The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-03-16


melancholy in her great dark eyes. But
fast asleep, with the novel which he had
been reading lying crumpled upon the
floor.
had opened the door 50 gently that
neither Of them moved as entered the
room. 1t was TO me the best moment Of
my life to be looking again upon them,
and waited for one minute until Mary
raised her head and our eyes met. Then
l bent over the cabin table and kissed
her, and felt her clinging to me, and
though she never spoke, her eyes were wet
with hot tears; and when she smiled
through them, it was as a glimpse Of
bright sunlight shining through a rain
shower. In another moment there was
nothing but the expression Of great child
ish joy on her face, and the old Mary
spoke.
mark, I can't believe It," she said,
holding me close lest I might go away
again, "and always guessed you'd come"
But Roderick awoke with a yawn, and
when he saw me he rubbed his eyes, and
said as one in a dream:
oh is that your"
The tea which Mary made was very
fragrant. 1t was a long story, and
could give them but the outline of it, or,
in turn, hear but a tenth part of their
own anxieties and ceaseless efforts in my
behalf. 1t appeared that when l had
failed to return to the hotel on that night
when 1 followed Paolo to the den in the
Bowery, Roderck had gone at once to the
yacht, and there had learned from Dan
OF my intention. He did not lose an in
slant in seeking the aid of the police. but
l was even then astern of the Labrador,
and the keen search which the New York
detectives had made was fruitless even in
cleaning tidings of me. Paolo was fol-
lowed night and day for twentv-four
hours; but he was shot in a drinking den
before the detectives laid hands on him,
and lived long enough only to send Mary
message, telling her that her pretty eyes
had saved the Celsis from disaster in the
Atlantic. On the next day, both the skip
per and Roderick made public an they
knew of Black and his crew, and greater
sensation was never made in any city.
The news was cabled to Europe over half
dozen wires, was hurried to the Pacific,
to japanese seas-it shook the navies Of
the world with an excitement rarely
known, and for some weeks it paralyzed
all traffic on the Atlantic. Cruisers Of
many nations were sent in the course Of
the great ocean-going steamers: arms
were carried by some of the largest of the
passenger ships, and the question was
asked daily before all other questions, us
the nameless ship taken?'
Meanwhile Roderick and Mary, who
suffered all the anguish of suspense, re-
turned to London, there to hear the whole
matter discussed in Parliament. Several
warships and cruisers were dispatched to
the Atlantic, but returned to report the
i'll result of their mission. Nor was my
Oldest friend content with this national
action and the subsequent offer of a re-
ward of $4,000 for the capture Of the
nameless ship or of her crew, for he put
the best private detectives in the city at
the work, sending two to New York and
others to Paris and to Spezia. When the
weeks passed and l did not come, all
thought that I had died in my self-ap-
pointed mission-another of Blacks vic
Tins.
1t was but few days after this sor-
rowful conviction that Black and I went
to London, and were seen by Inspector
King, who had watched night and day
for the mans coming. The detective had
Immediately telegraphed to the Admiralty,
and to Roderick, who had reached my
hotel to find that Had already left. Then
he had hurried back to Southampton,
there to hear of the going of the warships,
and to wait with Mary tidings of the last
great battle, which meant life or death
to me.
Long we sat discussing these things,
and very bright were a pair Of dark eyes
that listened again to Roderick's story,
and then to more of mine. But Roderick
himself had awoke from his lethargy, and
his enthusiasm broke through all his old
restraint.
Tomorrow, why tomorrow, you'll as
found London. My dear fellow, we'll 70
to town together to claim the $4,000
which the Admiralty offered, and the f2O,.
600 from the Black Anchor Line, to say
nothing of American money galore. You're
made for life, old man; and we'll take
the old yacht north to Greenland, and
hunt up the place and Blacks tender,
which seems to have escaped the iron
clads, and it'll be the finest trip we ever
knew"
'What does Mary say?' l asked, a.
she still held my hand.
81 don't mean to leave you again." she
answered, and as she spoke there was a
great sound of cheering above, and a
great tramp Of feet upon the deck; and
as we hurried up, the hands loved to
see crowded about me, and their shouting
was carried far over the water, and was
taken up on other ships, which threw
their searchlights upon US, SO that the
night was as new day to me, and the
awakening from the weeks of dreaming
as the coming Of spring after winrer's
dark. Yet as the child-face was all light.
ed with radiant smiles, and honest hands
clasped mine, and the waters echoed the
triumphant greeting, could not but think
again Of Captain Black, or ask myself.
Is the man really dead, or shall we vet
hear Of him, bringing terror upon the sea.
and death and suffering: the master Of
the nations, and the child Of ambition1
Or IL his grave In the great Atlantic that