Evening Star Newspaper, March 31, 1900, Page 21

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1900-26 PAGES. GE ii liga 1 ip HOE < by S. BL Crockett.) of New Milns, Phill ‘hilip amd They qua pine wie Foun weay about a pair « whe counts a small the ease and apparently Ss attacked by rob meant to Tet in. Philip's hot we wnat, with find dead. from a day's visit falls in Saal r, who, under ju r Hatery Anna js Spurway flent part Saul Mark ramantee, vbbing Sp portrait of es out in Spur- New Mins, 1 with Mark, Anna's super- nters ot! at reaches Fi S appre takes xanz. It of the zor- | Janet Mark. + Mark, She is about to ells her the truth— hat Anna is ter. CHAPTER XLT The Castaways. ad I, with borra’s witch nd sight been able to se Z the Isle of San I might well have said to my that malignant demons were following our trail Bui I could not discern a ¢ small beat far out to sea—a boat which med to drift and there, yet which notwithstanding progressed nearer and ever sland ‘were two men in it, one of the at full length in the bottom. with his alow of a thwart. He had his rned away. The other sat with one m. The other was lald ec- tiller, from which it would in a moment. For the dull, fiery glow from the slanting sun made the | ier bar as hot as the bars of falling at the same time upon the » maa and turning a pair of large doubtful si mother. h was approach Juan, it was, our nto ys of burning cop- man at the tiller looked down as | mpanion turned his head and moaned. nis hand into a locker and drew and a small cluster of held the bottle up to the pside down to see how ned in The wide neck xt moment Capt. Philip Stans- of the ramantee and » Winds, was supporting the t ‘ 1 Mark on his knee and pouring the drops of rum down his threat. He did serve so much as one drop for him- To all intents the man he now stooped to succor had been dead.» The slight move- s he made from time to time were no than the spasms of Imminent gor. the strong liquid penetrated the gs of fe. The heavy eyelids were slowly upraised, life looked out of the alis. The pul of the man showed a moment like an evil e mouth of his lair. Saul Mark ognized the face that faint as bent over him, 3 the resemblance of a grin h downward and to one a1) ill a sea-mile to windward of h he murmured. and closed his eyes triumph in them. and went on try- umbled banana be- h ing sun, very of the Isle of San Juz ordered out . her _ear- ri ht take the air. With her went Anna. by reason of the sudden favor which had ¢ ded upon her. In- th uld not be parted from 1 ly for an hour. A bed room “n hastily thrown into her s te of ts in the commanderie, and the and cloz gaunt officers from old under thelr breaths that Don- had su gone mad. For 2asy to see that Don Nich- over head and ears ( nd is a long fall.” murmured Ramon Heutenant of artillery) in hk ng English girl, whe s and whose with like the skin Fose leaves of the huerta of Arihue “Carramba, senores, curling his mustach pated old quoth Don Ramon, “it's a shame that ommandante, with a on him like the Port of Spain should monopolize the only two -looking women fn the plantation. Let sirs, let them choose. Trust eye for picking out a fine figure ‘There was also much jen} officers concerning Will: many there were, racked with fever and @isappointment, fing>red their daggers when they found tnemselves passed vor im favor of a pair of heretics fresh fom | and powerful lady ofthe WINDS 2eBy S.R.CROCKETT oo the chain gang, whose only merit was that they knew something put the duties to which they had been appointed. Be ady to our hands (and somewhat ill's than t »), we found a where ns and half. ) slaves and mulatto freedmen, ind men too weak for i side in the thick- weaving of th the wefted ponchos, nets and the comforting Mexica By virtue of the commandante’s favor Will 3s placed i of th and hav- in; pointed m> for his Heutenant, he set out reorganizing tne whole after Um- ty Spurway'’s model with his own quick sie Now 1 these new colonies there i: ch thing as promotion by merit. Offi ure giv d taken with re rd on f money or attachat or perquisite which to them. So that gold mine or pri ition with equal rea neerned at t having o1 hich might when Will rinten . being no- a single k toh sessed the the Porto I th weavin { doctor), he naturaily n or rather many. For a comfortable sineeure fe. or other these pushing, cnglish would supersede him the plunder from dennish bre to those of the King « oorra and his mother, 1ce ameng the blacks i us informed © great in kept inate for ed bravos s f hacete, knife in hand. about the other arin. we them with our rds bar aur hands Lows re ssailan’s with ly turned tail que tereee ¢ in the . noon one » thickets of pric ‘ ‘ation, shot ow of the incident, and ut ne feature of cur pilgrimage: sulting the commandanie, we obtained two . scort. So, with greet bell-mouthed ts I urched to > laid iy over ti In this mu eaving pre we went to the nd to do wh.tt might to the poor & who had once be cony oitice ow J But I began to tell of Donna nita’s sion to take the air. Anna went with her. still wearing her f ndiaa hun diagly con- button daintily vith fever, : ndaaic wa his hand. Lely her than of h so that it was them separate b not at tale t y Juanita An her own at T have ked Ann, y to thi ably it was at 1 appe: some inve or kidnaping f capture at home, r the in that had been her own fate. events, willing, thovgh not rejoicea, to be a daughter by this ha ed many ca in the hope tha able to bring us all s land Bur thi ceal theught had to t d from the