The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-09-12
sufferabie humor to my force Of character

siderable humor to my force Of character
and extreme views"
Constable translated Mondet's account
of the Guerin disaster, and his assur-
ances of the safety of Saint Pierre, so
far as the mountain was concerned. "Oh,
the fakiness Of that French mind J" he
exclaimed. with a volcano in the pangs
of dissolution, towering over the city,
is apparently in dread of an earthquake
Where on the island thus he
inquiries editorially, could more secure
place than Saint Pierre be found in the
event of an earthquake visitation!"
Constable crushed the paper in his
hand. He glanced at his watch and then
at the mountain, from a habit now grav-
en- deeply.
1.-THE northern end of Saint Pierre is
flooded out like an ant hill under kettle
boiling over" he capitulated thoughtfully.
1.-THE mountain is gathering for another
demonstration. Let us flee with all dis
patch to the craters of the volcano, to
escape this hypothetical earthquake! NJ
Mondet certainly enthralls me. l must
call upon him again. breen'
is there any way to stimulate the distri-
button of the Panther mails?"
CHAPTER VII.
Immediately after breakfast ConstaDl>
drove down to the city to send out maj
orders to Captain Negley, and attend GER
tain matters having to do with the Mad
ame's facilities for entertainment. Uncle
joey was to 90 for the mails. Ii he
mi
that there should be no hitch nor tangle
at the last moment. In spite OF darklsh
apprehensions, his heart would burst now
and then into singing, since he asked but
two hours more of old Pelee, upon whose
summit was now written in lightning and
black cloud the ominous letters of Dis
aster.
The ladies were left to such graceful
ministrations of Breen as were found
needful. Mrs. Stansbury, having gained
her point, imposed no further delays. The
eagerness of the daughter was controlled,
but in no way concealed. The past three
days had left pallor upon her face, and
shadows under her eyes, but the innate
fineness of her features seemed intensi-
fed rather than diminished by physical
suffering, and the more subtle perturba-
tions of the inner woman.
"When strain brings out the splendor
of a womans face, mark her we'll for
thoroughbred" Breen had found occasion
to whisper to his friend. The sentence
was souls refreshment, as Breen intend
ed it to be.
Constable, indeed, was contemplating
the full significance of the words, and
their possible bearing upon his present
and future, as he rode down the Morne
d'Orange into the Rue Victor Hugo. The
little black carriage of Father Damien
was approaching, and, gripped by sud-
den idea, Constable halted it, saying to
the elder spirit of the parish, whom he
had met at the plantation house Father,
take this two thousand francs and use
it for the maintenance of the homeless
refugees in Fort de France. l shall see
that more funds get to you to-day"
A little way further, another carriage
approached, one of the public conveyances
of the city this time. Behind the driver
doomed the head and shoulders of white
man-hard head and broad shoulders
the sight of whom struck the music from
slashed across the strings of harp. Both
vehicles stopped abruptly.
"Well, I've got you," the broad individ-
ual remarked cheerfully. Where's the
other fellow?"
Let it be known that the man whom
Constable now faced was the same ener-
getic person who occasioned discord on
the Brooklyn pier, just as the Madame
swung bIithely forth into the harbor.
Constable was thinking very rapidly. He
felt prepared to commit murder rather
than have his plans for the morning
thrust aside.
1.-THE other fellow?" he repeated gent
ly.
1.-THE man hidden in your cabin when
YOU cleared. His name is Nicholas Stem
bridge, if you don't happen to know" the
stranger said, with some Impotence.
"Where is hep
Where you saw him last" Constable
said, with sudden cordiality; land want
to state that I'm glad to see you-that
is" he added doubtfully, "if you've come
to take him away. If you've looked me
up, you'll have found that I'm usually
ready to pay in money, hide, or liberty,
for the mistakes l make"