The Mena weekly star., 1910-07-28
CHAPTER XVI.
Confronted.

At these appalling words the
strength seemd all at once to go out
of the mans arm. Heavily. but not
with purposeful ungentleness, he
slowly set Langford down upon his
feet on the sand.
you brutel" cried the other man,
trembling with impotent anger
There was nothing that no could
do personally. If he had possessed a
weapon he would have killed the IS
lander, but he was unarmed and help
less. Therefore he turned toward the
beach and called TO his men. They
had seen the sudden attack and were
already running across the sands.
NO" said the woman, that word
belongs to you. You have told the
truth. and yet not ALL" She turned
to her companion of the island.
Man." she said, you have loved me.
You must hear what have to say
You have said that It was true,-
be muttered, hoarsely. And the man
who has said 1t lives. Lives!"
His voice rose to cry. He turned
toward Langford again. But by this
time the six blue jackets who made
up TIE gigs crew were close at hand.
Haley" crsed Langford to the cox
swain. seize that brute yonder,
and"
The woman was s.ill wearing the
knife that she habitually carried. She
used 1t often and kept the blade bright
and Of keen edge. She whipped 1t Out
on the instant her civilization falling
| from her like a discarded garment
when the man she loved was threat.
ened.
Let no one lay hand upon him.
she cried, afiame to defend him. Il
swear that / will drive It into my own
heart n he be touched"
Give me the knife,s said her COM
panion. suddenly.
Before she could prevent him, he
whipped II out OF her hand.
And now he said. springing To-
ward the huddled group Of sailors. the
bright blade lifted, which OF you
will touch me?"
u& men Sutduk bdCh uCIC Was
something 80 furious In the aspect of
the man. his power was 80 evident
anc his temper as well that none
wished 70 preoipitate the fray.
'T appeal to you" said the woman.
turning to Langford. send back the
men. A moment since / saved your
life. AT w'ord from me he would have
thrown you from him and broken your
back Be generous. You must. And
this man shall give me a hearing.
You are safe from him, promise
you"
What might have been the result of
this appeal can never be determined,
for at that moment new factor en-
tered upon the scene. factor whose
presence was as surprising and unex-
pected as It was determinative. From
out to sea, yet near at hand, came a
mufled defamation. the roar of a
heavy gun. Around one of the head
lands that rose ON that side of the is
land there swept the white sides of
another great ship beside which the
yacht, imposing though she was. was
a toy. 1t was the woman who saw 1t
| first.
Look" she cried. "A ship Of war.
cruiser. See, from her STAFF the flag
of the United States. This land Is
American. / claim 1t by right of dis
covery. Lay but a hand upon this
man, and | will have you hanged for
murder. Langford. They see US there.
Their glasses have searched the shore.
They have seen this encounter That
| gun was warning. A boat puts off
| Thank God. we are saved from you,'
Things had transpired even as she
| said. What the cruiser was doing In
| those seas, how happened she to be
there were things as yet unknown,
but that she was there was apparent
She had approached the island from
| the other side. and had sailed around
| II. Her men had observed the encoun'
ter on the shore, which seemed to
be between natives and persons from
| the yacht, which was In plain view a
little farther out to sea. and the gun
had been fred to call attention to the
power OF the United States.
This put an entirely new face on
the whole affair. Matters were taken
out of the hands of the parties to the
quarrel. The law had come to the Is
land. The islander did not, could not
know 1t, but his baffied antagonist
realized It Immediately. So did the
woman. At Langfords command. his
men. much bewildered at the scene
they had witnessed. went back tc
their boat. He himself presently fol
lowed after. and stood upon the
strand awaiting the approach Of the