The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-11-12
CHATTER vi.

were stduulnB upon the Yeranua Lnat tns
former stretched out her hand to help hin
and the elder woman released cutting
remark. Then q servant brought a chair
and pillows of nausea surged over him
Just as his consciousness waned and ht
was launching. chair and all, into space
Lara's voice reached him again.
Then he was in the hallway, through
some miracle, and insisting most uncom
monty that he was not to be taken into
the library, but into the music room, be
cause the windows there commanded the
mountain.
He awoke to the interesting discovery
that Miss Stansbury was tanning him
Presently she re-chilled a towel In the
iced basin and folded it upon his fore
head, now deliciously COOL
Its mighty sweet of you to take care
of me this way" he muttered gratefully
How is Belee? How long have been
here? The last l remember, I was lost
In the hall, and you found me-"
you've been here about three hours,
Mr.. Constable. Pelee is quiet again, but
the whole world is white outside-a per-
feet blizzard of ash has fallen. They
say a terrible thing has happened at the
extreme northern end of the city. The
River Branch overlooked her banks, and
ran with boiling mud from the volcano.
Thirty people are reported killed and the
Usine Guerin destroyed"
She thought he was considering the
disaster in the silence which followed, but
in reality he was battling with the old
problem.
Miss Stansbury," he said finally, sis
there anything a man possessed of full
faculties could do, say or bring about that
would induce your mother to spend the
night off-shore?"
She shook her head.
You know that the Madame could be
brought in for the mails tomorrow morn
ing"
Il have taken the liberty to suggest
that to mother" Lara replied. "She says
that tomorrow will be time enough"
Miss Stansbury, won't you put your
self in the care of Captain Negley to-
night? l hope I'm wrong, but the Guerin
disaster may be only preliminary dem
onstration-like the operator experiment
ing to find if it is dark enough to start
the main fireworks. You know, l would
stay ashore, and Negley is good old man
of the sea-
Don't you understand, Mr.. Consta-
ble?" she said, in real distress for deny
ing him so repeatedly. Don't you see
that such a thing would bring down a
miserable scene upon our heads? Besides,
am not thinking of my own safety as
such paramount thing. | don't want to
be one of Jobs lone survivors. Mother
and Uncle Joey and you must go-when
[ do"
The pale, searching face regarded her.
Again he was silent. His lips were shut.
MS eyelids half-closed. A swift
intuition was borne to the woman. He
vas about to renew the siege. She was
lot ready, and shrank from being moved
o a decision which she had not formed
n the privacy of her own mind. The
asst two days of suffering had rendered
Ter strangely responsive to his mental &C
ions His quest had filed her brain with
wonders, but they were not yet coalesced
impulses and inspirations without
nifty, unbound as yet by judgment. She
wanted to yield with grace, if it came to
hat, but not to be overthrown. His hand
cached for hers, but she drew away.
Miss Stansbury-"
please don't say it now - she whis-
ered swiftly, her words startling herself |
ute as much as the man. These are |
UGH dreadful hours. We must think of |
he crisis-only of that-putting behind |
Il that passed last night ~
"Until?" said Constable, sitting up.
ooh, who can tell? One knows-Mr.
isn't it wicked of you to mud
lie me this way?"
A smile from him had given her the |
aving turn. The tension was eased.
low, as he held out his hand to her, she
'as not slow to accept it, or to miss
ne meaning of the compact.
"Pelee will be beyond the sky line for
s all pretty soon," he said cheerfully.
Well be very good pals In the mean
me. Please go to the window and see
ow our ogre is faring-the giant who
links he's going to eat US when we're
rhine member the fairy story? By the
ay, Miss Stansbury, did you ever have
set of billiard balls cracking off caroms
j your brain PAM"
Yes, and ten-pins. Men don't know
aadache matters. The north
clearer, sir. A little while ago it was
i seething mass of blacks and grays."
Ar exclamation broke from her lips,
I'd Constable Joined her at the window.
dozen birds had fallen to the lawn from
e caves. Most of them were dead from
e tainted air. The sight brought the
tuation more forcibly than ever to her
ind.
81 should think the birds would fly
yayr ~ she said pityingly.
perhaps the mother birds are waiting
+ mails to come in" suggested voice
hind them. Mrs. Stansbury was stand (
G in the hall doorway.
A gracious rain cleared tie air of early ,
ening, and Constable settled himself
r a further nap at the north window {
stairs. He had not realized his ex-
ustion, and was astonished to find that {
was midnight when he awoke. He was
ronger, but a cycloDic headache still
pressed him. Glad though he was for '
e hours passed, still he was by no means |
appreciative of the chances he had
ken. A forlorn hope of saving the lady,
en- though a destroying eruption over
ok them at the plantation house, had
own in his mind since the night before
be caught asleep would render this