Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-06-01

| signed for speed rather than carryin
capacity.
A mile offsh0re she lay to. and
boat left her side. Wondering and dis
quIeted, we returned TO the beach I
await her coming. Was II another p
rafe7 What possible errand coul'
bring a steamer to this remote, unvis
Tied. all but forgotten little Island?
AS the oarsmen drove the boat upoI
the beach the man In the stern sprani
agiIely ashore. Dugald Shaw stepped
forward, and the stranger approached
dofing his helmet courteously.
you are the American and English
party who landed here some week
ago from the Rufus smith,
His English was easy and correct
though spoken with a pronounced
Spanish accent. His dark hIgh-fea-
tured face was the face OF a Spaniard.
And his grace was the grace Of a
Spaniard. as he bowed sweepingly and
handed Mr.. Shaw a card.
"Senor Don Enrique Gonzales" said
Dugald, bowling In his stIr-necked
fashion, II am happy to see you. But
as you represent his excelleney HE
president Of the republic rl Santa
Marina | suppose you come on bust
ness, Senior G~onzales?"
Precisely. / am enchanted that
you apprehend the fact without the
tiresomeness Of explanations. For
business is a cold. usually a disagree
able affair, is ii not sol That being
the case. let us get II over"
First do us the honor to be seated.
Senior Gonzales"
Comfortably bestowed In a camp
chair In the shade. the Spaniard re-
sumed
My friend, this Island belongs. as
OF curse you are aware. to the re-
public. of which l have the honor 10 be
a citizen. All rights ant privileges.
such as harvesting the copra crop, are
strictly conserved by the republic. All
persons desiring such are required 10
negotiate with the minister of state OF
the republic. And how much more,
when It Is aAquestien OF tFeasHFe-ef
a very large treasure. senorf"
The Scotchman's face was dark.
had understood, he replied,
without looking In the direction OF
Miss Higglesby-Browne who seemed
In the last few moments TO have un-
dergone some mysterious shrinking
process. that negotiations In the
proper quarter had been-undertaken
and brought to a successful conclusion
that in short we were here with the
express permission OF the government
OF Santa Marina
was a challenge which Miss
Browne could not but Meet
Il had" she said hoarsely. II had
the assurance of IA person high In
the financial circles OF The United4
States, that through his-his influence
with the government OF Santa Marina
II would not be necessary-in short,
he could fix the PRESIDENT EN-
ploy his own term-for a considerable
sum, which which my friend Miss
Harding gave him"
And the name OF this influential
inquired the Santa Marinan.
.suavely.
Hamilton II. Tubbs," croaked Miss
Browne.
Senior Gonzales smiled.
II remember the name well. madam.
II Is TINT of the pretended holder of a
aeneessIefHf Feff ctr government, who
4 few years ago induced a number Of
school teachers ana clergy
moi, auI asl..- aox.f,4lx- .x.,xaxHE
persons to invest In imaginary coffee
plantations. He had In some doubtful
become possessed of a little
worthless land, which formed
he basis OF his transactions. His
were discovered while he was
between two days, according 10
your so picturesque idiom. Needless
20 say his application for permission
% visit Ieeward island for any pur-
pose would instantly have been re-
fused, but as d matter of fact II was
made"
In a benumbed silence we met the
blow. The riches that had seemed
our grasp would never be ours.
We had no claim upon them for all
toll and peril no right ever to be
lere upon the island. Suddenly ! be-
yan TO laugh; faces wearing various
Of shocked surprise were
.urned on me. Still | laughed.
Don't you see" | cried. how ridic-
ilous 1t all Isl All the time IL is we
Who have been piratesi"
The SpanIard gave me a smile made
by the CLEAN of %smoldering
black eyes and the shine of white
.eeth.
"Senorita, with all regret. 1 must
whats In a manner" remarked Du-
,ald Shaw, Struggling. I'VE were
lfter other peoples property. anyway.
am very sorry about II. Senior Con
but | would like to ask, IL you
ion't mind telling, how you happened
o learn OF our being here. so long as
I was not through the authentic
'hannels. On general principles, Ii
rled to keep the matter quiet" e
I'VE learned In a manner somewhat
what do you sayf-curi0usF re-
..---Y A. G---I--1 A-.kAA $40