Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-12

tne rate AT winch ne swan, ana oeClarC0
her belief that he would succeed.
IF any man In the world could do IT,
Breva WILL" said Pepita. to whom this
praise OF her lover was like milk and
honey. But we must wait till the tide
turns Could We not watch him from the
lookout. Beppo?" she suggested.
AS we went there I told Masita about
Giuseppe being a prisoner. and as wa
passed through tho room where ne lay
she shrank away from him with .
shudder
There is hope" I exclaimed. as saw
that Julius boat was nearer to the island
than when we had last seen H. Your
brother Is making for the island"
1T is farther than We thought. Beppo."
said Pepita. And I fear the tide has
turned already. There Is Breva" and
she pointed to him.
But If the tide stops Breva. II will
help the boat" I replied. seeing Ma
sita's look of CONSERVATION at her wordA
He was making desperate efforts and
swimming calamity. but after a few
minutes I was disconnected 70 find tina.
he had made little or no progress. Pres.
emily he raised himself in the water. at
tempting to get a view of the boat but
the waves prevented him. and again hs
resorted to the tactics Of swimming under
the surface
But I saw now that when he came 10
the surface he had often lost instead Of
HtDHtd saw tn18, 100.
and. glancing at me. lifted her hands In
dismay. And at length Masita under
stood also.
The light was fading fast now. and It
was only with difficulty that we could
make out the boat l knew then that the
attempt. gallant and sturdy and well
fought as 1t had been. could only end In
failure.
Breva soon perceived that ne was
scarcely holding his own against the tide.
i hfv,, A.
swim across the current. making for the
northern part of the island.
He lost distance quickly then. and I
could tell by Petita's face that she
shared the same fear which dismsyed
me-lest he should have swum too far to
be able to reach the little bay in which
the landing stage stood. The color ebbed
slowly from her cheeks and she bit her
lips strenuously and clenched her hands
In the time of suspense
But Breva was too experienced a swim
mer not to know the danger and quits
skillful enough to avoid 1t. Half an hour
passed while he was battling fiercsly with
the waves, and then I breathed freely
once more as he turned and headed
straight for the shore. knew by that
he was confident Of landing safely.
Il will go and meet him." said, and
told Pepita to remain and help to pre-
pare Masita's room for her. "Breva has
done all that man could do" said to
Masita.
II know that but She left the
sentence unfinished. and with deep
drawn sigh she gazed sadly across the
angry sea in the direction in which we
had last seen her brothers boat.
I'VE must hope that he will still reach
the island" / said. but her gesture told
me she had as little hope as myself.
My anxiety was to the full as acute as
hers. for il julius failed our position
would be grave in the extreme. Her re-
turn to the island. brave and chivalrous
as 1t was. had but made matters much
worse than they had been. even without
the added anxiety OF protecting her. And
as I ran to meet Breva the thought Of
how to grapple with the crisis weighed
heavily upon me.
There appeared to be nothing for II but
to carry out the plan had formed for
myself before her arrival-to remain In
the old fort and hold 1t as long as Dos
sible in the hope that Beltano would
again he sent for to the mainland.
Until he returned there was little dam
ger. of course, for had no reason to fear
anything which Molta or the men would
do. But his arrival would change every
thing. and the prospect alarmed mo in
tensely on Masta's account as we'll as on
my own.
Breva answered my warm praises and
thanks with smile of regret. II am
from the first. but 1 found I was being
carried back instead Of forward and X
1 had kept out longer should have had
more than couio do to make the mouth
of the cove"
I'VE were watching you from the look
out and began to fear for you. / was
glad you turned when you did" I as
sured him.
II have never known such strong
tide. IT ran like a mill stream"
He was none the worse for his great ef-
fort, and despite the distance he had
covered and the tremendous exertions he
had made. he was scarcely distressed. I
went to his hut with him, and as he
what ehance he thought there was that
Julius would gain the shore.
None he said. bluntly. He is Q
fool with boat in calm weather. and In
such wind as this helpless.
Yet he is my only chance"
"Why?" he asked, looking up with q
smile.
1.-THE boat. Of course"
you shall have q boat. Beppo. The
storm won't last many hours It came
and the sea goes down. I can reach the
mainland and bring one off, II I could
do it for a wager, I can surely do it for
you. I owe you more than such thing
as that"
I gripped his hand heartily 'I shall
never forget 1t. Breva. You give me
hope when heaven knows ! need 1t sorely.
And when you bring the boat you shall
go with me-"
I'VE will see. But have no fear that I
will bring tt
He had indeed given me hope II he
could make his promise good before Bel
tano returned-and did not doubt II for
a moment when the storm subsided-the
knot Of all our difficulties would be cut.
On my way from him Agapa met me-
What is this between you and my
brother. Beppo?" she asked Why do
you seek his life?'
! described the attempt he and Giuseppe
had made on the previous night. and the
story which the latter had told regarding
Vicinos death.
Giuseppe He'd. Beppo. It was his own
planning from the first" and she gave
me Drako's version. declaring that Giu-
seppe himself had admitted to her that
he had killed Vicino and boosted Of IL,
and she added that a third man. Pc
trarch. had been present and knew 1t also.
1t was no time for me to make enemies,
so I told her that Drake would have
nothing more to fear from me II he would
clear me from the charge. She agreed SO
readily that knew she had some further
purpose In view. And out 1t came d.
rectly. What are you going to do about
Masita? ?" she asked. "Is II true. as Molta
declares. that she came back to becoms
Beltano's wtfe?'
Had not Molta sunk the only boat
there is Masita would have been across
on the mainland again. But now the
devil himself couldn't say what will han
pen"
'Will you have my help for her?
IT'S new thing to find you zealous
In her cause. Agapa.''
II am not. But I wish her gone from
here