Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-06-25
CHAPTER yIJI-fContinuedl

his hQaI resources IN an OuL-OI-L ne-Wdy
spot and arrange the last line of action,
and partly to avoid the possibility of ar
rest for the moment in case the Panther
had brought an eE;ssary of the law. His
end was a matter of hours at BEST his
cruising and his friendship with Consta-
bic were over. Saint Pierre, of the lesser
islands, was the last station OF his trav-
cling During three days he had passed
many hours in the shop. What those
hours had accomplished was dramatically
revealed now in the anguish of the maid
en- as she waited for the answer to her
question.
Il have been thinking a great deal since
yesterday. | found that l couldn't do
what | tried-at least, without seeing
you again, Sonoria" Breen spoke vague
~. He had sufficient honesty not to be
deft with the forces he was now employ
ing The future, l cannot tell yet.
MAJ have to leave Saint Pierre for
awhile but l shall leave my heart here
and if | live-I will come back To-day
I must see my friend and tell him that
I cannot cruise farther south with him"
She would have fallen had he not held
her, but her eyes were shining. The old
man ran for restoratives. Breen would
have put the girl into a chair, but she
chung to him.
Il have waited for you so long, my
maker of pictures" she whispered.
Pere Rabeaut stood beside them with
medicines. The veneer of shop servitude
was gone from the gray old face. The
sharp black eyes were directed steadily
upon the stranger, who saw that they
were ready to soften or burst into flame.
Breen saw, too, that he was less in the
presence of the father of a creole girl
of Martinique than the father of an old
world household.
Il am waiting for you to speak, mon
sieur," said Pere Rabeaut
You have not waited long sir" Breen
answered. 1T was just an instant ago
that | had the honor of hearing from
your daughters lips-that she would wait
for me until l could come back perma-
nently to Saint Pierre
Il know you will forgive an old SOL
der of France So many people do not
understand-don't try to understand
that deemed it a privilege to marry the
mother of the maid in your arms-not
because a governor general of Martinique
was her fathcr-but because she was wor-
thy the worship of an old soldier of
France. The girl is like her mother,
monsieur"
1T is an honor | do not deserve, sir
the daughter of a country woman of Jo-
sephine and n soldier of France" said
Breen, grateful that one of his utter
ances contained or covered no lie.
Tho how +Ia
cious thing. He held a glass to the lips
of his daughter.
Il do not need it now, father" Soronia
said softly.
There was a knock at the door. The
maid FASTENED to her room, and Pere
Rabeaut, once more the master of the
shop, greeted a gasping patron. Breen
was left to his thoughts. That
which he had done was unchangeable
Nicholas Stembridge, rejoice! this is
your wedding day ~ he muttered. What
q time you've had down the years You
have lived long and freely, taking what
you saw and daring consequences and
prattling like defective to keep up your
spirits Nick. do you recall the prime
sentence of your philosophy-'There is
nothing which Doctor Death cannot
cure? Isn't it a wonderful saying? SO
wonderful that it has exceptions No,
Death will not put Peter and his lady out
to sea The police are after
you; your lips are hot with lies; you sit
in the gloom. Nick Stembridge, you are
whipped, cornered You go out a coward
and liar. Where is your laugh of yes
terdayY
-.
of the pride-humbling trap the Fates had
laid for him this day; smiled at the words
he had uttered to Soronia and her father,
who had bristled into a soldier of France.
And yet there had been no other way.
After what he had done to Constable. it
was not in him to deprive Soronia of
what she seemed to need-not under her
pitiful eyes. His own part did not enter.
lie coniured no golden haze as the mate
of this creature of ardor, fragrance. and
gentleness. Nor, on the other extreme
did he reflect that to spend ones DAYS
in a torrid shop with a woman of blacE,
blood was a fitting end for a brutaIized
life.
He put the woman out of his mind
and turned TO the sorry business of the
wounded friend. He must find CONSTR.
bic and say the last words; then take the
blame from his friend in the presence Of
the women. If he were taken into Gus.
tody on the way-there was no helm for
that. All remnants of justice and white.
manship demanded that he set out at once
He hurried TO the court
'Soronia." he called. IN have 10 ec
now. Mr. Constable expects to leave
with his Chi,
with him before he goes"
She appeared in the dress in which he
had first seen her. There were tender
remonstrances which he scarcely heard
but he answered gently. His mind was
with the man.
And you will be back this afternoon? -
In the hollow of the universe there
seemed no reason that he could utter why
he should not be back that afternoon
Eyes, little fairy" he answered.
And l shall watch from the uppe1
window. if the smoke clears, for you,
friends ship to sail. All, don't
stay long from me-"
The sun could not shine through ths
ash-fog which shut out the harbor dis
tanceS and Shrouded the great cone, but
volumes of dreadful heat found the earth
Though the Madame lay we'll in the har
Dor. she was invisible now. even from tn,
terraces. There was no line dividing tn.
shore from the sea- nor the sea from tn,
sky. 1t was all an illimitable mask
whose fabric was the dust which had lair
for centuries upon Pelee's dynamos.
There was no carriage for hire TIL,
day had driven the public drivers TO cover
Breeu walked to the plantation house
The servant was long in answering hi
ring. Mr.. Wall was in the hallway. TIL
fall from guest to an enemy of the hous
pulled hard upon Breen's philosophy.
Come in, SIR" said Uncle Joey. Hi
tene was repressed as he added Had
known your address, l should have sen
your effects to you"
Il wasn't thinking about that, but look
Ing for Mr.. Constable" Breen declared.
You are Nicholas Stembridge?"
Eyes"