The evening times., 1911-07-08

You fear that Mr.. Bolston does love
her, and you would have your sister
take him for herself, so that you may
win the Castilian beauty. You turned
me to good account for yourself on
the deck this afternoon, Stephen; yet
forgive you, although fear Juanita
VIII never forgive me. What may l do
further to assist you? Remember, you
must not expect me to do anything
that is discreditable."
Not for the world, Margery," he ex-
claimed; "only make love to Mr.. Boil
ston-in earnest Of course. You can
win him away from Juanita and secure
prize husband. Help me. Margery!
never needed your help as l need it
now. And 1t will be on the square,
too. All is fair in love and war"
Except duplicity in love affairs,
Stephen" she replied. "If Mr.. Bolston
loves her, surely you would not have
your sister marry him. II she could"
"Oh, but Margery, dear" pleaded
Stephen. "he will love you. He is a
foreigner, and you are wealthy"
Margaret gave Stephen a searching
look. She did not reply by saying
that the question of International mar
riage. under conditions involving wide
disparity in the matter of financial for
tune, had already been Of much con-
cern to her. She did venture the re-
mark, however, that there might be
vast difference between the inten-
tions Of Captain Mikleskoff and the
viewpoint Of Ralph Bolston.
"Mr. Bolston," said she, "if he loves
Miss Guerrero, is not moved by sordid
motives"
CALL the more. then, would he meet
your ideal view. Margery, as suitable
husband"
"The less likely, therefore, that he
would abandon his ideal in the selec-
ton Of a wife," she answered.
Stephens attempt to enlist the aid
of Margaret in his matrimonial project
had failed. AS usual, whenever he
came face to face with disappointment,
he displayed impatience.
You are like all the rest Of woman
kind" he exclaimed, "inconsiderate
and unreasonable"
Without further parley, he abruptly
left Margaret and went to his cabin.
Here he revolved the situation in all
it's fuctuating phases. When he came
to the breakfast table next morning
ne wore look Of weariness and an
xiety.
1t was not the Holt nature-the ma
ture of the male Holts-to acknowl-
edge defeat nor to relinquish selfish
purpose. This fact had been demon
strated, too often perhaps, in the elab-
crate office rooms of Holt major at
the top of the skyscraper, at the foot
OF the spiral stairway.
AS a last desperate resort in the
effort to possess himself of Juanita
Guerrero, Stephen, after hours of men
tai turmoil in his cabin, conceived the
idea that the one desire of his heart,
now cankered with malignant hatred
and unrequited love, might be attain
ed if Juanita's apprehensions could
be stimulated by some written evil
dence that Bolston was deceiving her.
1t must be such evidence, he reasoned,
as would serve to convince her beyond
Bolston's power to refute it. Spurred
by this pernicious thought, he seized
pen and, after much hot-headed
effort, produced the following:
Beloved Briton: Would that 1 had
the power to tell you how greatly
your absence is lamented in this soli-
tude; vet how ardently burn my kind
ling thoughts of your early return.
Thinking of you, l almost envy my
sweet friend Enid, who, as l write, is
in your place at the dining table,
where you told me of your love, and
l. for reasons that now appear SO
groundless, expressed my foolish
doubts. Could you but know the pres
ent yearnings of my heart not even
the great necessities of the state,
which concern your mind too deeply,
1 fear, could long detain you. Yet
l must haste. Don Jose is on board.
He is leaving in another moment for
the village and Will put this in the
post. bless him and those who will
carry this loving short letter to you
from Margaret.
San Enrique, Thursday morning.
If this fails to convince Juanita,"
said Stephen to himself, having finish
ed the mischievous missive, my cause
would seem to be hopeless. But, by
all the gods of Greece, Ill never quit
until she is mine!"
In respect Of time and methods
Stephen was a ready reckoner and
equally proficient in the art of adapta-
tion. He was favored in his wicked
ness in that it would be difficult for an
expert to distinguish his handwriting
from that of Margaret's. There was
no obstacle he could see In the short
cut way he had determined upon to
bring the fraudulent letter to Juanita's
attention. His present impatience was
due to the fact that he must wait, un-
til the light of day came again, only
to be dimmed by the radiance of Ju-
anita Guerrero's love-enthralling face.
The opportunity came when Stephen |
found Juanita amusing herself at the
vessels stern by tossing sea biscuits |