Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-05-28

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humps should be fed into tho furnaces.
This actually occurred. as we know.
but by the mercy Of Providence the
ship did not experience the full power
of the explosion or she must have sunk
like n stone"
Huh grunted Boyle. "who holds
the insurance."
course-Messrs. Barring, Thompson &
Miguel"
worth a quarter Of n million ster-
ling, amt itT
Eyes"
"Huh-it's a lot Of money"
There was a %momcntary silence.
Elsie's eyes grew larger. and she be
came rather pale. AS was her ha bit
when puzzled. she placed a finger on
her lips. Christohal noted her action.
Indeed, he missed few of her charac-
teristic habits or expressions. He
laughed quietly.
IT think you are quite right. Miss
Maxwell" he said. This Is one Of the
many instances In which silence il
golden"
Taken by surprise. she blushed and
dropped her hand. But Courtenay said
promptly:
There are some instances in which
silence may be misinterpreted. Let
me state at once that the shippers of
the valuable cargo on board the Kan
sas will suffer a serious financial re-
verse II the ship Is lost. Two thou
sand tons Of copper may be worth a
considerable fixed sum, but the lack Of
end of January will have far reaching
consequences in q fight against the bull
clique In Paris. and that Is why Mr..
Barring made this heavy shipment"
"Those consequences could be fore
seen and discounted" put in Tolle-
mache dryly.
Exactly. But by whom-by the
man who sent his only daughter as a
passenger on this vesselT"
Every one secuted that notion. But
Tollemache, though ~disavowing any
thought Of Mr.. Barring as a party to
the scheme. stuck to his guns.
Somebody will make a pile when
said.
The insurance money will not be
paid for a long time" Courtenay ex-
planned.
"No, but the copper market will re.
spond instantly"
svTkor fha urococu hos oor, ,,nppnd
already. The Kansas should have been
reported yesterday from Sandy Point.
The news that she has not arrived will
soon reach the nearest cable station.
There will be terrific excitement at
Lloyd's when hat becomes known.
BY the way. does any one here know
a man named N~entana?'
1T Is a name common enough in
Chile" said Christobal.
az you mean Senior Pedro Ventana,
who Is associated with Mr.. Barring in
mining matters, I am acquainted with
him." said Elsie.
They all looked at her, and some Of
them wondered perhaps why her smil
ing eyes had lost their mirth. Yet
there was nothing unreasonable IN the
mere fact that q certain Chilean nam
ed Ventana, who had business rela-
lions with Mr.. Barring, should make
the acquaintance OF Isobel Baring's
friend. AS quickly as 1t had arisen
the feeling Of strangeness passed.
Courtenay evcn laughed. Elsie as
the Jonah OF the ship was a quaint
%conceit.
~ mentioned Ventana because vas
told he took some part Of the insur-
ance on his w account" he explain
ed. But he was a member of BarinG's
copper syndicate and indeed was spo-
ken Of as a mining engineer Of high
repute. Believe me, I was not jump
ing to conclusions on that account"
81 know him to be a very bad man.
said Elsie slowly. Her face vas white
and her eyes downcast. 1t was evi-
V%entana's personality was distressing
to her. but Courtenay. preoccupied
with the dastardly attempt made to
sink his ship. did not observe this fea-
ture Of a peculiar discussion.
bad. In what sense, Miss Max
well?" he asked unguardedly.
"In the most loathsome sense. He Is
evil minded, vicious. altogether detesta-
BILE. If Mr.. Barring knew his charac-
ter as I know 1t, Ventana would not he
allowed to enter his office"
Pedro Ventana;" interrupted Chris
fObal SIS he a half caste. n tall brown
skinned man. who affects an American
drawl when he speaks English-a nan
prominent in Santiago society and in
mining circles generally?"
Yes" said Elsie.
That Is odd, exceedingly 50. I once
fair to mention 1t In this connection.
Yet 1t cannot hurt any one IL l state
that Isobel Barring and he werewolf,
how shall I put iti-ar any rate, there
was q lively summer hotel sort Of at
tachment between them
"Isobel has never told me that" said
Elsie. nerving herself for a personal
disclosure which was obviously dis
agreeable. ~ own a small ranch near
Quillota. and as there was a chance OF
copper being located there Mr.. Barring
advised me to employ Ventana as an
expert prospector. Indeed. Mr.. Barring
himself sent Ventana to examine the
property and report on 1t. He came TO
see me. He told me there were no
minerals Of value on my land, but l
could never free myself from him aft