Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-15
Copyright. 1908.
By Arthur w. Marchmont.
All rights reserved.

of course. but II the thing leaked out to
the others there would be the devil to
pay. and no small bill either.
His news about the means by which L
had escaped from Murito had already set
every one agape. and Molta had sheaf
of curious questions. / did not go TO the
farmstead for my evening meal. but she
sought me in my hut.
You are not still angry. Beppo?" she
said. with a great change in her manner.
You accused me of lying. Molta. l do
not forget
Il am sorry. l spoke in hot haste. For
give me. l know now. by the news which
Julius has brought that there was no
truth in the charge that you betrayed us.
Let everything be with us as ii has al
ways been. The meal is ready. You
won't refuse to eat with me-?
l made no response to her advance. l
did not wish to be reconciled TO her, and
than her caresseS.
"Beppo? You will not let a hot word
come between us she cried. laying her
hand on my arm. / shook 1T off. impa-
tently. Why are you now so hard
with me? Have you CEASED to care? Why
is there no longer in your eyes the light
that used to answer the love in mine
Your hand never fingers in mine. There
Is no careSs in your touch: no warmth IN
Your kisses. You seem to shun me. as If
me dlstasteful, TO leave me a pleasure.
Would you break my heart?''
l looked at her cOldly. You forget.
Molta. 1t is but an hour or two since you
held the lash over me. bidding me re-
member that you ruled here in your
brothers absence ordering me to obey
you AS if l. Beppo Serrano. were to
cringe at your feet and vince like a
hound at your anger. Am / man TO
fawn on the hand that threatens? And
as if that were not enough. you told me
l lied
Il spoke in haste she broke in.
Spoke? 1t is not the word which
Anglers. but the thought that prompts it.
You listened to ISLANDERS about me and
all the love of which you pirate so glibly
could not stay you from setting me no
higher than traitor
Have | not told you | am sorry. and
asked you to forgive? What more can l
do?"
Il will try to forgive. but | am not so
fashioned that I can gaze one moment at
the sun and revel in its brightness and
next close my eyes and forget that it is
shining.
Il was but jealous. Beppo: jealous of
the woman l feared was winning you
from me. L am only a woman in my
love, and my love made me jealous. The
thought that you even cared enough for
her to take that risk yesterday maddened
me till l wronged you in my passion.
There was no other thought behind the
words than that. l could not think so ill
of you. Beppo. Forgive me. and l will
seek to stif1e all those prOmptings of a
miserable jealousy. All. you cannot drea m
what torture it was. Forgive me, and
let us be happy once again as we used
and holding her arms wide she came to-
ward me-
/ stepped back and shook my head. Il
cannot SO easily forget
Mother of heaven. how can you look
at me- SO cOldly?" she cried. and clasping
her hands to her face distractedly she
rushed out of the hut.
Had 1 carried matters with too high a
hand in repulsng her advances? l knew
her temper we'll enough. She had admit
ter her jealousy of Masita. Would she
visit her wrath upon her? The thought
prompted me for moment to follow and
patch up peace. and l started to obey
it. But / turned back l could trust my
self to protect Masita. and the prospect
of a scene of soldering reconciliation
sickened me.
Agapa brought my food and wished to
resume our talk of Masita, but | cut her
short, making bad blunder as it turned
out, and sent her off. and as soon as l
had eaten went to relieve Breva.
He and Pepita had been discussing Ma
sitas escape. They had already made a
plan. On the following morning. while
] was sleeping. they proposed to let Ma
sta leave the fort. and have a boat ready
for julius TO carry her across to the
mainland. Masita herself had suggested
the outlines and had preached it to her
brother, telling him that the two were
willing to help.
I vetoed it at once. ut is madness.
Breva. How can you and Pepita face
Beltano's anger? You are like children.
Masita must cross in the night. or she
would be seen and stopped. 1t is l who
must answer to Beltano. Let it be to-
night
afraid of Beltano. and Agapa has made
him promise to see her again. he replied.
THAT she may learn all that passes
between the two. She will help. not
hinder the thing. She has already sounded
me, but Julius is a coward and his fear
is at the bottom of this hesitation. Can
Agapa prevail with him.
He is more coward than fool" re-
piled Breva. shrewdly. And if he gains
so much as hint of Agapa's real pur-
pose. he will not stir finger"
Then nothing can be done tonight, and
we must see what the morning brings,
but you must do nothing without me-
Breva.' and with that l sent him away.
When he relieved me the next morning
l repeated my Injunction that the attempt
must be made at night. and went to my
hut. i slept only an hour or two, and
soon found that julius was very luke
warm on Masita's account.
Agapa brought me my breakfast. and
as she set it down she asked. sharply:
who has been talking to Julius about
me and Beltano. Beppo? Do l owe it to
your
why should I NEEDLE in your mat
ters? have not spoken. What is
wrong?"
You needed what | said yesterday
about Masita. He told me what had
been arranged and that she should leave
today with him. But he swears he will
not go unless l marry him first.
Settle your own quarrels. Agapa. l
have enough Of my own to worry me-"
replied.
What will you do now about Masita %
she asked, after pause.
1t was not to be thought of that l
should tell her my plans, so l went on
with my meal in silence.
"Beltano will be here the day after to-
morrow with the priest. Beppo.' l looked
up and nodded. My silence irritated her.
Don't you mean to do anything" she
asked, angrily.
1 smiled. Am I a priest to marry you
and Julius? Or how shall I force him
when even you cannot? He is not in love
with me. nor l with him, indeed
DO you mean to do anything?" she
asked again. vehemently.
why lose your temper with me be-
cause he won't do what you tell him."
Her face famed with passion and her
lips went up in her distorting snarl II
will find the means" she said, viciously;
land when have found it, remember you
have driven me 10 it, and she flung
away in a rage.
Her temper, good or ill, was nothng to
me. so l finished my breakfast and
thought over the position. l was conf
dent that she would try to persuade julius
Gov ar1 nit |, he fta,