Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-06-18
"well, some one placed dynamite

But who would do such thingT'
THAT Is hard to say. The captain
believes that the culprlt will be found
out through the Insurance policies.
You cannot tell how surprised I was
to hear him mention ventana's name
In connection with IT,"
"ventana's name!'
The blood ebbed away from Isobels
cheeks, leaving her pallld as a statue
There was n gasp in her voice which
startled her own ears. Lest her agitn-
ton should be noted too keenly she
bent forward and propped her face on
her clinched hands, staring fixedly at
the distant cliffs in supreme effort to
appear apathetic. Elsie heard that dry
sob, but her friends seeming indiffer-
ence misled her.
YES" she said, wondering little
whether or not Christobal's yelled hint
regarding n bygonc tenderness between
the two might account for Isobcrs hys-
ships breakdown. SO, bordering m
spoken thoughts the while. she told the
others exactly what Tollcmache. Chris
tobnl and Courtcnay had said and even
revealed ., them that which Courtenay
himself did not yet know,
you rcmcm Der the poor fellow who
got into trouble soon after we sailed
from Valparaiso" she said. Ills name
Is Frnscuelo. he was wounded again
In last nights fight but not seriously,
and he and I are quite chums. lie as
surcs me that he was drugged by a
man named lose AnaclctO. who took
his place among the coal trmmers"-
"Oh. Miss Maxwell, come quick
screamed Mrs. Somervillc, for Isobel
had lurchcd sideways out Of her chair
in fainting fit, end the missionary
wife was barely able TO save her head
from striking the ships rails.
Joey was shot out Of Elsic's lap with
such surprising speed that he trotted
away without any exhibition Of lame
ness. He was quite disgusted for at
least five minutes, but 1t is reasonable
to suppose that q dog of his intelli-
gence would brighten up when he
heard the wholly unlocked for story
which Chrlstobal was translating to
Courtenay word for word us it was
dragged hesitatlngly ont of Suarez.
The Argentine miner had been badly
Injured during the struggle for posses
sion Of the promenade deck. Owing &c
loss Of consciousness. supplemented by
an awkward fnll, he might have chok
| ed to death had he not been rescued
within a few minutes. He was very III
all night. and Il was not until midday
that lie recovered sufficient strength tc
able him to question the Indians or
board.
| Courtenay wished specially to fine
out what chance, If any, there was OF
the Alaculof attack being renewed.
1t was obvious that some OF the
manned Indians recognized Suarez
/ Notwithstanding his changed appear
ance, the instant he spoke to them. Al
once they broke out into an excited
chattering, and Suarez was so discon
certed by the tidings they conveyed
that he stamnered a good deal ant
seemed to founder In giving the Span
fish rendering.
"This fellow Is telling us just n:
much as he thinks IT is good for us t.
know" said Courtenav sternly wher
the interpreter avoided his accusing
gaze. bid him out with the whole
truth. Christobal, or It shall be hi
pleasing task to escort his dear friend!
back to their family circles"
Being detected. Suarez fatercd n
longer. A ships lifcboat had beef
driven ashore lower down the coast
Fourteen men had landed. They wer
captured by the Indians after uselcs
resistance In which three were killed
The dead men supplied a ghoulisl
feast next day, and the others wer
bound securely and placed in cav
In order to lie killed at intervals, a.
exact parallel to the fate Of Suarez'
own companions five years earlier.
But on this occasion woman inter
vened. Suarez confessed very reluc
family that there was girl in tn
tribe to whom he had taught SON
words Of his own language, n
declared that the relations betwee
them were those of master and sery
ant. but the poor creature had falle
In love with him and had become neal
ly frantic with grief when he dlsar
penred. 1t was difficult to analyze he
motives, but she had undoubtedly free
the eleven sailors and led them owe
the rocks at low water to a cave o
Guanaco hill, believed by the Indian
TO be haunted. The Indians dared nc
follow, but they took good care tina
no canoes were obtainable in whc
the unhappy fugitives could reach tn
ship. and they We're confident tina
huLger would soon drive them forth
Courtenay's brow became black wit
anger when he understood the signif
canoe of this staggering story.
ut comes to this" he said to Chris
tobal. "The lpen who got away fror
the Kansas in No. lifeboat fell int
the hands of the snvnges early on III
day or the ships arrival here, Suaro
slipped his cable that night, bcin
aware of the time that eleven whit
cnptives were still alive. Yet he sal
no word. not even when he heard tina
we had seen one OF the boats waite
casks in a canoe, What sort Of mea
hound can he be-"
Suarez needed no translation I
grasp the purport Of Courtenay'
words. He besought the senior captai
to have patience with him. He ha
escaped from living tomb and fel
| hn hn ~ ,talI 1T. 90 tl.x