Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19

person who can do it. I. myself. and
only If you will do what asked you be-
fore"
'Masitas return has wiped out my Of
tense against Beltano' 1 replied. hating
a second to prevent her suspecting my
| intentions. And she is ready to give any
ransom he may ask" added. as moved
on again.
"Of what use is it to talk of ransom
! when she herself is back on the island?
Can he not do with her as he wiIl?'
mo. she will kill herself rather than
yield to him. Besides. there is Agapa.'
She laughed with scornful toss of the
head. us Carlo a man to be scared
from his purpose by woman's threats?'
| HAS not Agapa shown how dangerous
she can be-" I retorted.
I'VE are but wasting time. Beppo," said
Molta. angrily. coming to sudden halt
You must decide now. 1t will be too
late when Carlo lands"
We had traversed about half the dis
lance to the fort, and at need / could
carry her forcibly the rest of the way.
see my plan. How do you know that
you can prevail with him?" 1 asked. as
If undecided whether to yield. And then
an idea occurred to me. 1.-The moment he
lands he will be like mailman and his
| first impulse will be to kill me. l can
not take that risk" and l started to leave
her.
AS hoped. she followed me- unwilling
\
wait, Beppo. 1 will answer with my
life for YOU" she said. earnestly.
| But I waved my hands and quickened
my pace. mo. no. I know him too
WELL
| She hurried after me and caught me by
the arm. but not until 1 had gained
| further hundred yards and the mouth of
the path was close at hand. Agapa had
| now halted and stood between us and the
| men. most of whom had gone down to
landing
| 1 was now certain Of success, but !
kept on until reached the path. Il will
have the walls Of this place between us
when first meet him. declared.
''They will not save you, Beppo. There
| is only the one way"
| At that I turned suddenly and looked
sternly at her as I seized her wrist. Are
you seeking to trick me? Do you think
1t sat to play with me?" l glanced back
as If in fear that Beltano was already at
my heels and, retaining my hold Of her
wrist, hurried up to the door.
mo. 1 swear on my soul had no such
thought. Beppo,' she cried, as I I'm"
locked the door.
She appeared to guess my intention
then, and with a vigorous effort strove to
wrest her arm from my grasp. But
prevented her and. dragging her inside.
locked and barricaded the door. Nov,
you may as we'll know the truth. Molta.
I have brought you here as a hostage,
to bring Beltano to reason. You and he
both know me. He seeks my life. and
| you yourself sought 1t before. Now
have turned at bay. So long as I am
safe, no harm will come to you. but not
one moment longer"
She fell away from my stern look. and
her hand moved as If to draw weapon.
and, remembering her former attempt on
my life, seized her hand and disarmed
her.
'Beppo!'
It was Masita's voice. and I turned to
find her watching me, her eyes wide with
amazement and indignant reproach.
DO you make war upon women and
| threaten them with death?" she asked.
Indignantly. when l did not speak. Let
Molta leave at once"
To have shown a sign Of weakness be-
fore Molta would have been the act of
fool. SO 1 answered, sternly, II am
fighting for my life, signorina. and choose
my own methods. You need not inter-
fere. Molta remains here"
Then I shall co. she declared, In
stantly, and came to us.
No" said. doggedly: "Beltano Is on
the island and no one shall open that
door. That swear" and I stood in front
of it, barring her way.
I She sought to pass me. but I held her
back. She stared at me fixediy for
space. II will be no party to this. You
shall not keep me prisoner"
You are but wasting your breath. sig
norma. T know the man I am fighting
and how best to fight him. Molta stays.
and If my life is in danger at Beltano's
hands 1 will take hers. Call it warning
upon women. or what you will that Is
my last word. and both Beltano and
Molta know whether I am the man to
keeLs.t. And now, please, return to your
own rooms
But her will was too strong to yield to
me. and she made another attempt to get
to the door. At my wits end what to do.
for the time was pressing and 1 looked
for BeltanO to come at any moment now,
I took desperate step. l stepped from
the door and drew my revolver, leveling
1t at MOlta.
"Open that door. signorina. II you will.
but the instant you do it. Molta dies"
Her hands were already on the bars,
but she withdrew them and looked round
at me. trembling and pale. I kept my
eyes fixed upon Molta. and not a feature
relaxed to show either of them that was
not dead set upon carrying out my threat.
In the moment we stood thus we heard
the sounds of men approaching. and then
Masita. convinced that I was in fierce
earnest. pressed her hands to her face
| and with a cry of horror turned and
rushed up the stairway.
Some one knocked loudly at the door.
and I took Molta up to the floor above
| and locked her in the room I had pre-
pared for her. Then l went to one Of the
narrow-slit windows
WHO Is there?" I called.
"Beltano." came the reply. "Open the
OOOT DtppO, dt OHCe
What do you want with me?'
open the door. ! say, or l shall break
| 1t i'm
Break it in. Beltano. But warn you
I am armed"
| The answer was pretty much what I
had expected. Some one fired and a bull
| let came whistling through the window
and buried itself in the wall opposite. ]
| had taken good care to place myself
| where should not be in danger
l had my guns close at hand, but did
not reply to the shot. although 1 could
| have done with fatal effect. The win
dows had been very cunningly contrived,
SO that they commanded the whole space
| in front of the door. and there was not a
| square inch of cover in which man
could shield himself from a shot fired
| from where I stood. But I could afford
| to wait. and desired to parley before re-
| sorting to force.
| the shot before Beltano spoke again.
Are you going to open the door. Beppo?"
$50 that you can fire at me next time
without this shelter? 1 can listen to any
thing you have to say
| II shall have 1t broken in then"
You can't do that. You know that
| And II you try. l shall do what you did
| just now-use my guns Then as a ruse
| to lead him to believe that / was not
alone. 1 said: ''If they attempt to break
down the door. fire.
BeltanO stared at this and spoke eager
| ly to Luigi, who was at his side, and
then called who Is with you?"
| 1 laughed and left him to think what he
| would. He understood the difficulty
which he had to face. and that if he tried
4 - 1t