advancing flotilla. His brain was
| coming each detail of the Alaculof array,
but his heart was whispering gladly:
I'm another moment you would have
kissed her and told her you loved her
You know you would, SO don't deny it.!