Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-26

By Arthur W. Marchmont,
Author of
A Dash for a Throne"

fernal business. Well have him out in a
| minute or two at most. Now. Agapa."
| And then the truth came out. Agapa
had won over Beltano. or he had fooled
] her to believe as much. and she had CONS
| to betray me into his hands.
Repeat your oath before JUAN" she
| you needn't doubt me- he replied.
and then turned toward me. "Agapa has
! been in league with Beppo. Juan. ana
warned him today that I had not left the
| island and she has promised to have the
boat ready for him to escape tonight.
That is why he made no attempt to leave
| before when we were prepared for him.
| She is going now to tell him that every
things ready and bring him out. In re-
make her my wife. The others know
! this"
81 am satisfied" said Agapa. and i'm
| mediately started toward the building.
cape" said Beltano to me in a low voice.
Pedro. Ahmet and Drake will be up in a
| minute Ahmet will seize the signorina.
| and we four, Beppo. If he gives too
| much trouble thrust knife into him.
the treacherous dog" he added. with a
vicious oath.
1t was an ugly mess in all truth. and
the worst of the thing was that even If
| we reached the landing stage there would
after all he no boat ready for us. What
Again the thought came to me to rush
back to the building and face the risk of
remaining there and holding out as long
as possible even against the help for
which Beltano had sent
Masita would be waiting at the door,
might even have 1t open, in which case
Agapa would get in and have Masita in
her power.
"why the devil don't you speak. Juanr'
growled Beltano. irritated at my silence
or suspicious of it, and coming up close
to me-
Then we heard Agapa's voice calling to
me:
"Beppo, Beppo!".
Beltano held up his hand. signaling to
me to be silent while we waited for the
reply to her call.
And in the silence. as II the matter
were not bad enough already. the injured
| man in the brushwood groaned.
whats that?" said Beltano. under
his breath. as he turned his head quickly
in the direction of the sound.
saw my chance and took 1t. Clubbing
my musket 1 brought 1t down with
crashing force on his head. He fell like a
stunned OK. and. having made sure that
he was senseless. I darted up the path
and met Agapa, who had heard the blow
and came rushing down to learn the
reason.
1t was ugly work to have to raise my
hands against a woman, but there was
no alternative. If we were to escape she
must be silenced. so I caught hold Of her
and, clapping my hand to her mouth.
dragged her back to the fort.
Masita was waiting. and had the door
wide open in the belief that Agapa had
been sent by me. Quick. Masita." ex-
claimed. using her name in my excite
ment. Take the key out and put it in
the other side"
1 kept my grip Of Agapa while this
was done. and then. pushing her away
into the building. closed and locked the
door and threw the key away.
'.She has betrayed u.s. I explained to
Masita. as we ran down the path. she
brought Beltano here and was to lure us
out while he and the rest waited for us
at the turn of the path. But / knocked
him on the head, and he won't give us
any more trouble.
At that moment Agapa began to scream
violently. She had run UP to one Of the
windows and was yelling at the top Of
her voice to alarm the rest Of the men,
and soon l heard them running toward
us at full speed.
1 drew Masita back into the shelter of
some bushes. and there we crouched until
they had passed, and then made for the
landing stage at full speed.
There wasn't a second to lose. The
heard from Agapa what had occurred
they would rush down to the boats to
stop us. and urged Masita forward. and
at last took her hand and half dragged
her on.
At the top Of the path leading down to
the boat / stopped and sent her forward
gave her my knife to cut the rope hold
ing 1t to the stage, and told her to call
to me If the oars were in 1t. Start with
out them we could not. of course, and If
they were not there 1 must get them
| somehow. If L had to shoot every man on
the island first. And the spot where
stood would give me a greater advantage
in fight than any other.
My heart beat fast as waited for her
| voice.
There is nothing in the boat" she
called. and even as she spoke I heard
the sounds of our pursuers.
/ crouched out of sight and waited Get
away I would, at any cost. I swore that
to myself. and I took out my revolver
resolved to shoot the first man who
showed himself clearly enough to make
my aim certain. They were seeking my
| life, and to defend that I would take
theirs without scruple.
Then another sound reached me from
the direction Of the farmstead. Others
were evidently coming from there to take
a hand in the matter. and kept shifting
my eyes from one direction to the other.
searching the darkness for the first sign
of our pursuers. I was at bay and as
utterly reckless in reality now as ever
Beppo Serrano had been believed to be.
| The first conner was from the farm
| stead. and as 1 caught sight Of his figure
| through the gloom l raised my weapon
| to take careful aim.