The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-04

he answered.
u fear We must fall I'm with our
allies views. taute de mleux. You
and have to lead headstrong army.
That little Hercules OF a comma puer
Is stubborn as a muie-a mule that ms
the strength and courage OF a w.ld
boar. The younger man thinks only Of
the girls safety. he. at least. will not
consent TO leave her Both, backed by
their crew. will not scruple to sacrifice
us II their interests point that way
trust ME 10 twist them into the course
that shall best serve our own needs. |
am now going to tell them that you ap-
prove OF their pIan.'
The long day wore slowly The heat
was intense Even the hardened sail
ors soon found that Ii the atmosphere
OF the cavern were to remain endura
BILE they might not smoke So pipes
were extinguished.
Unhappily Iris answered In French
some simple query o. the dapper Off
, GERS. Thenceforth, to her great be-
wilderment and HOzier's manifest an
noyance. be pestered her with compIi-
i mects and inquiries. To avoid both
she expressed longing for sleep
When she awoke the ravine was In
shadow and the interior Of the cave
was dark. Her first conscious sensa
ton was that of almost intolerabln
thirst. Nevertheless she cried in@olun-
tarily for water. and again she was
offered wine She managed to smile
In strained fashion at this malicious
humor Of fortune.
Hozier. who had aroused her by
touching her shoulder. fancied he saw
the gleaN Of merriment In her face.
III there IL no hitch In our plans"
he said. I'VE should be on the island
within Eve hours. We have every
thing thought out as far as may be
In view of the unknown. At any rate,
| Miss Yorke. If we succeed IL getting
you safely ashore you personally will
have but slight cause for further
anxiety. The proposal is thar Marcel
shall take you at once to the hut of
an old convict whom he can trust
"A convict" she gasped.
"The population Of Fernando No
ronha Is almost entirely made Of con.
victs and soldiers" he explained.
But am ! to be left there aloneY
What else Is there to be done? You
cannot join In the attack on a fort,
and that offers our only chance. it
would seem Granted an effective sur
prise. we may carry 1t. Then your
guardian will bring you to us"
What II you taIT'
"We must not fail" he said quietly
PLEASE do not nide the alternative
from me-" she pleaded. 81 nave en-
dured so much"
well. don't you see. this man-who.
by the way. Is married and has a
daughter. aged tourteeu-w If neces-
sary. reveal your presence TO the gov
ernor. BY that time. say In q day or
two. the excitement will have died
down. the news OF your escape will be
caoied TO England. you will be sent TO
the coast on the government steamer,
and you can travel noms by the next
|, mail"
THAT sounds very simple-and Euro
pean, she said. and the pathetic sar.
casiD was not lost on him.
Hozier was deputed to obtain the
girls consent to the proposal he had
already put before her. He feared that
she would refuse compliance. for he
understood her fine temper better than
the others. He was a young man-one
but little versed In the ways OF women
yet some instinct warned him that
was nobility IN iorke's
re that might set self q. naugbt
urge her TO share her comban Mons
even though certain death were the
utcome
They passed together through the
cavern Watts sound asleep. was iy-
Ing there. The majority Of the men
were seated on the rocks without or
loungtng near the entrance. They were
smoking now freely. the only stipula-
ton being that matches were not to
be struck In the open.
There was no hiding the desperate
character OF the coming adventure.
The Andromeda's crew did not attempt
to minimize it, The choice offered lay
only In the manner Of their death. AS
to the prospect Of ultimate escape. they
hardly gave IT thought. Some among
them he'd served In the armies Of Eu-
rope. and they at least were under no
delusion concerning the issue of an at
tack on fort by less than q score of
unarmed mpn--seventeen. to be exact
since two OF the ships company were
so manned by the bursting OF the shell
on the forecastle as to be practically
helpless. II was by the rarest good
fortune thar they were able to walk
Iris smiled at them In her frank way.
II hope you will all be spared to
ship on new Andromeda" she said.
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