Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19
By Arthur W. Marchmont,
Author of
% Dash for a Throne"

| across? How long will 1t take your
Il have done it in three or four hours
| but although the sea was calmer I ha(
not anything like so strong reason Il
hurry. Still. say four
1t was now o'clock. BY 68 She should
be across. and by Z. or latest by g. h
should be back. He was absolutely con
| fident of success.
| AS soon as lie had started I returned
| and told Masita. and together we went
| up to the lookout and watched his prog
| ress. The speed at which he slipped
through the water astonished me ever
more than it had done on the previou:
| evening. He swan with a long sweep.
ing overhead stroke, as graceful as II
was powerful. which carried him forward
at pace which to me. clumsy swim
mer at the best, appeared little short OF
marvellous.
God grant that he will succeed" muir.
INJURED Masita. with sigh.
He himself has no shadow of doubt. v
He may be carrying our lives with
him. she said, scarcely above her breath
and by that 1 knew that she realized
more fully than l had thought the peril
of our position.
"There is only one fear now-that Bel
tano may get here first. Breva will be
They will be hours of suspense
Beppo."
Hours of hope. rather"
Eyes, that is better. Hours of hope.
will try to be as confident as Breva
himself. but can't you give me something
to do? don't want to think"
1 found her something to do and set her
to help in storing the provisions which
Agapa had brought and In completing the
preparations to be made in case Beltano
should arrive first.
How that afternoon Jagged. I stole up
many a time to the lookout. scanning
the sea with nervous dread that /
should catch sight of Beltanos sail. But
the hours passed and no sail showed. and
each time my hopes grew stronger that
returned.
I found that Masita had been counting
the minutes as anxiously as I. At q
O'clock she met me. "Breva should have
reached the land Beppo. How soon can
we look for a glimpse of his boat?"
1--WE will go and see at once. He may
have crossed in less time than he told
me and already be on his way back
II declare 1 am almost afraid to go,
she said. with a nervous. wistful smile.
Il would not have believed I could be
such a coward
AS we were going up she paused and
asked: What are you going to do with
Giuseppe If we get away?"
Leave him where he Is for the others
to find him. I had meant to take him to
the mainland. but Breva extorted a prom
Use that 1 would not. He Is a stanch lad.
He hates Giuseppe and has suffered con-
slant i'll treatment from him. but he will
not be party to betraying member of
the band to the carabinieri.'
Il like him the better for that" she
declared. But how will you prove that
death?"
II can't attempt it until 1 myself am
in safety"
will you do when we leave here?'
There is a SAIL I cried. excitedly, as
we stepped on to the lookout.
She caught her breath. Thank God
and that brave lad" she cried. 1T must
be as you said He reached the land
sooner than he thought. But what is the
matter?" she broke off, seeing the seri-
GUS look on my face.
Nothing is the matter. but it is a
larger boat than looked for
Shall I remind you that you once said
you never went out to meet trouble?"
True I said. forcing a laugh. But
she saw that I was really uneasy.
There may have been no other for him
to get" urged Masita.
1--WE shall soon know at the rate she is
travelling. Your eyes may 90 quicker
than mine Let me know the instant you
can make out who is on board her."
could not keep the strenuousness out
OF my voice, and noticing this. Masita
said no more. We watched in silence for
some minutes.
1.-The men below have seen her." said,
presently. seeing some of them cluster
ing on the cliff with their eyes bent sea-
wards. Then Molta came out Of the farm
stead and joined them. and Agapa fol-
lowed. looking round as If In search of
me.
knowing nothing Of Breva's departure.
they would naturally jump to the con-
clusion that 1t was Beltano returning,
and Agapa was looking for me to carry
out that very Greek scheme of hers.
Then Masita touched my arm gently.
There are more than one on board -
she said. in little more than a whisper.
She was right. Two or three minutes
afterward 1 made out the forms of two
or three men.
Il must go down to the others. II 1t is
Beltano. I have something yet to do
you believe 1t is?"
II fear It. You must remain here"
added. as she was following me from the
platform of the lookout II will return
before he can land, if my fears are
right
Il would rather come with you"
mo. II you please. You cannot help
me. and I must do this thing IN my own
way"
1 carried heavy heart as 1 went down
and crossed to the others to learn
whether my fears or my hopes were to
be realized.