San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-16


low him, Judy Kinsella," she said
softly. "You and / seem to have
hit the same trail with our des-
TIMES all through. My Angus is
mighty big man, something like
this John of yours. He captured
me-pretty nearly. l was staying
with school friend at her fathers
place down in California-he. owns
half the pearl fisheries on the
coast there. My Angus turned up
at tea-party-a big, quiet lump
of young man, like a shaggy dog
to look at. | laughed when he told
me he meant to marry me. He
was only the owner of a five-hun-
dred-top schooner and | was Ezra
van "Opens daughter. But he
followed me to my school town and
got seeing ME in heaps of curious
ways. SO at last l ran away with
him with all the newspaper re-
porters in the State on our track.
1t was fool business. But we are
happy"
The girl nodded. Her eyes were
like stars for a moment. Then
thew Swallowed.
"That was how it came that
got none of the wireless which poor
dad was sending out. We'd been
left nearly a month. We got
married in Los Angeles, and then
spread out the news that we
were going to the coral islands on
a pearling mission. But instead
we took the Whip-poor-will, our
little schooner, through Panama
and out into the Atlantic, meaning
to make hot-foot for San Martina,
and my father 1t wasn't until we
called at Gibraltar that | got news
of his death. There was British
officer there, who knew me as a
small girl, and recognized me.
He'd got the news on his wireless"
the girls steady voice faltered a
moment-"We set sail right away
and reached Genoa this morning.
'pd thought about the lease of
the island. Dad looked upon him.
self as sort of uncrowned king
and me as a princess. ] knew it
would break his heart if San Mar
tino fell into any other hands. So
Angus and | went to the prefec-
ture to make inquiries You can
calculate how the wind was taken
out of our sails when We heard
that Ezra van "Opens daughter
had already turned up, and that
two syndicates were cutting each
others threats to turn San Mar
tino into a swell Coney Island. But
neither of them had got the lease.
There was a dear old Italian mar
quis there, who'd promised dad
that | should have the first refusal
if asked it within month of his
death. And he just took up the
lease and handed it across tc me q
with a bow like an old courtier."
you've got it?"-there was a
stumbling note in Judy's question.
"Yes"-Maisie van Open reach
ed out her hand-"And it's thanks
to you. / think you have been just
fine and courageous. That-that
promise you gave my father. And
the way you carried it out. | hall
never forget, Judy Kinsella. When
they make me their real princess,
| shall have something to live up
to. Angus and | will just stay on
here like dad did. Gee! to think,
that your big John Chatterton
might have turned it all into a
high-class merry-go-round. You'd
better find him and reform his
notions"
Judy st6od to her feet. She felt
tired and little sick With the days
She had pictured the
return of Maisie van Open as a
thrilling triumph. But now it had
come the victory was taste,ess,
another of the fooleries with which
she had contrived to wreck John
Chatterton's ambitions, and drive
him away for ever.
"Who told you l was masquer-
aiding here?"
. Maisie van Open laughed.
"They were getting a squad of
gendarmes ready to send across
and arrest you," she answered.
some KIND friend had told about
you being here in another girls
so to speak. The police
would have come, if l hadn't
turned up in time. But l demo-
bilised them and sent them back
to decorate the streets of Genoa
again. My Angus has his crew
ready to dash to my rescue at this
in case you had been a
crook"
Judy stared out at the moon
light. She credited John Chatter
tor with being the "kind friend"
either bitterness or blame.
He had probably called at Genoa,
TO send the police after her, like
one sent a nurse to restrain a
wicked and mischievous child.
'I'm tired" Judy said weakly.
at must be long after midnight.
Will you stay at the palazza or 60
back to your ship tonight? To-
you must decide what to
do with me. ] think | shall GO
home. But"
She paused as Maisie van OPT
mems ewes went over her shoulder |