The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-03-09

sic Ia VI ~ uSSpoti Vi t''~'
only a man would talk like that"
she exclaimed, and then-"Only a
would be so ungrateful,"
II demur to the charge. You set a
great crowd of DULLES on me to hold
me down by violence, and then talk OF
ingratitude! Do you not see, my dear
girl, that l must know what is going
on How can I lie here when there is
so much DISQUALIFICATION so many
things may happen? Please do as l
tell you, and let Captain Larry know
at once
She came and stood by my bedside,
and touching my fingers for an instant
with her own-a gesture which thrilled
ne as though some strange current
of a new life burned in my veins-she
said very quietly:
There is nothing happening, DR..
Fan. If vol went up to the bridge,
you would see nothing but the fog.
That is what Mr.. McShanus is looking
at now-at that n the punch bowl.
We cannot see the others-we shall
never see them again, l hope
It was calmly said, and yet what a
tale of woe it voiced: days of her w
agony among the ruffians, intolerable
hours of suffering n distress l
thought her then one of the bravest of
women think so to this hour.
JOAN" I said, chow did you come
here? Where did Okyada find you? I
have thought much about it, and I
believe that l know. But you must tell
me yourself. You hid in one of the
boats, did you not-one of the three
boats the men lowered when they
wished me to go on board their ship.
1 thought it must be so. There was no
other way"
She had seated herself by this time
in a girlish attitude at the foot of my
bunk. her feet swinging together as
though to express a sense of her indif-
ference; her hands clasped, her eyes
avoiding mine as though she feared I
would read the whole truth therein.
You were a wizard always, DR.. Fan.
My father. that is General Fordibras,
said so-Mr. McShanus thinks it, and
so does Captain Larry. Yes, it was in
the last of the boat that 1 hid myself.
/ saw them lower it, and then, when
they all got into the first two, 1 climb
ed down from the gangway, and hid
myself under the tarpaulin. Have you
ever been really afraid, DR.. Ean-afraid
for an instant of something which
seems to be worse h your thoughts
can imagine? Well, I nave been afraid
like that ever since Mr.. Imroth took me
on the ship-afraid in a way I cannot
tell you-yes. so afraid that I would
lie for hours. n shut all sights and
sounds from my ears, and pray that the
day would find me dead. l tell you now
that you may not speak to me of it
again-I could not bear it, God knows
l could not"
For an instant, and an instant only,
her courage failed her, and burying her
face in her hands she wept like a child.
Herein | think h gave expression to
sion to that pent-up anguish she had so
long supported silently and alone. I
did not seek to comfort her, did not
answer a word to her piteous entreaty.
The circumstances of her rescue must,
in the end, be their own answer to her
fears, I thought.
said gently. ut was a clever thought
to hide yourself in the boat, and I
wonder it occurred to you. OF course
I should have been disappointed if I
had been wrong. Directly they told
me that you were not on the ship, I
guessed that you had jumped down
into n of the neglected boats, and
that Okyada would find you there.
That is a fellow who reads my mind
more clearly than I can read it myself,
He Is the true wizard. We must keep
! Okyada always with us when we 20
back to the old home in England, Joan,
1 world not lose him for all the riches
on your Diamond Ship and more. Yes
indeed, we must never part with Oky-
ada.
This was said with some meaning
and Joan Fordibras would have beer
unworthy of the cleverness with which
/ credited her, had the intent of il
failed. She understood me instantly
l knew that it would be so.
II must go to Paris" she rejoinet
with a dignity inseparabie IRON sucl
an answer. General Fordibras will
be waiting for me there. I must e
to him, DR., Fan. 1t was never his in,
tention to send me on the ship-no,
will do him the justice to say that
They tricked me into going-Mr. I'm,
roth and those with him.. My fathe
would have taken me back to America
He promised me that the day I wen
to Valley House. / believe that he wa
in earnest-he has never told me a lie
"a point in his favor and one of tn
best. Then it was Imroth who too
you away that night my friends save
me. I should have thought of that.
should have guessed as much
Insensibly, o will see, I had bee
leading her to tell me the whole stor
of her life since we had been separat
ed at Valley House. Her determine
ton to go to Paris / found worthy Z
her attitude since the beginning. he
loyalty to this arch-yillain. Ford
bras. remained amazing in its consist
ency. After all, l remembered, tn,
man had shown her some kindnes
Il and, in a ems had acted a father
$ part toward her. I did not belle,
j that he had intended deliberately
: brand her with the crimes his agen,
j had committed. That had been In
h roth's work-the work of a man WI
r was the very keystone OF this stupenf
GUS conspiracy. I could not blan
d Joan because she had the wit to see
"Yau will remember that it was aft,
n dinner, DR.. Fan, Int I had gone to N
$ room" she said, replying to my que
: ton. Il had been there perhaps ha
: an our when the old servant, who us,
to wait on me. came up and 4saiaa til
e my father was waiting for me in Il
gardens. | ran down at once, and fe
lowed Ter to the mountain gate. VIII
the General alone made use of. The
,e I met the negro, who said that I mn
lie accompany him to the observato
which Is on the cliffs, as you know,
did not suspect anything; why shot
I? My father was often at the obse
l. vatory with MI. Imroth, and / i,
agined that they had some good ne,
lg for me-. That was a child's thong
in but / am not ashamed of it. No soor
IT. had we passed the tunnel than two
W the sailors an up from the ellie 70
and told us that the General lad go
on board the yacht, and that / m,
We follow him. It was q trick, of cour
nd Il w~r - - LaL