The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-05-13
In the whole creation"


tie guessed then why he was so thor
oughly justified In assuming that he
and the other survivors of the Androm-
eda had not yet gone through half or
quarter or more than a mere curtain
ralSlng prelude to the strange human
lrama IN which they were destined to
% tie ch' "r'crs
CHAPTER VII.
BETWEEN TIiE BRAZILIAN DEVIL AND
Tue DEEP ATLANTIC.
III sHElsE was an awkward pause.
N Coke. rascal though he was
M ana corpuleni withal, was no
Falsiaff. Rather did he sug-
gest the present day atavism OF some
robber baron Of the middle ages whose
hectoring speech dubbed forth from
stout heart. But the ragged ex-president
needed him not. After Il moment Of
placid scrutiny of his enraged counte-
nance by those bright. watchful eyes
Coke might have been noneXistent so
far as recognition of his outburst was
apparent during the sonorous discus
sion that ensued between Dom Corria
Antonio de Sylvia and the Senior Cap
itano Salvador de San Benavides.
The latter. it is true. betrayed ex-
element. At first he favored Iris
with deprecatingly admiring glance,
as one who would say. Dear lady. ac-
cept my profound regret and respect
full homage" But that phase quickly
passed. His leader was not man to
waste words. and the gallant cap
tain's expressive face soon showed
that he had grasped the essential
facts. They did not please him. In
fact, he was distinctly cowed, almost
stunned. by his companions revela-
tons.
1t fell to De Sylvia to explain mat
tiers to his unexpected guests.
MY friend agrees with me that 1t
Is only fair that the exact position
should, be revealed to you," he said.
1.-The situation is not so simple as you
seem to imagine. The loss of your
ship cannot be dealt with here. 1t
raises issues of International law which
can only be settled by courts and gov
ernments. You know, | suppose, that
nothing will be done until complaint
Is lodged by British minister. and
that hinges upon the very doubtful
fact that you will ever again see your
own country"
The ex-president certainly had the
knack of expressing himself clearly.
Those concluding words rang like
knell. They even called Watts back
from the slumber of Inconsistencies.
DE Sylvia continued speaking in the
same balanced tone:
1T happens by idle chance that my
enemies have become yours. The men
who destroyed your ship thought they
were injuring me. | have just pointed
out to Capitnno de San Benavides the
precise outcome of this attack. Until
q few moments ago we shared the de-
fusion that the troops on Fernando do
Noronha believed We were now on our
way to a Brazilian port. We were
mistaken. More than that. we know
now that they have obtained news
probably through traitor to our Cause
of the AndroS-y Meia's voyage. They
were prepared for her coming. They
had made arrangements to receive her
almost at the place decided on by our
friends in Brazil. 1t is more than
likely that the Audros-y-Mela is now
lying under the guns of some coast
fortress. since the presence of troops
and cannon OH this side Of the island
is Unprecedented.
81 don't see wot all this as to do
with me-" blurted out Coke deter
miDedly.
NO. 1t would not concern you in
the least if you were safe at sea. But
since you are here II does concern you
most gravely. From one point of view
you served my cause well by preparing
to lower a boat. You misled my perse-
cutors as 20 locality at least. OF
course | saw you and thought you
were mad. but your action did help
to conceal from the soldiers the secret
Of my true hiding place. wish to be
candid with you. If my friends and
had realized that you were here by
accident we ought to have taken no
steps 10 save you "
Really" snarled Coke. eying the
unruffled Brazilian much as an Andu-
lusian bull might glare at picador.
A buzz of angry whispering came from
the crew. Even iris flashed dis
dainful glance AT The man who uttered
this atrocjous sentiment. DE Sylvia
raised his hand.
PRAY, do not misunderstood me-"
he said Il am as humane as most 9th
ers, but 1t is diiicU!t to decide whether
or not mere humanity, setting aside
self interest, would not rather con-
denim you to the speedy death of the
wreck than drag you to the worse fate
that awaits you mere. And please re-
member that we did succor you. thus
risking observation and visit by the
troops when the sea permits landing.
But that is not the true issue. An
hour ago there were four people on
this bare rock - four of us who looked
for escape tonight. We were supplied
with such small necessaries of exist
ence as would enable us to live IL our
rescuers were delayed for a day or
even two. Now there will be no res