The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-09-05
CHAPTER Iv.-(C ontinued.)
w Ii
" & v / N G T o N

CHAPTER W Continued.)
/ That instant, under the spell OF soft
music, Peter Constable knelt as in q
dream to drink at the fountains Of in
SEPARATION. The. dinner call aroused him.
The music ceased, and he was again the
tfaltering human lover. The path had
been illunined only long enough to show
him that there was a shorter way.
1t seemed during dinner that Lara
had something to say which the presence
of the others forbade. Mrs. Stansbury
went upstairs Breen and the planter
Engaged in smoky discussion of the lit
erary presentations of one Herman Mel
willie. The other two set out for the
gardens.
II have wanted to tell you since morn
/ ing how sorry am" she said quietly.
81 want you to know that, in spite of
mothers decision, thank you for your
kindness, and believe in your deeper
knowledge of our danger"
"It's good of you to say that" he an
swered. II never tried to persuade any
body to do anything before. may sake
Pelee too seriously, but can't help it.,
with you folks here"
She laughed "And I thought that
nothing short of an actual erupi.o1 could
disturb your equanimity.'
| ibid you ever read The Story of the
Gadsbys'Y' he asked.
YES"
There is q big fragment of truth
back of that. Do you think would have
played upon your Imagination and nerves.
and made a mess of things, if hadn't
been afraid?"
! afraid of the mountain? That's not
like you. Are we about to see you down
below in the city, warning the people,
like Cassandra in the streets of Troy?"
II have dearer service-before going
down into the city," he answered. 1t
ton had made this moment inevitable.
''That done, could take up the work
there with sleeves rolled up and burst
ing with anthems"
"What service?" she asked bravely,
though the trend of his words was as
black on white. She was startled, un-
ready.
ITO put you out Of the range of Pelee's
guns! ~ he said, with sudden vehemence.
She had scarcely OWNED that there
lived lover in this man. She felt futile
beside him, and yet fused by his penetrat-
ing vitality. To her, it was the signal
moment in which the woman discovers a
giant besieger at her gates.
''They will hear your she found her
self saying, in satisfied tone.
LET them hear me. I want you to be
safe. Pelee is no study to me now, but
grim warning because you are here !!
/ can't keep my eyes from the volcano,
nor my thoughts from you. Don't you
know-don't you know that you crept
into the very heart of me-a bit of a
Egirl, telling me how to live my life? Yes
terday, when found the mountain
awake, all that l had ever done and
thought and felt turned to nothing com
pared to your life. No matter what you
think or say to mel am afraid for
you -
| The head bending toward her face
seemed huge in the dark, and his lowered
voice charged with power.
| "But we will go to sea when the PAN
ther comes" she said huskily.
"Larav' The voice was from Mrs
Stansbury, in the upper window Of the
| uOuSc"tudL CHILLI, ldIclul VOICE.
II must go!"
Listen. cannot bear 70 wait until
the Panther comes y he went Or impetu-
ously. II want to put you slfeiy ASHORE
in Dominica this night-or Fort de
France, or even on shipboard-anl / will
come back here. Do this for me, Lady ~
Lara was called again.
"Yes, mother. No, I could
not 60 alone! There would never be a
home here again. must go to mother -
oh, cannot speak now p
| He stood alone In the dark. A lizard
that had hearkened attentivcly, began to
croak his comment to the mango trees.
| CHAPTER v.
Sleeplessness ranged through Consta-
ble's brain again, and he gave the night
to the old work of watching the noun
tain, and keeping the woman at hand.
From time to time, before midnight, he
heard the voice of Mrs. Stansbury. The
girl was with her, but seemed to make no
answer. The house was all his own.
Through the lower hall to the music
room: out to the veranda. the garden
1 paths and drives from the window that
faced the north, in his own room, to the
summit of the Morne d'Orange and the
shadowy lawns; through ash-fog and
MINDLESS moonlight-he trod the night
away. The hours fell asleep in passing !:
the moon drowsed for ages in the cloud
gardens; the stars dimmed, disappeared,
and trembled forth again, as they had
been. It seemed left entirely to him that
time passed he had to grapple with the
minutes one BY one, and fight each back
into the past.
I At the side Of the great house to the
north there was q trellis heavily burdened
| with lianas. Within, he found the orifice
OF an old cistern, partially covered By
unixed planking. He lifted the boards,
and the moonlight shining through the
foliage reflected in the water far below.
i a heavy wooden har crflssnd fho ri,,r ga