Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-11-19

tell you. Chase. we can't escape the
diabolical scheme he has arranged.
The water that comes to is from the
springs up there In the hills is to be
poisoned by those devils. l heard
Rasula giving instructions to one of
his ~lieutenants. He thought l was still
unconscious from a blow l received
when l tried to interfere in behalf of
Lady Agnes, who was being roughly
dragged along the mountain road.
Day and night a detachment of men
IRE to be employed at the springs, de-
hberately engaged in the attempt to
change the flow of pure water into a
slow, subtle, deadly poison, the effects
Of which will not be Immediately ia
tai, but positively SO In the course of
q few days. In the end we shall sick
en- and die as with the scourge. They
will call it the plague"
A shudder of horror swept through
the crowd. Every one looked into his
neighbours face with a profound inquir-
Ing light In his eyes, seeking for the
first time evidence of approaching
death.
Hollingsworth Chase uttered a short,
scornful laugh as he unconcernedly.hft
ed a match to n of his precious ciga-
rettes. The others stared at him in
amazement.
"Great God. Chase" groaned Browne,
'is this a joker"
"Yes. and it's on Rasula." said the
other laconically. "You say that Re-
sula Isn't aware of the fact that you
overheard what he said to his
Then, even now, in spite of your es-
cape. he believes that we may go on
drinking the water without in the
least suspecting what 1t has In store
for us. Good! That's why l say the
joke is on him. Browne. you are a
doctor. a chemist. Well. we'll distill
and double and triple distill the water.
That's all. A schoolboy might have
thought of that. It's all right. old
man. You're tagged out. Your brain
Isn't working wen. Don't look SO
crestfallen. Mr.. Britt. you and Mr..
Saunders will give immediate instruc-
lions that no more water Is to be
drunk or used until Mr.. Browne has
had a few hours rest. He can take
IN alcohol bath, and we can all drink
wine. 1t won't hurt us. At 10 o'clock
sharp DR.. Browne will begin operating
the distilling apparatus In the labora-
tory. By Jove, will you listen to the
row my clients are making out there
In the woods! They seem to be an
noyed over something"
Outside the walls the islanders were
shouting and calling to each other.
Rifles were cracking far and near,
voicing In their peculiarly spiteful way
the rage that reigned supreme.
AS Chase assembled the steps Bobby
Browne and his wife came up beside
him.
Chase said Browne in a low voice,
his face turned away to hide the NOR
LITIGATION that filed his soul, "you are
a man! I want you to know that
thank you from the bottom of my
heart"
Never mind, old mani Say no
more" interrupted Chase, suddenly
embarrassed.
i've been a fool, Chase. I don't de-
serve the friendship of any one-not
even that of my wife. It's oil over.
though. You understand? I'm not a
coward. I'll do anything you say. take
any risk. to pay for the trouble I've
caused you all. Send me out to
fight
Nonsense! Your wife needs you.
Browne. | dare say that l wouldn't
have been above the folly that got
the better of you. Only"-he hesitat-
ed for a ~minute-"only it couldn't have
happened to me if had a wife as dear
and as good and as pretty as the n
you have"
Browne was silent for a long time,
his arm still about Drusilla's shoulder.
At the end of the long hall he said,
with decision in his voice:
"Chase, you may tell your clients
that. so far as l am concerned. they
may have the beastly island and every
thing that goes with it. I'm through
with it all. ] shall discharge Britt
and
my dear boy. it's most magnani-
nous of your cried Chase merrily.
"But I'm afraid you can't decide the
question in such an offhand manner.
Take good care of him. Mrs. Browne.
Don't let him talk"
She held u her hand to him impul-
sively. AS he CALAMITY lifted the cold
fingers to his lips she said. without
taking her almost hungry gaze from
his face: THANK you. Mr.. Chase. l
shall never forget you"
He stood there looking after them as
they vent up the stairway. a puzzled
expression In his face.
81 guess he'll be a good boy from
now on" But he wondered what it
vas that he had seen or felt in her
somber gaze.
In fifteen minutes he was sound
asleep in his room. his long frame re-