The Washington times., 1919-06-13
HEARTS OF THREE.
By JACK LONDON.
Francis and Henry Become Friends
and Latter Explains Misunder-
standing With LeOncia

man." Francis assured the other.
himself all afre with the plan OF
clearing up the distressing situa-
ton between Henry and the girl
But the thought OF her perplexed
him. He experienced more than a
twinge of regret that the lovely
creature belonged Of right to the
man who looked so much like him.
and he saw again the vision of her
on the beach, when. with conflict
ing emotions, she had alternately
loved him and yearned toward him
and blazed her scorn and contempt
on him. He sighed involuntarily.
What's that for?' Henry de-
manded quizzicalIy.
"Leoncia Is an exceedingly pretty
girl" Francis answered with trans
parent frankness. Just the same.
she's yours. and I'm going to make
Il my business to sec that you get
her. Where's that ring she re-
turned: II ] don't put II on her
finger for you and be back in a
week with the good news, you can
cut OF my mustache along with my
ears"
An hour later Captain Trefethen.
~ having sent a boat to the beach
from the Angelique in response to
signal the two young men were
saying gOOd-by.
Just two things more. Francis
FIRST and I forgot to tell you, Le-
ohcla IS not Solano at all, though
she thinks she is. Alfaro told me
himself. She is an adopted child.
and old EnricO fairly worships her.
oh
race runs in her veins. Alfaro never
told me the ms and outs OF IL,
though he did say she wasn't span
ish at all I don't even know
whether shes English or American.
She talks good enough English.
though she got that at a convent.
You see, she was adopted when she
was wee thing. and she's never
known anything else than that En-
rico is her father"
And no wonder she scorned and
hated me for YOU" Francis laughed.
believing, as she did. as she still
does, that you knitted her full-bIood
uncle in the back"
Henry nodded, and went on.
A Long Way to Co.
The other thing is fairly impor-
tant. And that's the law, or the
absence OF it, rather. They make
it whatever they want it, down in
this out-of-the-way hole.
Its long way to Panama, and
the gobernador of this state, or
district, or whatever they call it,
is sleepy old Silenus. The Jefe
POlitico at San Antonio is the man
to keep an eye on. He's the little
car OF that neck OF the woods,
and he's some crooked hombre, take
il from yours truly. Graft is too
weak a word to apply to some Of
his deals, and he's as cruel and
bloOd-thirsty as a weasel. And his
one browning delight is an execu-
ton. He dOtcs on a hanging. Keep
your weather eye on him, whatever
you do And, well, so long.
And half OF whatever I find on the
Bull is yours {" and see that you
get that ring back on Leoncia's
finger"
Two days later. after the half
breed skipper had reconnoitered
ashore and brought back the news
that all the men OF Leoncia's fam
lily were away, Francis had himself
landed on the beach where he had
first met her. No maidens with
silver revolvers nor men with rifles
were manifest. All was placid, and
the only person on the beach was
a ragged little Indian boy, who at
sight Of a coin readily consented TO
carry a note TO the young senCrita
OF the big hacienda
AS Francis scrawled on a sheet
OF paper from his notebook. CT am
the man whom you mistook for
Henry Morgan, and I have a mes
sage for you from him." he little
dreamed that untoward happenings
were about to occur with as equal
rapidity and frequence as on his
first visit
For that matter. could he have
peeped over the outjut OF rock
against which he leaned his back
while composing the not to Leoncis
he would have been startled by a
vision OF the young lady herself.
emerging like a sea goddess fresh
from q swim in the sea But he
wrote calmly on. the Indian lad
even more absorbed than himself
in the operation, so that it was
Leonica, coming around the rock
from behind, who first caught
sight OF him. Sitting an excIama-
ton, she turned and fled blindly
into the screen OF jungle.
GRO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW