The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1914-05-15

shah do about them? can see
what they want to say, and yet I
daren't let either speak word"
MRS. Keap, are you sure Culver
loves you?"
Horribly! And he suspects the
truth. 1 saw him change the moment
he found me here" Roberta began
to weep; two limpid tears stole down
her cheeks, she CROPPED for chair,
and Wally fastened to her assistance.
AS he supported her, she gave way
completely and bowed her head upon
his shoulder.
1t was in perfect keeping with the
luck of things that Miss Blake should
enter at the moment She had come
with Jack and his sister to inquire
regarding the fitness of her champion
and to nerve him for the contest, and
stood aghast. Chaplin stepped for
ward with a look of suspicion, inquir-
ing:
whats going on here?"
Miss Blake spoke brightly, tinkling
ice in her voice.
There's no necessity for an expla-
nation is there? It seems time for
congratulations"
ooh, see here now! Mrs. Heaps
really engaged to Culver, you know"
"Culver!"
"Culver!"
Both the young ranchman and his
sister stared at the chaperon with
growing horror, while she undertook
to explain; but the blow had fallen
so swiftly that her words were inco-
herent, and in the midst Of them her
hostess turned and fed from the
room.
"Now don't begin to aviate until
you understand the TRUTH" Speed con-
tinued. while she's engaged to that
broken-toed serpent, she doesn't love
him, do you see?" He smiled.
81 do not see!"
''It was simply habit Mrs. Keap
had got into-I should say it was an
impulsive engagement that she has
repented off,
mo doubt she was repenting when
we interrupted you," said Miss Blake,
bitterly.
Then Chaplin added, helplessly:
"But Culver is engaged to my sister
Jean!"
"Jean!" Mrs. Keap exposed her
tragic face. "Then-he deceived me!
Oh-h! What wretches men are!"
The widow commenced to sob.
Outside came Miss Chapin's voice:
$50 here you are, Mr.. Covington!"
And the next moment she reappeared,
dragging the crippled champion be-
hind her. Thrusting him toward Ro-
berta, she pouted: There, Mrs. Keap!
I give him back to you"
Perhaps you'd better go on with
your explanations" Chaplin suggested,
coldly, to Speed.
How can l when you won't listen
to me? Hear We! Hear ye! Culver
was engaged to marry Mrs. Keap, but
she discovered what a reprobate he
is"
There was indistinguishable dissent
of some sort from Mr.. Covington.
and she learned to detest him!"
Mrs. Keap likewise dissented in &C
cents muf1ed.
well, she would have learned to
detest him in short time, because
she's in love with Jack Chaplin; so
she came to old Doctor Speed in her
troubles, and he promised to fix it all
up. Now 1 guess you four can do the
rest of the explaining. If you ever
get in trouble, come to the match
making kid. I'll square it,"
They were four happy young people,
and they lost no time in escaping
elsewhere. When they had gone,
their benefactor said to Miss Blake:
Wouldn't you like to make that a
triple wedding? We might get club
rates."
For answer Miss Blake hurried to
the door and was gone.
Over at the Centipede there was q
great activity and yet a certain idle
ness also, as If it had been a holiday.
u0 IuGu uu1S dUOuI Ill SIOupS llSLou-
ing to the peripatetic photograph. A
dozen or more outsiders had ridden
over from the post-office to witness
the contest. Out by the corral, which
stood close to the first break Of the
foothills, Skinner was experimenting
the laying out of course, selecting
a stretch of level ground worn smooth
and hard by the tread of countless
hoofs.
Makes pretty good track, eh?"
he said to Gallagher. II wonder how
fast this Teller is? Ever heard?
"They seem to think he's a whirlin'
ball of fire, but that don't worry you
none, does it," Gallagher bent his
lead-blue eyes upon the cook, who
shrugged carelessly, and Gallagher
smiled; he was forced to admit that
his man did not appear to be one cas-
lily frightened. SINNERS face was
hard, his lips thin, his jaw was not
that OF weakling. He had dressed
early, then wrapped a blanket
about his shoulders, and now, casting
this aside, sprinted down the dirt