The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-06
MY LOST SELF
Copyright reserved
By A. ". MARCHMONT

 and muttering. but cowed by my | weapon.
 Turning then on Giuseppe I thrust the revolver against his head. "Drop | that knife and eat your words or you'll eat nothing else in this world" l growled with a fierce oath. He let 1t fall on the instant and then Molta intervened.
 Are you going to do murder the moment you come here?" she cried. This is between Giuseppe and me No man on this island shall call me g traitor. That I swear. Come. Giusep- pe."
 Molta on that attempted to seize my pistol; but prevented her and twisted Giuseppe round so that he stood be- tween me and her.
 Don't kill him, Beppo," she said. T kill any man that utters that | lie about me-
 Believing that his life was in peril, i Giuseppe mumbled something about not having meant what he said. Louder. so that all may hear" 1 cried sternly. Confess you lied" He was too frightened to disobey. T am sorry. You are no traitor, Bep- l DO. lied when I said it. he said in | loud voice; with that thrust him violently and went up the path | straight to my hut
 | There would be no more trouble that l night, was convinced; but I barred my door and. placing my revolver un- der my pillow. slept soundly.
 In the morning Agapa brought me l my breakfast and was full of curiosity as to what had passed on the main land. As l knew that she would re- peat what I said to the others, I was careful to make sfitt clear that l had been nowhere except to Masitas house, and for her benefit laid stress on the
 fact that Masita was now safe ana
 would not return to the island. l She questioned me closely about this; and & couple of hours later I un- derstood the reason for her eager curi- osity. Assured that Masita would not | return, she forced a quarrel with Julius, | In which she told him bluntiy that she had only been fooling him at Beltano's bidding; that he was as dirt in her eyes; a coward and a drunkard ana worse, and must leave the island at once. And when the poor fool pro- tested. she called Drako to help her, | on which the lad lied like a scared sheep from a wolf. I saw her purpose; and was not sor- | ry for 1t. She had resolved to asstrt her right; and thus on his return Bel tano would nnd other trouble to worry about besides that with me. I was returning to my hut after the excitement caused by the scene when Breva joined me. I asked him how matters had gone after had left with Masita. and whether Beltano had sus- pected him of having helped me. At first he did. I thought he would | have killed me on the spot.'- he said. T have never seen him in such fury Had you not left your knife in the room to prove you had been there he would have never believed me But l you were surely insane to come back. 1" told him the reason--to get the | truth as to Vicino's death--and that 1t was more to me than to my life. We discussed the matter at length and | he told me over again all that he knew of that nights doings T am positive you were struck before Vietno was killed" he declared. Tt was | either Giuseppe or Drako or both; but how can you force either of them to admit it?"
 l repeated what Luigi had told me about the unfriendliness of the men who were hostile to Giuseppe, and sux- gested that they would not only stand by me against Beltano, but help to get the truth about VicIno's death. But he shook his head. They are | more afraid of Beltano than of you, Beppo. and would not dare to disobey him. Nor could they help against giuseppe You Will never learn the | truth; and your only chance is to fly before Beltano returns. He will have | your life for this, and no one will dare | to stop him. Before he went after you, indeed, he called the men together and denounced you as a traitor and | promised reward to anyone who killed you if you returned Flight is | your only chance
 That was the meaning of the scene last night. then. I do not fear them. {" Continued Tomorrow.