Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1910-12-08
CHAPTER VII.
CROSS PURPOSES.

4" HOUGH Iris gave such varlike
n counsel. it would be doing her
81 d grave injustice to assume that
her gentle disposition was
changed because Of the days suffer
ings. The erstvhile light hearted
schoolgirl and youthful mistress OF
her uncle's house had been subjected
To dynamic influences. The ordeal
through which she had passed, un-
scathed blLiy. but scared in spirit,
had left her strung to tense pitch.
OF course in this present clash Of
emotions Iris little understood what
her advice really meant. She was ap-
pealing to heaven rather than to the
force OF arms.
Oddly enough, the only professional
soldier present condemned her project
ruundly when il was mooted-
In leaving the island tonight you
are acting CT an assumption" protest
ed Captain san Benavides to his chief.
"You cannot De sure that the Andros-
y-AIela will not appear. The arrange
ment is that she is to send boat here
soon after midnight, yet II this mad
scheme OF an attack on armed troops
by unarmed men is persisted in we
must begin to ferry TO the island long
before that hour. In all probability we
shall be discovered at once. At the
very moment that our friends are
eagerly awaiting US on board the ship
we may be lying dead on the island.
The notion Il preposterous. Be guided
by me, Dom Corria, and decline to
have anything to do with it. Better
still, let these English Doors promise
TO forget that we are alive. Then Mar
Gel can guide them to the landing
place, where they win be shot speed
ily and comfortably. There is no
sense in sacrificing the girl. She must
be kept here on some pretext"
The eI-president took thought before
he answered
II fear we must fall In with our
allies views, faute de mieuI You
and l have 10 lead q headstrOng army.
That little Hercules Of a commander
Is stubborn as muie-a mule that has
the strength and courage Of a wild
boar. The younger man thinks only Of
the girls safety. He, az least. will not
consent 10 leave her. Both, backed by
their crew. will not scrupIe to sacrifice
US II their interests point that way.
Trust me TO twist them into the course
that shall best serve our own needs. 1
am now going to tell them that you ap-
prove Of their plan"
Ha Iano- ia- xl-prs slorrlr Tho heat
was intense Even the hardened sail
ors soon found that Il the atmosphere
OF the cavern were 10 remain endura-
bic they might not smoke. So pipes
were extinguished.
Unhappny Iris answered In French
some simple query Of the dapper OIL
GERS. Thenceforth, to her great be-
wIlderment and Hozier's manifest an
noyanee, he pestered her with compli-
rlents and inquiries To avoid both
she expressed longing for sleep.
When she awOke the rayine was IN
shadow and the interior Of the cave
was dark Her first conscious sensa-
ton was that Of almost intOlerable
thirst. Nevertheless she cried invoiun-
tarily for water, and again she was
offered wine. She managed TO smile
in q strained fashion at this malicious
humor OF fortune
Hozier, who had aroused her by
touching her shoulder, fancied he saw
the gieam OF merriment In her face
IF there Is no hitch in our plans" !"
he said, I'VE should be on the island
within i've hours. We have every