Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-01-16
CHAPTER III.-lcontinued.l

ent stress. hut the idea of the girl being
In the shadow of danger took all the
relish from the work.
II should prefer to hear you discuss the
treachery of volcanoes outside of the fire
xone," she said, shivering. TITS like
listening to ghost stories in a haunted
house"
"Ill tell you the best way out Of It,"
be declared. 81 don't say that Pelee is
about to rise and rend Saint Pierre, but
] want to take you all out to sea for
few days The Madame will behave her
prettiest with you on board"
IL can't imagine anything finer, but
you know mother is not a graceful sail
or"
UNFORTUNATELY, any effort of mine to
prevail upon her might spoil Matters"
Constable said.
"Oh, | don't think that she replied;
''but 1t will be something of a conquest
for any one to shake her trust In Pelee.
Still. III do what can"
'And I'll begin work tonight upon
Uncle Joey. By the way, Miss STAINS
bury" he added in lowered voice, don't
you think that If l chose to stay here in
Saint Pierre, your mother might consent
more willingly to try a few days on the
Madame2 You know Pelee is more than
ever interesting to me now"
THAT would be entirely unthinkable,"
she replied hastily.
Pelee rumbled again, and the girls fin
gers frightened upon his arm. The heavy
wooden shutters Of the plantation house
ratified in the MINDLESS night; the ground
upon which they stood seemed to vince,
at the monsters pain. The man was con
scous Of the fragrance Of roses and mag
nolia blooms above the acrid faint Of the
air. 1t was as il, through some strange
freak of the atmosphere, a pressure was
exerted upon the flowers, forcing a sud-
den expulsion of perfume. The young
moon was o elbow, formless blotch In the
fouled sky. A sigh like the whlmpering
of a sick child was audible from the Ser
wants cabins behind the big house.
"You'lr plead with your mother to-
night?' he whispered. as they walked
back.
Mrs. stansbnry was on the porch. Her
nicely modulated voice, as she spoke to
her daughter, struck Constable with a
cold force. The women went Indoors.
Breen and Uncle Joey were in CONVERSE
ton, Uoaist able drew bfsy' chair ~io the
north end Of the. porch, and facet the
mountain-a vast black beast couchant
under the dim stars. Since he had gazed
IN that direction from the ship the night
before, the whole purpose of his life had
changed Then he had asked no sweeter
favor of the Fates than to be permitted
to observe the giants struggle to contain
Al. g.. - IL. l. III ..xl.t Re
were magnetized by a new substance
the substance of fear. Self, the tribune
Of all his reekonings heretofore, had been
lifted from his brain. as a familiar vol
ume Isl lifted from its case.
II knew it," he muttered. II knew II
ave years ago--that l should come back
here some day, look upon that girl. and
become a raver like other men. To think
that | could stay away from her year
at a time !" Sg4s .-
He regarded the double chain of lights
out in the barbor-the Madame pulling
at her moorings among the lesser craft
like a lustrous empress In the midst OF
dusky maid-servants. Between the black
mountain and the illumined ship stretched
a battle. 1t was his own particular bat.
tie. lis name was called from the lists
To win was to run away. The old mas
tering complication was his at last. Yes.
terday a splendid contribution to the i'm
perfect records of seismology, such as
was now within his grasp, was identified
with his highest ambition. To-day the
safety of the woman lowered above it
as the dome of st. Peters above tn,
head OF tourist. Iiewas afraid of Pc
lee. Breen drew over to him and sal
Gown upon the railing.
"Whafs on your mind, Peter2"
"a mountain" said Constable.
Rain did not fall in the night, ant
Constable was abroad with the dawn
regarding the white world and the sourc,
Of the phenomenon, with the sketchy
tints of earliest morning upon the hug,
eastern slope He had slept little, anC
that with his face turned to the north
He would scarcely close his eyes before
q cortege of volcanoes would pass befor,
him, as In a dream-all the destroyer
Of history, each with vivid individuality
like the types of faces of all nations
the story of each, and the smear 1t has
~ade OF men and the works OF men.
Most OF them had given warning. Pc
lee was warning now. His warning wa
written upon The veins Of every leaf
painted upon the curve Of every blade o
grass sheeted evenly white upon the tile
of every roof. Gray dust blown by steau
from the bursting quarries of the noun
tain, cloggng the cutters of the city. an,
the threats of menl 1t was a moving
white cloud in the rivers. ohaIky shad
ing that marked the highest reach Of tn
barh0r tide. Unsettled in the hair Of tn
children. and complicated the toll Of tn
bees in the nectat-cups Of the roses Wit
league-long cerements. and In voice tina
caused to trembe his dwarfed eohort,
the hills and. mornes. great Pelee ha
proclaimed his warning in the night
Constable was standing 10 the garden
'Good old Vulcan. TO wait for her y b
nurnured. Sit tight for another da,
ard keep stiff brfdle-arm-for one NOR
day."
1T isn't really ash. you know"
found himself saying at breakfast, "bu
rock ground as fine as neat and shot OF
by steam through Pelees valves"
How intensely graphicl" Mrs Stan'