The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-18
nously, "donT repeat the gossip you pick up when Pm not around
CHAPTER xxx.

CHAPTER xxx.
 THE TWO WORLDS.
 1.-Two days and nights crept slowly
 into the past, and now the
 white people of the chateau had
 come to the eve of their last days stay on the island of Japat- The probationary period would expire with the sun on the following day, the an niversary of the death of Tasweu Skaggs. The six months set aside by the testator as sufficient for all the re- quirements of Cupid were to come to an inglorious end at o'clock on March 29. According to the will, if Agnes Ruthven and Robert Browne were not married to each other before the close of that day all of their rights in the estate were lost to them.
 Tomorrow would be the last day or residence required. But, alack, was it to be the last that they were to spend in the world forsaken land?
 No later than that morning steam era small Dutch freighter-had come to a stop of the harbor, but it turned tail and fled within an hour. No one came ashore. The malevolent tug went out and turned back the landing party which was ready to leave the ships side The watchers in the. cha teau knew what it was that the tugs captain shouted through his trumpet at safe distance from the steamer. The black and yellow flags at the end of the company's pier lent color to grewsome story. The hopeless look deepened in the eyes of the watchers. Hollingsworth Chase alone maintain ed stubborn air of confidence and unconcern. Don't be downhearted, Bowles,'' he | said to the moping British agent. You'll soon be managing the bank again and patronizinS the American bar with the same old regularity" There had been several vicious as saults upon the gates by the fnfuriated | islanders during the day following the rescue of the heirs. Some powerful in fuence suddenly exerted itself to re store them to state of calmness. | They withdrew to the town, apparent ly defeated The cause was obvious l Rasula had convinced them that death already was lifting his hand to blot out the lives of those who opposed | them. Bobby Browne was accomplishing wonders in the laboratory. He seldom | WAc SCGA sO4S6A4C tAC NAAStAAAAA8 AOOAAs His assiduity was marked, if not com | mented upon. Hour after hour be stood watch oyer the water that went up in vapor and returned to the crystal I liquid that was more precious than rubies and sapphires. DrusilIa kept close to his side dur | ing these opera tfons She seemed afraid or sshamed to join the others She avoided Lady Deppfngham as completely as possible; Her effort to be friendly when they were thrown l together was almost pitiab1e.
 | As for Lady Agnes, she seemed l stricken by an unconquerable lassi- tude. The spirits that had controlled her voice, her look, her movements, were sadly missing. More than once Genevra had caught her catching Dep bingham with eyes that spoke vol umes. though they were mute and wistful. 1 From time to time the sentjnels brought to Lord Deppingham and Chase missives that had been tossed Rasula. They were written by the leader himself and in every instance expressed deepest sympathy for the | s4
 'There's paucity of real news in l these gentle messages that annoys me-" Chase said after reading aloud the last of the epistles to the princess and the Deppingha ms. q rejoice in my heart that he isn't aware of the true state of affairs He doesn't ap- preciate the real calamity that con fronts us. The plague7 Poison? Mere piff1e If he, only knew thai I am now smoking my 1ast-the last-cigarette on the place!"
 -T believe xou would die more cer- l tainly from lack of cigarettes than I from an overabundance of poison 7 the stock she had hoarded up for him in her dressing table drawer, under lock and key.
 'T say, Chase, can't you just see I Rasula's face when he learns that we've been drinking the water all | along and haven't passed away P cried DeppinShan,.
 "And to think MT. Chase, we once called you the enemy" said Lady Agnes in low, dreamy voice.
 'I appear to have outlived my use fuiness in that respect he said. He tossed the stub of his cigarette over the balcony rail AGoodbyv, he said, l with melancholy emphasis. Then he bent an fnquiring look upon the face of the princess.
 ''Yes." she said, as if he had asked the question aloud. You shall have three day. that's all.'
 gro be Continued,
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