The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-06-10

| "WnO Is itT' Sne asked.
81. Philip. VIII you be on deck in
. quarter Of an hourY'
"No."
"But this time want to tell you
something"
philip. dear, I am weary. l must
rest-and-I dare not meet you"
"Dare not?"
II am afraid Of myself. Please leave
me-"
He caught the sob In her voice, and
1t unnamed him. He stalked off, rag
ing. While off duty he kept strict
watch and ward over the gangway
In which Iris cabin was situated. II
was useless. She remained hidden.
AS Coke had told Iris she might ex-
pect to be ashore about o'clock.
she waited until half past 1 ere COM
ing on deck. Despite her unalterable
decision to abide by the hideous COM
pact entered into with her uncle and
Bulmer. her first thought now was to
find Hozier
Iris was thoroughly wretched and
not little disturbed by the near pros
pect Of landing in foreign country
which would probably be plunged into
civil war by the mere advent Of De
Sylvia. 1t need hardly be said that
under these circumstances Hozier was
the one man in whose company she
would feel reasonably safe. But she
could not see him anywhere.
At last she hailed one Of the Androm-
| or o xxyhn lAn
way.
'Mr. Hozier. miss?" said he. "Oh,
he's forrard. right up in the bows,
keepin lookout"
This information added to her dis
tress. She ought not to so to him.
Full we'll she knew that her presence
might distract him from an all i'm
portant task. So she sat forlornly on
the fore hatch, waiting there until he
might leave his post.
The steamer crept on lazily, and Iris
| fancied the hour must be nearer 5
| O'Clock than 2 when she heard Ho-
ziers voice ring out clearly:
Buoy on the port bow"
There was movement among the
"A
later Hozier cried again
Buoy on the starboard bowl"
She understood then that they were
In marked channel. Already the road
was narrowing. Soon they would be
ashore. At last Hozier came. He saw
her as he jumped down from the fore
castle deck.
"Why are you here, Iris? was all he
said. She looked so bowed, so hum
bled, that he could not find it in his
heart to reproach her for having
avoided him earlier.
81 wanted to be near you," she whis-
pered. II am frightened. Philip.
am terrified by the unknown. Some
how on the rock our dangers were
measurable; here we shall soon be
swallowed up among a whole lot of
people"
They heard Coke's gruff order to the
watch to clear the falls of the jolly
boat. The Unser Fritz was going dead
slow. On the starboard side were the
lights of a large town, but the op-
posite shore was somber and vague.
"ArS we going to land at once in a
small boat?" said Iris timidly.
81 fancy there Is a new move on
foot. A gunboat is moored half
njle downstream. You missed her be-
cause your back was turned She has
steam up and could slip her cables In
minute. They saw her from the
bridge. Of course, but ] did not report
her. as there was a chance that my
hail might be heard. and we came IN
so confidently that we are looked on az
a local trader"
He took her by the arm with that |
masterful gentleness that is so COM |
forting to woman when danger is |
rife. They reached the bridge. Some |
sailors were lowering q boat as quiet
ly as possible.
Dom Corria approached with out.
stretched hand.
"Goodby, Miss Yorke," he said. 81
am leaving you for few hours, not
longer. When next we meet 1 ought
to have sure grip Of the presidential
ladder, and / shall climb quickly
Won't you wish me luck?
81 wish you all good fortune, Dom
Corria," said Iris. May your plans
succeed without bloodshed."
"Ah, this is South America, remem-
Der. Our conflicts are usually short
and fierce. Au revoir, Mr.. Hozier. By
daybreak we shall be better friends"
San Benavides also babe them fare
well with an easy grace not wholly
devoid Of melodramatic pathos. The
dandy and the man of rags climbed
down rope ladder, the boat fell away
from the ships side, and the night
took them.
"Mr. Hozierw cried Coke.
"Yes, sir"
as all clear forrard to let go an
chor?"
"Yes, sir"
"Give her thirty. You go and see to I
L, will YOU"
HoZier made Off at a run.
Iris recalled the last time she heard 4
similar words. She shuddered. Would Y
hat placid foreshore blaze out into
| roar Of artillery and the wornout
Jnser Fritz, like the wornout Androm-
,da stagger and lurch into n watery