Putnam patriot., 1909-12-03

 , The Man \ From | By GEORGE BARR Il MCUTCRE0N
 Copyright. 1908. by Dodd. Mead U q Co.
Copyright. 1908. by Dodd. Meae
 O Co.

Suia b8u aWdIe LII tue laCt tndt you overheard what he said to his man. Then. even now. in spite of your es. cape. be believes that we may 70 on drinking the water without in the least suspecting what 1t has in store for -. Good! That's why I gay the joke b on him. Browne, you are . doctor. . chemist. We'll ven distill and double and triple distill the water. That's ali. A schoolboy might have thought of that. It's all right. old man. You're Tagged out. Your brain isn't working we'll Don't look 90 crestfalIen. Mir. Britt. you and MT. Saunders will give immediate instruc- tions that no more water is to bs drunk or used until Mfr Browne has had a few hours rest He can take an alcohol bath. and we can all drink wine. If won't hurt us. At 10 o'clock sharp pr. Browne will begin operating the distiiiing apparatus in the labora- tory. By love. will you listen to the row my clients are making out there in the woodsi 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 aseended 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 tification that filled his soul. you are man. l want you to know that thank you from the bottom of my heart.'
 Never mind. old man. Say no more." interrupted Chase suddenly embarrassed.
 I've been a fool. Chase. I don't de- serve the friendship of any one-net even that of my wife. It's all over. though. You understand? Pm not a coward I'll do anything you say. take my risk. to pay for the trouble I've caused you all. Send me out to fght"-
 s.Nonsensel Your wife needs you. Browne. I dare say that I wouldn't have been above the folly that got the better of you. 0nly'-he hesitat- ed for minute-"onIy it couldn't have happened to me If had a wife as dear and as goed and as pretty as the one you iaye't
 Browne was silent for 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 am concerned. they may have the beastly island and every thing that goes with it. I'm through with it all shah discharge Britt and"-
 My dear boy. it's most magnani nous of your' cried Chase merrfly 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 out her hand to him impul sively. AS he gallantly lifted the cold fingers to his lips she said. without taking her almost hungry gaze from his face: Thank you, MT. Chase. shall never forget yeu.'
 He stood there looking after them as they went up the stairway. a puzzled Oppression in his face.
 q guess he'll be good boy from now on" But he wondered what II was that he had seen or felt in hei somber gaze.
 In fifteen minutes he was sound asleep in his room. his long frame re faxed. his hands wide open in utter fatigue He dreamed of Henner girl with Genevra's brilliant face instead of the vague, greenish features that haunt the vision with their subtle mysticism.
 He was awakened at noon by Selim who obeyed his instructions to the minute The eager Arab rubbed the soreness and stiffness out of his mas ters body with copious applications or alcohol
 I'm sorry you awoke me. selim. said the master enigmatically. Seiim drew back. dismayed. You drove her away. Selim's eyes blinked with be wilderlnent. I'm afraid she'll never come back"
 -ExceIlencyr' trembled on the lips of the mystifed servant
 "Ah. mer' sighed the master resign edly. .She smiled so divineiy. Henner girls never smile, do they. Seiimf Have you noticed that they are always pensivef Perhaps you haven't II doesn't matter. But this one smiled. l say" coming back to earth. nave they begun to distill the water? I've got frightfui thirst"
 Yes, excellency. The sahib Browne is at work. One of the servants be- came sick today. Now no one | drink ing the water. BaIIlo is bringing ID ice from the storehouses and melting IL but the supply Is not large. Excel lency. you will take Selim to live win you in Paris?" he said after awniie wistfully. "I will be your slave
 -Parisi Who the dickens said any, thing about Parisf. demanded Chase startled.
 "Neenah says you will go there to live, sahib. Does not the most glorious Frincess live in Parisf"
 seiim. you've been listening to gos' alp. It's frightful habit to get inio' Frt cotton in your ears Bur If were tc take you. what would become or As ue Neenahs-
 -oh. Seenahr" said Seiim easily. She would be q trouble to you excef aney, can sell her to man l kno"- Chase looked blackly at the ease' Afab. who quailed
 You miserable dog"