Manchester Democrat., 1909-11-17

dreadful beautiful, hate
,ul, happy island. Am not too silly?"
She was speaking rapidly, almost hys-
nervous, Pickering smile on
her face.
Dear one" he said gently, "the
yacht will come. If 1t should not come
.oday my cruisers will forestall its mis-
sion. AS sure as there is sen those
cruisers will come" She looked into |
his eyes intently, as if afraid of some
thing there. "Oh, I'm not mad" he
laughed. you brought cruiser to
me one day. I'll bring one to you in
return. Well be quits"
"Quits?" she murmured, hurt by the
word
"Forgive me-" he said, humbled.
"Hollingsworth." she said after a
long, tense scrutiny Of the sea, show
long will you remain on this island?"
perhaps until die--if death should
come soon. If not. then God knows
how long"
Listen to me-" she said intensely.
For my sake you will not stay long
You will come away before they kill
you. You will! Promise me. You will
come-to Paris? Some day, dear heart?
Promisew
ITO Paris?" he said, shaking kis
head sadly. "No, dearest one. Net
now. Listen: have in my bag up
stairs an offer from a great American
corporation. My headquarters would be
in Paris. My duties would begin us
soon rs my contract with Sir John
Brodney expires. The position is lu-
crative one; it presents unlimited op-
portunities. am comparatively poor
man. The letter was forwarded to me
by Sir John. l have year in which
to decide"
And you-you will decliney' she
asked.
Yes. shall go back to America,
where there are no princesses of royal
blood. Paris is no place. for the dis
appointed, CASTOR lover. l can't go
there. | love you too madly. I'd go on
loving you, and you, good as you are
would go on loving me. There Is no
telling what would come of it. 1t will
be hard for me toto stay away from
Paris-desperately hard. Sometimes l
feel that will not be strong enough
to do it, Genevra.''
But Paris is huge, Hollingsworth, -
she argued insistently, an eager, i'm
pelling light in her eyes. 1--WE would
be as far apart as If the ocean were
between U.S."
"Ah, but would we?' he demanded.
''It is almost unheard of for an
American to gain entree to our-to the
set in which-well. you understand"
she said, blushing painfully in the
consciousness that she was touching
his pride. He smiled sadly.
"My dear. you will do me the honor
to remember that / am not trying to
get into your set. am trying to in
duce you to come into mine. You won't
be tempted, SO that's the end of it.
Beastly day, isn't it?" He uttered the
trite commonplace as If no other
thought than that of the weather had
been in his mind. "By the way he
resumed, with most genial smile,
AoA s'oAiiS iuSSAs uhlldoCullIc ISuSUu /
took it into my head last night to
worry about the brides trousseau.
How are you going to manage it If
You are unable to leave the island un.
til-well. say June?"
She returned his smile with one MS
sweetly detached as his had been.
catching his spirit. $50 good of you to
c.l,A Il Il
checks. "You forget that have post
poned trousseau ut home. A few stitch
es here and there, an alteration or two,
some smart summer gowns and hats
Oh. 1t will be so simple! What is it?
What do you see?"
He was looking eagerly. intently to-
ward the long. low headland beyond
the town of Arafat.
"The smoke! See? Close inshore
too! BY heaven. Genevra, there's a
steamer off there. She's small one
or she wouldn't run in SO close. lit
may be the yacht! Wait! Well soon
see. She'll pass the point in few
minutes
Already the citizens of the town
were rushing to the pier. Even before
the vessel turned the point the watch
| ers at the chateau witnessed most
| amazing performance on the dock.
Half hundred natives dropped down
as If stricken. scattering themselves
along the narrow pier.
The people were Stimulating death!
They were posing as the victims of
| the plague that infested the land! AS
he was explaining the ruse to his mys.
titled companion the nose of the vessel
came out from behind the tree covered
| point.
An instant later they were sending
wild cries of joy through the chateau,
and people were rushing toward them
| from all quarters.
! The trim white thing that glided
across the harbor, graceful as bird
was the marquis yacht!
1t is needless to describe the Joyous
| gale that swept the chateau into a
maelstrom of emotions.
| They saw the tug put out to meet the
small boat; they witnessed the same
old maneuvers; they sustained chill
of surprise and despair when the
bright white and blue boat from the
yacht came to stop at the command
from the tug.
i There was an hour of parleying
The beleagured ones signaled with de.
spairing energy. The flag. limp in the
damp air above the chateau. shot up
and down in pitiful eagerness.
But the small boat edged away from
close proximity to the tug and the
nearby dock. They spoke each Other
at lelg snd ever widening range Al
last the yachts boat turned and fed
toward the trim white hull. ~