The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-23
CHAPTER XVI.
Confronted,


AT these appalling words the strength
seemed all at once TO go out of the
man S arm. Heavily, but not with pur-
poseful ungentleness, he slowly set
1nngford down upon his feet on the
. sand
.'You brutei' cried the other man,
trembling with impotent anger.
There was nothing that he could do
personally, If he had possessed a
weapon he would have killed the is
lander, but he was unarmed and help
. less. Therefore he turned toward the
beach and called to his men. They had
seen the sudden attack and were al
ready running across the sands.
sr' Mo- said the woman, that word
truth, and vet not all. She turned to
her companion Of The island Man,
she said. "you have loved me, You
musj hear what | have 10 say
''You have said that il was true,
he muttered hoarsely. And the man
who has said it lives. Lives!
His voice rose TO Il cry. lie turned
toward Laneford again. But by this
lime the six blue jackets who made up
the gigs crew were close at hand.
= "Halcy,f cried Langford to the cox
swain, ':scizc that brute yonder,
and
> The woman was still wearing the
knife that she habituallv carried: She
used il often aud kept the blade bright
and of keen edge. She whipped it out
on the instant, her civilization falling
from her like discarded garment when
the man she loved was threatened.
-'Let no one Law hand upon him,
she cried, aflame TO defend him. !
swear that | viii drive il into my
own heart if he be touched. -
Give me the knife said her com
panion, suddenly,
Before she could prevent him, he
whipped ii out Of her hand.
"And now he said, springing TO-
ward the huddled group of sailors. the
bright blade lifted (Which of you will
touch mc?'
The men shrank back. There was
something so furious in the aspect of
thc man. his power was so evident and
his temper as well, that none wished
20 prccipitate the fray.
II appeal to you,' said the woman,
furning To Langford,, send back the
wrn. 4 moment since | saved your
Fife word from me, and he swould
have thrown you from him and brok-
IN your back. BE generous, You
must And this man shall give me a
hearing. You are safe from him, /
promise YOU.
What might have been the result OF
this appeal can never lie determined,
for. at that moment a new factor en-.
tered upon the scene, q factor whose
presence was as surprising and nneN-
pccted as il was deicrminativc. From
ont TO sea, vet near al hand. came
muffled dctonation, the roar OF heavy
gun Around one Of the hcadlands that
rose on that side of the island there
swept the white sides Of another great
ship beside which the Yacht. imposing
though she was. was a toy Jt was the
woman who saw il first.
'>Lookn she cried. "a ship Of war,
n cruiser. See, from her staff the flag
of the United States. This land is
American. ] claim II by right of dis
coverv. Lay but hand upon this man.
and | VIII have YOU hanged for mur
der, Langford. They see us there.
Their glasses have searched the shore.
They have seen this encounter. That
gun was "a warning. 4 boat puts off.
Thank God. We are saved from you. y
Things bad transpired even as she
said. What the cruiser was dong in
those seas. how happened she TO be
there were things rs vet unknown, bnt
that she was there was apparent She
had approached the island from the
further side. and had sailed around it
Her men had observed the encounter
on the shore, which seemed to be be-
tween natives and persons from The
Yacht, which was in plain view lit
tie farther out TO sen. and the gun
had been fired to call attention to the
power Of the United States
This put an entirely new face on the
whole affair. Matters were taken ont
Of the hands Of the parties TO the quar-
rel The law had como To the island.
The islander did not, could not know it,
bul bis bafflcd antagonist realized it
immediately. So did tho woman. At
Langfovd 5 command. his men, much be-
wildcrod at the scene they had wit
messed went back to their boat. He
himself presently followed after. and
stood upon the strand awaiting the ap-
preach of the heavy man-of war cutter
which had been put away from the
white cruisers side.
Man. she said, softly. ''this is
what | had 20 tell you. -
He nodded. \ hollow eroan burst
from his lips.
His mistress, - he muttered, brok-
cnly.
''I would not have had you learn
in this way, and now that you have
heard so much. You must hear more, -
she went on, not sparing herself, though
word. She was dealing with more seri~
Gus things than words now, bitter
though they might he. "'That ship.
which is the ship Of our country, stands
for law AS his for license. was more
sinned against than SHINING. When
you have heard all, then you shall
Judge. This is the test
'1Would God that il had never been
laid upon me, said the man, honrsely
''Would God that the beacon had not
been lighted on the hill"
FNay,' returned the woman, gently.
chats past praying for. Decision
rests with you, but you must not pass
IT until You have heard the whole story.
The world holds me stained, polluted,
it may he said but | am not the sin
rer that il thinks me or he portrays. -
"You said il was true doggedly
cried the man
. Is Yes but not all true. -
- And ! had him in my hands and
still he lives.
"'Won't you hear me!' pleaded the
woman.
., The man shook her of and turned
away. The very innocence which had
prevented his understanding at first
The charge made it the more hidcous
when comprehension came. He had
1oypd this woman with a love that