Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-05-28

Elsie seized the chance Of snOpshotttng
the party,
and red lips. slightly parted. smiled
bewitchlngly at the men beneath. The
Gamers In her hands added a holiday
aspect to her appearance, an aspect
which was unutterably disquieting in
Its relation to the muttered forebod-
ings she had broken in on.
Il find the get-up Of our visitors dis
tinctly humorous he said, and I
hope they are a bit scared of us. We
would prefer their room to their com
pany."
II thought that Senior Suarez would
hail them. as he can speak their Ian
guage. Perhaps he does not wish them
TO know he is on boardT'
Now, Elsie had heard the mans i'm
We're 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 displcasure.
The Spaniard's cultivated cynicism
was %suhiugated Ivy a more powerful
sentiment. 1t seemed TO Elsie that he
envied Courtenay his youth and high
spirits.
Elsie dared not meet Courtenay's
eyes. A flood 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 a
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 Il pound, just missed Tolle-
mache.
The captain raised a double harrelcd
fowling piece. the only gun on board.
and fired point blank AT the savagcs.
But the wsmen were padding away
vigorously, and the shot splashed in
the water on all sides Of the canoe,
though a howl and n series Of violent
contOrtions showed that one at least
of the pellets had stung the wizcned
Indian whom Suarez believed to he n
newcomer.
There was no second shot-cartridges
were too precious to be wasted at an
impossible range-but the u~ndeniable
fact remained that the Indians meant
10 be aggressive. For n 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
shoreward was distinctly audible. They
watched the tiny craft until it vanish
ed round the wooded point which con
cenled Otter creek.
The muffled clang Of a hammer 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 thelr
willing arms Oh or about New Years
day? He had forgotten the cannibals
and their threats ere he was at the
foot Of the engine room ladder, Courte.
say and Tollemache Joined him; Chris
tobal went to the salon to visit his
patients; Elsie was left with Mr.. Boyle
who forth with fell into a doze, being
worn out by the fresh air and the OK,
element.