The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-20

Ronald took it and thanked him,
and Smithers turned away; but he
paused and said:
did you and Mr.. Vane leeave the
house and take a walk just now, sir?"
"Eh, what? Why?" asked vane,
sharply.
Nothing, sir" replied Smithers,
saluting; ''but I thought I card some
thin moving at the back there
Its all right, Smithers," said Ron
aid. "Mr. Vane and / strolled out for
breath of air. Good night"
Ronald persuaded Vane to go to
bed, early as it was.
81 won't turn in just yet" he said
waith a sense of guilt and deception,
for it went against the grain with
Ronald to keep his secret from his
friend. "I'll take a row.
He rowed over to the island; and
Cara, who had been watching for him
came singing softly, to meet him at
the tree. He took her in his arms,
and there was silence for long min
ute, as they gazed into each others
eyes with a lovers rapture and a
lovers hunger; then Ronald whisper
ed:
"Your father?"
'I have come to tell you," she said
"He came home this morning, but
he has gone again. I saw his boat
sailing from Messina; he was not
| alone; a man who sometimes helps
him with the fishing was with him.
He is a deaf and dumb man. I
think that is why my father likes him
and has him to help him. I suppose
they are fishing
'They must be-" said Ronald.
eyes, they may be. but you must
| not stay, dearest. They may come
back when the tide turns and find
you here
| Of course he fingered; but at last
he tore himself away. He went over
| there again the next night; and the
flame of their love, fed by these meet
ings, burnt still clearly, more fierce.
ly. Ronald could scarcely talk Of
anything but their marriage.
I'm an absolute pauper, Cara" hi
said; ''but--but something may TURF
up; in fact-oh, dash it! can't tel
you. I wish I could, but I'm under {
promise"
| 'You shall not tell me- she muir
INJURED, her eyes upturned to him will
infinite trust, with absolute content
81 can wait"
lit will not be long if-if it pan
out right, this-this chance of mine
but, anyway, Cara, whether it come
right or wrong, you will marry. me?
YES" she said, a blush stealth.
over her face. eff I would say no,
cannot. must do what you ask me
now and forever
| The days slipped by; Ronald. fel
as if the hours were a pageant of
dream. The night before the hun
/, for treasure drew on him stealthily
and he was perforce compelled t
|
that lay before them on the followin
night.
He rowed over to Cara's island /
the evening, and waited at thei
meeting-place beside the tree; bu
; Cara did not appear. He waite
/, some time with the Impotence whic
became an almost intolerabie anxiet.
as half an hour, an hour dragged b.
The dread that something had hal
. pened to her, that she had been tai
en- away by that strange and mystel
ious man, her father, almost drov
him mad; he had hard work to re
strain himself from going to tn
house in search of her; but he feare
that his presence there might brin
trouble upon her, and, for himsel
: he had no particular desire to /
shot; for Cara's love had made h
life extremely valuable to him.
After waiting for some timeA he r,
luctantiy left the island, pausing e.
;, cry now and then to listen as he wei
;. to the beach, and rowed back to Tr
y. cania. The night was exceeding
dark; but he succeeded in making IL
landing-place, and went slowly ar
:, modify up to the chalet. The sour
of Smithers' tin whistle came to me
him, and the merry air that accom-
plished individual was playing jarrt
on Ronald's senses. He went in
the sitting-room and flung himse
down in the chair; and Smithe
came in presently with the spiri
stand.
''Have you had a look round
Ronald asked him.
eyes, sir" replied Smithers. "k
right and quiet, sir. It's the darke
night we've had, and I'm Think
that there's kind of gale BLOWN
up; it's coming right in the wine
:, eye"
you're quite the sailor, Smithers
Ronald remarked absently. "Y GU
better turn in now"