Mexico Missouri message., 1910-10-06
CHAPTER xx.-contlnued.

And then he discovered that he
wanted her more than he had ever de-
isired her before; that she was more
necessary to him than ever he had
dreamed she would be; that here was
no question Of honor or duty, indeed,
but of love, overwhelming, obsessing.
And then he admitted that she was
purity, even holiness itself; that he
had behaved to her like a cur; that
be had been neither grateful, nor kind,
nor tender, nor loving. He began to
wonder fearfully If, after having
Hailed so egreglously and terribly,
there was any possible chance that she
could ever care for him again. Fate
had brought her into intimate contact.
he realized, with two men. One had
areated her outTageously in the be-
ginning and had nobly made amends.
He hated Langford, and yet his sense
OF justice forced him to admit that he
had played the man at last, while he,
the islander. had treated her out
raSeously and in the end had played
che fool. Was there a chance that
she would forgive him?
The desire to see her, to plead with
her. to beg her forgiveness-no
n low desire or a base one, he
thanked God was so great that
ne could no longer sustain it,
He rose to his feet and looked out
of the open port hole. The dawn was
Eraying the east. Attired as he was
In the loose shirt and trousers in which
hn haA InF
Hike the tunic that he habitually wore,
save that they were of soft, luxurious
etlk, he opened the door of the cabin,
stepped out through the silent ward
room-he had the natural savage art
OF treading without a sound-ran light.
ly up the companion ladder and
stepped upon the deck. The officer of
the watch and his midshipman did not
notice him. Their eyes were else
where. He ran swiftly across the deck
and stopped at the gangway. A mar
Ane stood there and started forward
ms he approached.
That's my island" said the man.
I'm going to swim off TO It, and l
don't wish to be followed"
ITS long swim, sir" ventured the
marine, scarcely knowing what to do.
He stepped fairly in the gangway
as if to bar the exit.
1T is nothing to me-" said the man.
''Stand aside"
Mr.. Hopkins!" called the marine,
turning toward the officer of the
deck.
AYE, aye" came from Mr. Hopkins
as he turned and started forward to
the gangway.
The next moment the man had
seized the marine in grip which left
him helpless, lifted him gently out of
the gangway, dropped him carelessly
upon the deck and had flashed through
the air into the water
BY the time Mr.. Hopkins reached
the gangway the halfdazed marine
had risen to his feet.
What is it,"
why, it's the castaway, sir. the
wild man that we brought ashore to-
day"
well"
"He said he wanted to swim to the
shore and did not want to be fol-
lowed"
why didn't you stop him?"
Il did try, sir, but he picked me up
as if had been baby and threw me
aside and went overheard"
The officer was in a quandary. He
'AAd received no orders TO prevent the
GnaD from going out Of the ship. He
was not quite sure what his duty was.
AT any rate, he turned to the boat
GWain's mate and bade him call away
a crew for the cutter swinging astern.
He directed the coxswain to bring the
Beat to the gangway and then sent the
Hnidshipman Of the watch below to re-
port the matter TO the captain and ask
Ais orders.
Capt. Ashby, as It happened, was
awake. He came on deck Immediately
An his Eajamas and received conhrma-
feiOn of the mbdshipman's extraordinary
STORY from The watch officer. II was
.Right enough now for the waters ana