The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1912-03-22

| cylinder-head has blown on and done
no end of damage. We're crippled, if
in no danger. The other screw will
take us far as Alden, but there we'll
have to wait for the next boat"
Mrs. Prynne's face clouded with dis
may. How Tonga day or two?" she
demanded
"Mayhap," he replied, no less dis
consulate; "mayhap as much as a
week. Faith, tits meself that would it
were otherwise, but fear there's no
mending matters"
She regarded him thoughtfully for
an instant
Then you, too, travel in haste, colo.
nel?"
Indeed | do so, madam. Me for
tune hangs upon me haste. If get
there"-he checked himself in time,
the word Rangoon upon his lips-"too
late, twill be all up. I'm heavy with
an urgent enterprise, madam" And
he smiled.
The woman looked past him, down
the dusk of the gangway. apparently
bordering her dilemma. What will
you do?" she inquired at length.
Faith" he said, disturbed, that's
hard to say
She flashed him an ironic look
You mean you are resigned to the in
evitable?"
BE the powers!" he cried in re-
sentiment, I'm resigned to nothing
that doesn't please me. Is 1t that We
ask me aid? Sure, if ye do, neither
the inevitable nor the impossible shall
keep We from arriving at Bombay, and
on time!"
Her spirit, through her eyes, an
swered his in flash. Then cooling,
she looked him over from crown to
tie, weighing him deliberately in the
balance of her knowledge of men.
He bore the inspection with equanim-
ity, quite sure of himself, as was nat
ural in the O'Rourke. Provoked, put
on his mettle, he felt himself irwin
chile, and showed 1t in every line of
his pose. She could not have wavered
long; indeed, her decision was quite
manifest. Impulsively she caught his
two hands in her own.
YES" she cried. 81 do believe you!
I take you at your word-your gener-
GUS word, Colonel ORourke! l will
trust implicitly in you. You shall get
me to Bombay by the fifteenth"
THE fifteenth?" he echoed thought
fully This is the tenth"
1.-The Panjnab is scheduled to ar
rive on the fifteenth. All my plans
depend upon there being no delays"
Five days. 1t shall be
managed, Mrs. Prynne. Bombay by
the fifteenth it shall be, or the
O'Rourke will have broken his hearth"
She grew thoughtful. you are very
good-I've told you that / believe
that you will accomplish what you
promise. Yet it seems hardly fair to
saddle you with my cares, my perils,
without informing you of their ma
ture-"
Madam It's not the o'Rourke who
would ever be prying into your Sc
crets. Let's not complicate a simple
situation with explanations"
But, colonel, there is one thing
more" He paused. ct is a question:"
she continued, "of chartering ship
at Aden is 1t not?"
II see no other way"
"Then-spare no expense, Colonel
O'Rourke. Remember that foot the
bill"
"or, If you insist, sir, pay nothing:
Great Britain pays for both of U.s."
"Eh? Yes?" he stammered.
But see, colonel"
He had before then noted indiffer-
emily that she wore a chain OF thin,
fine gold about her neck, its termina-
tion-presumably locket of some
sort-hidden in the folds of her cor
sage. Now she quietly pulled this
forth, and displayed her pendant, a
little trinket of gold running grey
hound exquisitely modelled.
Stunned. he stared first at the top,
then at the woman. eye mean to say
p" he whispered, doubling
ION the Kings service, Colonel
O'Rourke!"
"A Kings courier madam? YOU
woman!"
"And why not?" she demanded
proudly. "The Kings messengers dare
many dangers, It's true. But In some
of them might not woman serve bet
ter than mani"
True enough. Yet tbs unprece-
dented-at least, yen admit, most I'M
usual. / begin to understand. That
lascar, for instance-w
Believe me, Colonel o'Rourke, I'm
at liberty to tell you nothing"
Tell me this. at least: would ye
know him II ye saw him again?"
"Truthfully," she said, looking him
in the eye, 81 would not. / will say
one other word: / had anticipated his
attack, although had never seen him
before"
Faith. tbs yourself that has your