The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-06-04

| meet the freak or some valparaiso IOa1-
er with the deep laid scheme which
contemplated the destruction of the
Kansas. She had followed the discus
sion in the chart room with full appre-
citation of it's significance. Valuable
as the ship and cargo were, there was
far more at stake in the effect of the
loss on the copper markets of the
world. The most important copper ex-
porting firm in Chile would practically
canvas What do you say If I set to
work and cover in the promenade deck
fore and aft as we'll as both sides
Then If the Indians try to seize the
ship they would not be able to gain a
lodgment at SO many points stimuli
taneously. 1t would simplify the de-
tense, so to speak"
"Admirable! am sure Courtenay
will agree. Indeed, l am ashamed that
we superior males failed to hit on the
idea earlier. Before 60 let me be
"Would he be acquainted with this
man AnacletO do you think"
Cant say. Jose would know any
body whom he could touch for a few
pesetas."
She left him, promising to visit him
daily in the future. AS she walked
back toward the bridge companion
she met DR.. Christobal. His fit of ill
humor had gone. He was all smiles,
but Elsie, having extracted such in
formation as Frascuelo possessed, was
bent on adding to her store of knowl-
edge Incidentally she meant to widen
| the doctors views.
"Why have you taken to lecturing
mew she asked, with a simple direct
ness which Christobal was not slow
to profit by.
Because, though old enough to be
your father, l have not yet reached
years of discretion"
"You mean, suppose, that If every
one attended to ones own affairs it
would be less spiteful world? / am
inclined to agree with you. Unhappi-
ly life is largely made up of these
minor evils. Yet should have thought
that the desperate conditions under
tect me from uncharita bleness."
"You are pleased to be severe
"No; it is the last privilege of dan
ger that shams should vanish. Yet
we plumb the depths of absurdity
when we contest the right of any wo-
man, even young and unmarried one,
to appreciate all that brave man has
done and is doing to save her life"
Elsie was speaking without heat.
She might have been reasoning some
disputed point in ethics. The Span
lard was obviously thrown off his
guard. --e~
"You seem to demand an explana-
tiop,F he said, with some warmth.
"Well, you shall have it. | am not a
man to finch from the disagreeable
admit sort of impression, / might al
most describe it as a conviction, that
Captain Courtenay's manner toward
you betokens a growing admiration"
This is the widest folly" cried
Elsie in bewilderment. II cannot
imagine what put such a notion into
your head"
"Let me at least lay claim to spe-
cies of altruism," he replied. 81 can
see fifty excellent reasons why our
young and good looking commander
should be drawn to you. nor can l urge
one against it."
"But he is already engaged to an
other woman, SO my one reason Is
worth more than all your fifty"
"Ah, can that really be soY'
The tense eagerness In his voice
might have warned her were 1t not
that she was shocked by the bitterness
which welled up in her heart. She
was amazed by this introspective
glimpse. 1t alarmed her. She must
convince herself at all costs that she
had spoken truly.
Although the evidence she rendered
was Of dubious value, she strove to ad-
vance her argument further.
Il have priced our friendship great
ly, DR.. Christobal," she said, speaking
with calm deliberateness that rang
hollow in her own ears, 80 greatly
that l am compelled to utter this pro
test Now, to end q distasteful con-
troversy let me tell you what know
to be true. When the ship was strand,
ed and we all thought our only chance
of safety was to take to the boats. by
a fuke, the accident of the moment
was left alone in the captains cabin.
The sea was breaking in through the
doorway, and it brought an odd relief
to my overburdened mind when l en-
deavored to rescue the contents of a
locker which for some reason had
been scattered on the floor previously.
Among them I found some letters l
think you will believe me when l say
that l would not consciously read an
other persons private correspondence
Just then was hardly responsible for
my actions, and l did happen to see
and grasp the meaning of a passage in
letter from Captain Courtenay's Sis
ter which alluded to his afianced
wife. 1t is not such a tragic admission.
Is it? would scarce have given it an
other thought were it not for your
manner this morning and your words
last night paid no heed at the time
to the innuendo that I had come on
deck to find him-to waylay him, as !
have heard men say when speaking of
type Of woman l despise. SO l re-