Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-26
CAPTAIN BLOOD
By RAFAEL SARATINI
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
CONTINUED from Yesterdays starr

At supper. and for long thereafter,
he talked of nothing but Blood-of
how he would lay him by the heels.
and what hideous things he would
perform upon his body. And as he
drank heavily the while, his speech
became increasingly gross and his
threats increasingly horrible; until
In tho end Arabella withdrew. white
faced and almost on the verge Of
tears. IT was not often that Bishop
revealed himself to his niece. Oddly
enough, this coarse, overbearing
planter went In a certain awe OF that
slim girl. 1t was az IL she had tn
herited from her father the respect
in which ne had always been held
by his brother.
Lord Julian. who began to find
Bishop disgusting beyond endurance,
excused himself soon after. and went
in quest Of the lady. He had yet
to deliver the message from Capt.
Blood, and this, he thought, would
be his opportunity. But Miss Bishop
had retired for the night, and Lord
Julian must curb his impatience--it
amounted by now to nothing less
until the Il orrop.
Very early next morning. before
the heat OF the day came TO render
the open intolerable to his lordship.
he espied her from his window NOV
ing amid the azaIeas in the garden
lt WAS fitting setting for one who
was still as much a delightful novelty
to him in womanhood as was the
aza!ea among flowers. He hurried
forth to join her. and when. aroused
from her pensiveness, she had given
him good-nlorrow. smiling and
frank, he explained himself b. the
announcement that he bore her a
message from Capt Blood.
He observed her little start and the
slight culver of her lips, and 90
served thereafter rot only her pallor
and the shadowy rings about her
eyes, but also that unusually wistful
air which last night had escaped
his notice.
They moved out OF the open TO one
OF the terraces. where 4 pcrgola OF
orange trees provided shaded
cool and fragrant. As they went, he
considered her admiringly. and mar
veled at himself that it should have
taken him so long fully TO realize
her slim. unusual grace, and 20 find
her. az he now did, SO entirely desir-
able, a woman whose charm must
irradiate all the life OF a man and
touch its commonplaces into ma g;c.
He noted the sheen of her red
brown hair. ard how gracefully one
OF It's heavy rinslets coiled upon
wore gown OF shiGmering gray silk,
was pinned at her breast Ike splash
OF blood. Always thereafter when
no thought OF her It was as he saw
her at that moment. as never. I think.
until that moment had he seen her.
In silence they paced on Il little
way into the green shade. Then she
paused and faced him.
You said something of a message
sir" she reminded him. thus betray-
Ing some Of her irpatience.
He Hinged the ringlets Of his peri
wig, little embarrassed how 20 de-
liver himself, considering how he
should begin.
"Ie desired me- he said at last, ito
give you q message that should prove
to you that there is still something left
in him Of the unfortunate gentleman
h ( that FOR when
once you knew him.
That is not necessary" said she
very gravely.
He misunderstood her. OF course
knowing nothing OF the enlightmeut
that Yesterday had come to her.
you do him an injustice" said he.
Her hazel eyes continued TO regard
him.
~ you will deliver the message.
it may enable me to Judge"
To him, this was confusing. He
did not Immediately answer. He
found that he had not sufficiently
considered the terms he should EN-
ploy, and the matter, after all, was
OF an exceeding delicacy. demanding
delicate handling. II was not so
much that he was concerned to de-
vehicle by which 20 plead hts own
cause. Lord Julian. well versed IN
the lore of womenkind and usually
at his ease with ladies Of the beau-
monde, found himself oddly con-
strained before this frank and ur-
sophisticated niece OF colonial
planter.
They moved on in silence and as If
by common consent toward the brill
liant sunshine where the pergola
was intersected by the avenue lead
ing upwards to the house. Across
this patch OF light Auttered gor-
geous butterfly. that was like black
and scarlet velvet and large as a
mans hand. His lordships brooding
eyes followed 1t out Of sight before
he answered.
"It is not easy. Stab me. It is not
He was a man who deserved well.
And amongst US we have nlarred his
chances: your uncle. because he could
not forget his rancor; you. because
. because having told him that
in the kings service he would find
his redemption OF what was past, YOU
nj .F al HI In,
that he was so redeemed. And this,
although concern to rescue you was
the chief motive of his embracing
that same service"
She had turned her shoulder 20
him so that he should not see her
face.
IT know. I know now" she said
softly. Then after a pause she added
the question: And you? What part
has your lordship had in thjs-that
you should incriminatc yourself with,
us?"
MY partc' Again he hesitated,
then plunged recklessly on, as men
do when determined to perform a
thing they fear. IF ! understood
him Alright, II he understood Alright,
himself. my part, though entirely
passive. was none the less effective.
implore you to observe that / but
report his own words. I say moth
ing for myself" His lordship's I'M
usual nervousness was steadily In
creasIng. He thought, then-so he
told me-that my presence here had
contributed to his inability to re-
deem himself In your sight: and un-
less he were so redeemed. then was
redemption nothing"
She faced him fully. frown OF
perplexity bringing her brows to-
gether above her troubled eyes.
"He thought that you had contrib
uted?" she echoed. 1t was clear she
asked for enlightenment. He plunged
- 90 ,R,ord ~ her his flaDce a little