The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-10-17
CHAPTER XII.-(Continued.)


Breen was dazed by the altered mood of
the woman. Until the present instant of
their walk, he had been contemplating
serene end to a day of most brutal be-
ginnings. They were on the eminence OF
the Morne d'Orange. Pelee was a bale
full changing jewel in the black north.
Breen heard the womans breathing. He
had no pity for her. He had spoken with
exceeding gentleness, but it was forced.
In the same voice he continued, since she
did not speak:
You could not walk to Fort de France.
and there is neither boiat nor carriage
tonight. l thought you were going to
let him be happy again."
did he send you to me?'
"He does not know that 1 am here,
Miss Stansbury," Breen replied. LAS we
rode in from the mountain, l begged him
to come to you tonight, but he said that
if there were any hope of his saving your
life, you would have shown him some sign
this morning, instead -"
She felt herself called to her own de-
tense. Gould he not see that the news
papers brought a shock to me?" she ques-
toned pitifully.
1.-The shock was just as great, and the
matter contained in the newspapers just
as new, to him." he said. ''Do you sup
pose he would have introduced me to you
if he had understood all about me? 1 am
all to blame, not our good Peter. Because
l brought all this trouble upon him,
came tonight to undo the tragedy of your
being away from him, and yet so close
to the volcano"
"And you went with him to the crater
to-day?"
do you think I would let him kill
himself?"
"Oh, no!-but you said-you spoke
about riding back with him from the
crater" she returned hastily. The mans
unyielding position wrought upon her
strangely, sometimes startled, sometimes
steadied, her.
Il heard that he had gone up the
mountain, and followed. l found him
at the summit in a faint, lying at the
very rim of disaster"
"You-saved him from death?"
"A very essential proceeding, since l
sent him there"
"Oh, what do you mean?"
1T was my presence that prevented
you both from being out at sea tonight.
1t was very little thing to
bring him back from the crater, Miss
Stansbury, but big accomplishment to
make him glad that l brought him back"
did he intend to kill himself by going
there? Do you mean that I-I-?"
Breen felt that she deserved wildly to
apprehend her failures of performance
mo, Miss Stansbury, but he was dazed
with punishment. That doubt could ex-
list in your mind, regarding his integrity,
pulled him out of his orbit, so to speak"
'But it was all so intricate and mys-
terious,' she pleaded. II didn't mean to
do wrong, but you must see that a wom-
an who can only wait, and never be told
things-may not know what is best -
His heart kindled to her now, but he
was not building for the moment. LET
me tell you about Peter Constable" he
said gently. II was hunted to a corner
say, and much beside which they have
overlooked. Only, l have never robbed
the poor, nor widows and orphans, and
never have betrayed a friend until to-
day, when my history arose in its wrath
and man-handled poor Peter. All my
operations were over when he found me
all my farces and strategies. l had lost
my wool-cap, and the lambs would no
longer play with me. They drove me to
the water front. l was at the edge of the
end when Peter Constable called. .
Come, Miss Stansbury, let us walk on to-
ward the launch"
Breen had judged we'll the instant to
make this suggestion. Though afraid
that she would turn back, he spoke brisk
ly, lightly, as if she had merely paused
to survey the night. She obeyed, and,
as he talked on, their steps grew faster
and faster down the morne toward the
edge of the silent, stricken city. Breen
related how his friend had put aside for
her the century-rare opportunity of study
ing Pelee in the throes. Of the volcano
itself, he spoke Familiarity, trenchantly,
as only one could do who had peered into
the roaring sink of chaos that day. He
pictured at last the man with whom he
had ridden, their last ride together, the
gameness which men love, and-in tints
Utmost ethereal-the brooding romance.
She was thrilled by this stranger who
had played with men and lived to pray
for one. By his own word. world-weary
and skeptic of human character, he had
discovered his Utopia in a friend. Be-
cause she burned to believe all Breen said.
his words rang true. Higher in her heart
than he had reached in any of the days
fluctuations, Constable was appraised now
and held. She did not call it love-she
did not call it anything; but it was a
valiant presence to cling to, as she entered
with this stranger. hunted of men, the
smothered lane which Rue Victor Hugo
bad become.
You are q prince of defenders" she
whispered.
"A man less white would not need a
friend to champion his cause" he replied.
Where is Peter Constable now?"
II will put you in the care of Ernst
in the launch, and then bring him to
you" he said
where is Mr.. Constable" she demand
ed imperiously.
in a little shop up in the Rue de
Rivoli."