The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-05-27
In d,mcuIties. "a ir norr.


"You, Captain San BenavidesI" she
asked, and her utterance was unnatu-
rally calm.
II. mademoiselle." he said. land.
alas. I am alone. May | come In? 1t Is
not well TO show light at this hour.
seeing that the island Is overrun with
Infatuated soldiers"
The concluding sentence was ad-
dressed TO Luisa Gomez In Portu-
guese. Realizing instinctively that the
man came as a friend. she stood aside,
trembling. on the verge of tears. He
entered. and the door was closed be-
hind him.
IL am the only man who escaped.
hademoiselle. The others? Well. 1t Is
war, and war Is lottery"
do you mean that they have been
killed. all 2" she murmured, with
4 pitiful sob.
FL think So"
"You think? DO you not know"
He sighed. His hand sought an emp
" cigarette case. Snch was the cor
rect military air. he IA ncied-to treat
misfortunes rather as jests. He frown-
ed because the case was empty, but
smiled at Iris.
1T Is so hard. mademoiselle. when
"We must try to help you, Senior
Capitano." she said. If the others are
dead or taken you may not be
missed"
He threw out his hands in an elo-
quent gesture. Life or death was
matter of complete Indifference to him.
1t implied.
I'VE shall know In the morning." he
said. Have you any cigarettes?"
But listen. senior. Why not take
of your uniform and dress In my
clothes! You can cut or your mus
taches and wear a mantilha over your
face. and we will keep you here until
there is a chance of reaching a ship.
Certainly that is better than being
shot"
He glanced at Iris. Vanity being his
first consideration. 1t Is probable that
he would have refused to be made
ridiculous in her eyes had not a knock
IN the door galvanized him into
fever Of fright. He sprang up and
tlared wildly around for some means
Of eluding the threatened scrutiny OF
a search party. Luisa Gomez flung
him rough skirt and shawl. He
huddled into corner near the bed
and draped the two garments over his
head and limbs.
Then the woman unbarred the door
A man staggered In. He was alone.
and swirl of wind and rain caused
the lamp to flicker so madly that no
one speaks these things in a strange
tongue. Permit me to explain that
picket and surprised 1t. Having Sc
cured some weapons and accouter-
ments. we FASTENED to the quay. where
was moored the little steamship. Un-
happily she was crowded with SOL
diers. They fired. and there was
short fight was shocked down, and
what do you call it-etourdi-while
one might count ten. l rose, half
and what do I see? The ves-
sci leaving the quay full of men en-
gagged in combat. while just beyond
the point warship Is signaling her
arrival. 1t was a Brazilian warship.
She showed two red
rockets. followed by u white one. 1t
was only matter OF minutes before
she met the little steamship. tell
you that it was bad luck, that-a vile
blow. | was angry. yes. l stamp my
foot and say foolish things. Then ]
rum"
Iris made no reply She hid her face
In her hands She could frame no
more questions. San Benavides was
trying to tell her that HoZier and the
rest had been overwhelmed by fate at
the very instant escape seemed to be
within reach. The Brazilian. proba-
bly, because of difficulties that beset
him in using a foreign language, did
not make 1t clear that he had flung
himself flat In the dust when he heard
he order to fire given by some one on
board the launch
Then the lightning Of woman's in
uitiOb pief1Nu tue uDyoo VI ucSpuh.
Surely there were curious blanks in
his thrilling narrative. AS was her
way when thoroughly aroused. Iris
stood up and seized san Benavides al
most roughly 10y The arm. Her dis |
r;iught eyes searched his face with |
pathetic paruesthrSS.
why do you think that the launch |
lid not get away" she cried. 1T was |
lark. The moon might have been In |
shadow. II the MUNICH met the war
ship and was seen there must have
,een firing"
'Chere madpnoselle. there was
much tiring." ne protested.
"At seay''
The words came duly. She was
stricken again even more shrewdly.
he gloom was cnsing In on her. yet
he forced herself TO drag the truth
rom MS uD wiihna lips.
'ies. or coursp ! could not wait
here II, Thar Open place. l was COM
yelled TO seek shelter. Troops were
tIDnlug from town and citadel
voided them ny n miracle. And my
ole concern Then was your safety"
Ion. my sa frly" she walled broken
y How dUpS II avail me that my