Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-08

|
face. his own visage saturnine and
menacing. Marsh retreated a step,
chnttering excitedly. Then Cherry's
voice came clearly to the listeners:
ut Is too Int now. Mr.. Marsh. You
may as we'll face the music"
Followed by the stares Of the sailors,
she came up the deck tc,ward the old
man and his daughter. who had
arisen. the Indian girl clnging to her
sleeve. the tall breed striding noise.
lessly behind Willis Marsh came with
them. his white lips writing. his face
like putty. He made futile OBTAINING
grasps at Constantine. and in the ST..
lence that suddenly descended upon
the ship they heard him whispering.
What is the meaning Of this?' de-.
mnnded Mr.. Wnyland.
II heard you were about to SAIL so I
came out TO sec You before
Marsh broke in hoarsely: shes a
bad woman! She has come here for
blackmail"
"Blackmnil!" cried Wayne wayland
II thought as much.
That's her game. She wants
money!
! Cherry shrugged her shoulders and
showed her white teeth in smile.
MIR. Marsh anticipates slightly
You may Judge IL he is right"
Marsh started to speak. but Mildred
Wayland. who had been watching him
! in'entIy. was before him.
/ who sent you here. miss?"
NO one sent me. II Mr.. Marsh will
stop his chatter can make myself
understood"
! Don't listen to her"
Cherry turned upon him swiftly
you've got to face it. so you may as
we'll keep still"
/ lie fell silent.
We heard that Mr.. Marsh was 20
Ing away with you and | came to asl:
him for enough money to support his
child while he is gone"
| His child" Wayne Wayiand turned
upon his daughters fiancp with a face
Of stern surprise willis. tell her She
is lying"
Shes lving!" Marsh repeated obedi-
emily. but they saw the truth in his
face.
Cherry spoke directly to Miss Way
land now II have supported this little
Sellow and his mother for year" She
indicated the red haired youngster in
Constantines arms. That is all care
to do. When you arrived Mr.. Marsh
| induced Chakawana to take the baby
up river to fishing camp and stay
there until you had gone. But Con
stantne heard that he intended to
marry you. and. hearing also that he
intended leaving tonight, Constantine
brought his sister back in the hope
that Mr.. Marsh would do what Is
right. You see. he promised to marry
Chakawana long before he met you"
| Mildred could have done murder at
the expression she saw in Cherry's
face. The woman she had scorned had
BUNDLED her in earnest. With fash
ing eyes she turned upon her father.
"Since you were SO prompt in an
nouncing my engagement. perhaps you
tan deny 1t with equal promptness."
Good God! What a scandal II this
Is truer' Wayne Wayland wiped his
forehead.
"Oh, it's true" said Cherry.
In the silence that followed the child
struggled out Of Constantine's arms
and stood beside his mother. the better
to inspect these strangers His little
face was griny: his clothes. cut in the
native fashion. were poor and not very
| clean. Yet he was more white than
Aleut, and no one seeing him could
doubt his parentage. The seamen had
left their posts and were watching
with such absorption that they failed
to see a skin with n single oarsman
swing past the stern Of the Grande
Dame and make fast to the landing
Still unobserved. the man mounted the
companionway swiftly.
For once IN his life Wayne Wayland
was too confused for definite speech.
Willis Marsh stood helpless.
Don't believe her, he broke out.
"She is lying to protect her own