Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-26
By LOUIS TRACY,

Authof Of THE Wings Of the Morning" Etc

that the Alaculof menace had become
| active again, but the first attack had
been beaten of SO easily that she was
sure this later effort would fail.
The dog was better informed. His alert
| ears told him that there were strange be-
ings on board. He struggled so resolutely
| that Elsie freed him Just as the Spaniard
reached the foot of the stairs. Forgetting
| the fine courage of his race. Joey galloped
| up the companion and disappeared. Elsie
was much distressed by her four-footed
| friends useless pugnacity.
Il could not keep him back" she said
land am afraid he runs some risks OF
being hit. Do you think he will go to the
| charthouse? That Is so exposed-Capt
Courtenay is not there. is hep
mo. I left him a moment ago. close tc
She listened intently. Her imagination
led her astray, it was so hopelessly or
the wrong tack.
There does not appear to be SO much
| stone throwing now. but I. suppose
ought not to go on deck?" she cried.
ut is not to be thought Of Miss Max
| well. Indeed. the captain asked me to
come and bear you company
Just fancy those horrid Indians ven
| turing to approach the ship tonight after
the dreadful lesson they received this
Suarez say? He was so positive that they
would never come near us after dark"
I saw him, also on the promenade
| deck" answered Christobal. quietly. He
had very much the semblance of a false
prophet
The Spaniard meant to meet grim fate
| with a jest on his lips. He had seen
Suarez lying dead or insensible close to
the rails. In fact. the unlucky Argen-
tine was only separated by the thickness
n he oh w. ALL ooh
which Elsie was standing. Unless he
were speedily rescued he would bleed to
death.
"Ah, l heard Joey barking. He has
gone aft" cried Elsie. And what is
that?" she added. moving suddenly to-
caught the fierce hiss of steam. and she
was well aware that steam would only be
brought into use If the Indians were en-
deavoring to climb the ships sides; not
yet had 1t occurred that they could pos
sfbly be on board.
Some of our friends the enemy have
come near enough to be scalded,' said the
man. coolly. THAT should soon drive
them away: You are not frightened.
mot BIT My only regret is that I
am not permitted to help in the defense.
1t must be irksome for you, DR.. Christie
bal. to be stationed here when the ship
Is In danger. I am certain you would pre-
AcH " NC up Iu6Ie WIN tn6 OtnoTS.
THANK you for saying that I wish
you were able to read all my thoughts as
accurately"
His right hand went to the pocket in
which he had placed the revolver. The
stock appeared to have a peculiar clam
mfness as his fingers closed around 1t.
Though he was proud of the iron nerve
which had won him repute in his profess
sion. he almost prayed now that 1t might
not fail him at the last. What a horror.
to be compelled with his parting glance
to see this bright and gracious woman
crumple UP on the deck!
But 1 know you are a brave man."
she said. with confident smile. 1T de-
manded a higher courage to pass I'M
daunted through the ordeal of the storm
Please don't think I am a warlike person.
but it makes my blood boil to find that
there are wretches who regard our dis
tress as their opportunity to murder us
and pillage the ship. What have we done
to them? If they are poor and hungry.
and they would only come to US in a
peaceful way, Capt. Courtenay would
give them all the stores he could spare"
Christobal heard ominous sounds from
the fore part Of the vessel The revolver
reason there were no more cartridges.
Courtenay's double-barreled gun was be-
ing fired as quickly as he could reload 1t,
and the sharp snap Of one of the rifles In
liC pOSSSSSlOn was recognizable
as coming from the poop the remaining
marksmen having preferred to fire wildly
from their canoes. But Christobal knew
that deadly struggle was in progress
on the fore deck. Tollemache, Frascuelo
and three Chileans were engaged in a
hand-to-hand fight with nearly a score of
savages: the doctor could distinguish the
cries of the combatants, the irregular
stamping Of boot-shod feet
He wondered why the girl, with her
acute senses. did not grasp the signifi-
canoe of the yells and trampling on the
deck, until it occurred to him. with
quick pang. that she was listening for
one voice alone; owing to her ignorance
OF the desperate nature Of the conflict
raging overhead she had ears for nothing
further.
He placed hand on her shoulder She
turned and locked at him. There was a
gravity in his eyes which startled her
Elsie" he said. you believe in the
efficacy of prayer, don't you? Well,
then, pray now a little. I shall be glad
to think. when this time of danger has
passed, that we owed something to your
invocation
1t was in his mind that he must shoot
her within few seconds, and the i'm
measurable agony of the thought re-
Elected itself in his face. He had no no.
ton that she would give his words
more direct significance than he intended
them to bear. But strange, hoarse veil
Of triumph, the war cry Of an Alaculof
leader who had hauled himself to the
bridge and found it undefended, warned
her In the same moment that all was not
well with the defense:
lr (To be Continued Tonporrow1