The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-07-10


the party.
hail them, as he can speak their Ian
guage. Perhaps he does not wish them
to know he is on board?'
| Now, Elsie had heard the mans i'm
passioned appeal when the Indians
were first sighted, so Courtenay felt
that she, too, was acting
A new direction was given to Elsie's
thoughts by the somewhat scowling
aspect of Christobal's face. He was
looking at Courtenay in a manner
which betokened certain displeasure
The Spaniards cultivated cynicism
was subjugated by more powerful
sentiment. 1t seemed to Elsie that he
envied Courtenay his youth and high
spirits.
Elsie dared not meet Courtenay's
eyes. A food of understanding had
suddenly poured its miraculous waters
over her. Incidents unimportant in
themselves, utterances which seemed
to have no yelled intent at the time,
rushed In upon her with overwhelming
conviction. The middle aged physician
suspected her of flirting with Courte-
nay and disapproved Of it as strongly
as she herself had condemned Isobel's
admitted efforts In the same direction.
The proceedings Of the Indians put 4
stop to any further conversation. The
canoe had drifted closer to the ship.
1t was about eighty yards distant when
the Indian who was on his feet sud-
denly whirled a sling and sent a stone
crashing through the window of the
music room. The heavy missile, which
when picked up was found to weigh
nearly half a pound, just missed Tolle-
mache.
The captain raised double barreled
fowling piece, the only gun on board,
and fired point blank at the savages,
But the women were padding away
vigorously, and the shot splashed i'll
the water OH all sides of the canoe,
though howl and series of violent
contortions showed that one at least
of the pellets had stung the wiZened
.Indian whom Suarez believed to be
newcomer.
There was no second shot-cartridges
we're too Fprecteus to be wasted at an
impossible range-but the undeniable
fact remained that the Indians meant
to be aggressive. For Il little time no
one spoke They heard the echoes of
the .-gunshot family thrown back by
the nearest wall of rock. The regular
plash of the paddles as the canoe sped
shorewafd Has1distinctly audible. They
watched the tiny craft until it vanish
ed round the wooded point which con
:eGled Otter creek.
The muffled clang Of BANNER broke
the silence which had fallen on the
watchers from the ship. Walker had
slipped back to his beloved engines.
Had he not vowed that the massive
pistons should again thrust forth their
willing arms on or about New Years
day? Ne had forgotten the cannibals
and their threats ere he was at the
foot of the engine room ladder. Courte-
nay and Tollemache Joined him; Chris
tobal went to the salon to visit his
patients; Elsie was left with Mr. Boyle,
who forthwith fell into a doze, being
worn out by tie fresh air and the ex-
element
Joey, having followed Courtenay to
the one doorway in the ship which he
could not enter trotted back to find
Elsie She greeted him with enthu
siasm
Hail. friend" she said. You at
least are not jealous If | speak to your
master, wherein you show your ex-
ceeding wisdom. Now. since you and
l are persons Of leisure, tell me, Joey,
what we shall do to make ourselves
useful"
The dog was accustomed to being
spoken to. He awaited developments.
ut seems to me, Joey" she contin-
ued, that Guglielmo Frascueio is the
one person on board who claims our
attention. There Is a mystery to be
solved. Bound up in II are my poor
Isobel, that beast ventana and n
coal Zimmerman odd assert. !