The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-08-29

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den. She vas sons. Breen,. a..
dralned look. 'ace bon
An orchid?'' be whispered .r..
visitation Be repeated? Do NiIl u
sleep7 wake
.'Old Pers Rabeaut married
woman" Constable observed ifench
Some Daphne Of the island. =,
have been. since Pere Rabeaut l do. nu't
seem designed to father sunrise ,e = not
added, his eyes lost in the shadow. nfeea
court. from whence the bird songs ~. VI 'As
Pere Rabeaut was WORTHY so, Lrne'
France, have heard" said Constsb, ,sf q
have never seen the mother, but g.. !
year I have seen Soronia-for ever. every
like this. She was but child n ~
came first five years ago-but q r ras |
child even them 'auant
Five years ago" Breen unused .r,
years ago had not ceased to n.;,. Eve
should have put her on canvas /"
There was q moment of silence ..
Constable said in low voice. ~ m,. .uea
back. Tell me the shorter wavn ~
Peter, you are man, and she 49,.
an. Forgive me, but I know what t ~
sprung into your heart in the past tv.n ua'
four hours from the seeds that have :.
there Eve years. Tell her-tell h.. 'e en-
about those I'VE years and the ono d. aA
what they have meant to you. and w..
dream Of the future. If you toll 'h S.'
nightly enough, she will follow vor -
the Madame, and cast no longing loot ~
hind ! shall stay here for an hon, :.
two"
Constable left the shop. He Wa. w.
miserable, full of undirected wrath NJ.
er in his life before had there baan
time when q stif shoulder, dollars. an ath
letic mind, or all three, had failed ent;rs,
to move an obstacle in his way. Here h.
was ground by impotence absolute Ns
suggestion Of Breen entailed such doom
and vital thing that he dared not think ~
1t, here in the glaring day, with the pant.
ing crowd about him. 1t was against n.
very structure of his mind to act precni.
lately in this, of all matters, most daT.
cate. 1t is true that he meant now n
win Lara Stansbury, if such stately
citadel lay within range of man Of bis
caliber; but he had vouchsafed to strike
only after a fawless investment vere
laid.
Breen did not return for luncheon.
and the name of Pelee was not heard. In
his room, afterward, Constable fell asleeu
with his face to the north. He awoke
out of horrid dream, in which black
fingers were Tightening, like a garrote
upon his throat. It was the ash and
sulphur fumes again. Pelee was obscur
ed by the fresh fog. Instantly, upon
awakening, the old thoughts and breads
resumed their hateful swing in his BRAIN
The sight Of the Madame, lying out in the
harbor, her needle-boom pointed like
black, f1eshless finger across the smoky
sunset, whipped him again to the sense
of action which had no means of expires.
sion. Thoughts of the night-the locked
doors, the still halls, the wall of chill
dren from the native cabins, sleeplessness
without hope, vigilance without meaning,
and this new master-romance shining far
and bright and alone, like brave star
above wind-hurled clouds-out Of these
were moulded thoughts of little mercy, as
the shadows grew long upon the whiten-
ing lawn.
Pelee's moods were variable that after
noon. The twilight brought ease again,
and with the old freshness of evening
came a glad hour Of reaction. There was
a ripping wave of merriment from the
darby quarters, and score of children
went bfithely forth to battle in the sea-
Never before was the volatile tropic soul
80 imperiously evidenced simple hearts
which glow at little things, whose swift
tragedies come and 60 like blighting
winds, which slay but leave no wound.
Constable was ashamed for the mo
ment. Throughout the day his eyes bad
fixed In stubborn gloom upon q cataclysm
Up the stairway, airily as laughter, came
q bright melody from the piano. lie was
thrilled, and held, and his mind was stir.
red with tenderness. She was like her
island people, quick to enter the groves
of serenity when the black cloud bad
blown by. Could Breen be right? he
thought. The suggestion appealed to him
now in q new high-light. Were there
not some words which had never yet
found the ears of woman from the lips OF
man-some key to instant supremacy in
the undiscovered country Of a lovely
woman's nature?
fYn ~ k&nuod