Lady Juani a, who, natur- al ugh, had no intention of revisiting tland. “Two years, Anna,” she would say, “and with our economies we will be able to re- turn to old Spain! Nicholas has promised it. We shall see the glories of the k court. I shall have my ge and a new coat of arms blazoned. las will receive the Order of the Fleece... Uhave heard that the king himself has expressed a desire to gee me. ie likes | fine women, so they say. “You, as my—my Younger sister, shall accompany me. We will marry you to a grandee of Spain. You shall have a winter house in Madrid, a summer villa on the mountains—at ‘1 Granja, where the court goes. Nichol rich. We have no children. All ne all be yours and mine. If “nything should happen to him—well, who knows -L nish rave about Spain is so far on the read home, end i? we ¢ thither and means to make inted with our Miln = again, and hear the water lashing over the weir! For, as all may see, Anna had an old head on young shoulders, and no idea of ring the shadow for the substance therefore, as the grandee abode in was quite willing that should talk as much as she out marriage in the abstract. All 1 knew she had no idea of mar- rying any Spaniard, prince or beggar. About that I gave myseif no concern whatsoeve It talking in this fashion that Anna and her mother rode forth toward the new road on which the gangs of half-naked men Were at work, their chains glinting and Unkling. while the cracking of the driver's whips resounded from one end of the busy antheap to the other. As the carriage drove up in the red glow on the afternoon the outriders were sud- denly stopped by some obstruction on the high Voices cried confusedly and whips. smacked as the negro gangmasters strove to clear the road for the wife of the commandante. Juanita looked out of the belly of the coach. She was in a good hu- mor. She had that moment married Anna to a prince of the blood and settled Don Nicholas under a marble monument as y as a church. poor man fallen down! It is those d chains in the heat of the day. Stand out of the way there, fellow! Your hand, Anna. 1 will des 1 will de nd! Bring the strong spirit with you; will revive the poor man. Take your black haunches out of a lady's way, will ead with loud, humorsome authority, ed a Way to be cleared. In a mo- ment more Anna found herself looking at two men chained even as we had been— ne was gray of head, the other. black. One was elder and the other younger, but th were gaunt and h ard and naked en to the iron rings ut their waisis. The elder had the head of the younger on his knees at the moment when the two wo. men came up. The younger opened his “Let me go," he murmured; “why 49 you torment m Let me go to my own Place! You are a devil! And the elder answered him with a ter- rible grimace of hate, “I will never let you so. Death itself shail not release you. i Will haunt you, follow you, live with you. You shall not die, but live on chained to the man you wronged. Phillp Stansfield, my debt is not yet half paid!” { the younger man had again fainted. en even as Lot's wife stood above the Sate of Sodom, slowly chilling from yarm throbbing flesh and blood into a pillar of salt, so stilled and stiffened to breathing stone stood the Lady Juanita. At the first opening of the press she had gazed with srowing horror on that which lay before hy The sliver rings in the ears of the -headed man fascinated her. She could phuck her eyes<from-them. Her lips moved, or rather her jaw. “What—what—what?” she gasped, as if strance or making objection. For, d to me afterward, when I spoke to her ut marriage with a grandge of Spain: », I did not refus For, you know } her voice had spoken of itself without !m- pulse of her will. The man with the silver rings lifted his head. The surprise must have been even greater to him than to the woman. Yet he manifested no smallest wonder. Not a quiver passed over his brown wrinkled ntenance. Ah, joe Janet!” was all he said. And though the woman stood there rich- ly dressed and the man before -her was chained and wellnigh naked, the tones were these of a master who speaks to a slave. Then he seemed to recall himself to the e of his companion. reunion!” he said, while the tacks d soldiers od and artly at the foreign tongue and partly at the ladies. “Philip must not miss this—I will wake him And stooping down he bit his companion’s ear till it bled. A whip cracked and the lash hissed acre the naked back of the man with the si ver rings. It Eborra, who stood be- fore them quivering with anger. “Let the captain alone! he cried, “let him aloni Mark.” d his head and looked at Yellow Jack!” he said calmly, “well—the eel has turned once—it may turn again. I shall not forget.” CHAPT Saul Mark's Whisper. But the savage reveille had been success- ful. Philip S: eld slowly rose to a sit- ting posture. His eyes, glazed and sunken, Razed about—at first vaguely, then with growing terror and comprehension. The Lady Juanita stood still as if carved in marbie, her hands gripping each other con- ~— WITH TREMBLING FL the true and ancient faith. I claim your protection, most reverend fathers. In this cause I have suffered much.” “By what sign shall we know that you speak the truth, my son?” said the grand inquisitor, cunningly. © “By two infallible proofs,” answered Saul with readiness, “by' this‘that I shall show you in my hand, afd bythe word which I shall whisper in your ear.” He slid down his hand and fumbled in the dirty breech cloutcwhich alone clad him sparsely about the Soins: Then he held up @ rosary, at the énd of which swung a cross and a small golden’teliquary. “This I have carrted with me ever since at Rome, at the tombs of the-apostles, the holy father himself delivered to me this blessed relic of St. James} the martyr!” He gave the chain and- box into the ab- bot’s hand, who received it with lowly rev- erence, crossing himself'and commending himself to the saints and especially to St. James, the blessed proto martyr. With trembling fingers he opened the box and glanced within. A folded letter lay on top, written upon a sheet of vellum fine as a butterfly’s wing. The grand inquisitor almost snatched it in his eagerness. “It is true! It is genuin he cried. “This is the holy father’s own hand and rubrication. I have seen it in the holy office at Madrid, commanding to greater diligence in the burning of heretics. How came you by this great marvel?” “I am a rude and unlearned man,” said Saul, with a low bow, “but it was my lot to receive it for a service I did the holy father. I have kept it till now. I have been in peril of great waters, in fear of my life among cruel pirates and deadly here- ties. But now, most reverend fathers, I give you this blessed reliquary, that you may keep it in the church of your noble abbey. JT am not worthy to be the cus- todian of such a treasure. It is yours! The abbot fairiy blushed with pleasure. “So rare a relic would be wasted here.’ said the grand inquisitor, suavely. bal- ancing the golden casket in his hand. “T will take it back to the King of Spain at Madrid, and for it he will make me abbot of Poblet. I have always desired that post, their priorato wine ts so good. And for such a treasure even Poblet were not too much to bestow.” During this colloquy Anna had conveyed the Lady Juanita to her carriage, where now t pale and inert, leaning back among hions like one who has had a dead- stroke. At this moment the comman- nte rode up hastily. He had too long out of sight of Juanita and Anna. So he came at the gallop, riding like one of the sons of Tehu. He caught sight of the golden box and Saul Mark standing erect. The heads of the monks were very close together. In an i nt he had grasped the situation or at ast a part of it. Treasure had been found on one of the castaways who last had re- the chain gang. The black ravens zas had swooped upon it. The cap- tain of Spain bore them no good will. The Zz and he whispered long. The look of unbelief with which they began gradually merged into a growing surprise. Then awe took its place, and, lastly, they cried out a _simul- taneous questio! “Where is it? Tell us where?” ‘Then a cunning look passed over the face of Saul Mark. He was not a second time going to give something for nothing. “Only I can guide you thither!” he said Then in a few moments they bade cast him-loose, and he begged that the compan- jon whom he loved and could not be sepa- rated from night_or day might go with him. This also was allowed. As the two passed the carriage of the governor's lady Saul Mark spoke a word, loud enough to be heard within. “Do not fear,” he said; “I will not shorten my pleasure by revealing your secret. Our loving service to you, joe Janet! Sleep sound tonight. Old friends are near! . . . . . CHAPTER XLV. The San Esteban. And in this matter Saul Mark was as good as his word. Interrogated in private by the grand inquisitor as to how he came to know the Lady Juanita Silveda, he de- clared that Scetland was a small country, the shank bone of the larger and richer England. His companion and he had heard of the dignified and distinguished family to which the Lady Juanita belonged and of their sorrow at her disappearance while on a voyage to claim an estate in the western plantations. - But had the donna seemed overcome? Well, so much was to be expected, hearing for the first time for years news of her family Thus Saul told his tale, and ever as he did so he turned to his companion as if to receive his corroboration, and it was some- what weariedly and with certain haughty pride that Capt. Stansfield assented. _ It was about this time that the ‘rivalry which had long existed between the eccle- siastical settlement of San Juan de Broza and the town and military post of Porto Rico began to resolve itself into mutuai courtesies and most punctilious amity. In order to appease the mind of the command- ante, sti!l seething and working after storm, in the matter of the reliquary, a suit of marvelously chased and damascened armor was sent him with the compliments of the grand inquisitor and the hope that it might fit the body of the brave and worthy re} resentative of the king of the Spains in these islands. But this in his note of benefaction the grand inquisitor did not mention. It as not pertinent to the giving and receiving of a present between a dignified church- man and a loyal soldier of holy church in parlibus. Anon (so ran the accompanying *ERS HE OPENED THE BOX AND GLANCED WITHIN. vulsively. her mother, elder woman. Saul Mark watched his comrad with a certain grim and malicious. ph laughing a little as he did so. Janet—Janet Mark!” ejaculated the re- vivified man, panting and gasping in his turn even as the woman had done, and for the time could say no more, but sat up gazing wildly as though. he had seen a Specter. “Journeys end in lovers’ words seemed to burn and that is poured on copper. field and his paramour—kiss one another— embrace! ~Is all forgotten between you? Have ye found other mates? Fie—fle—thus to deny each other, who sinned together! Think of the blood shed for that cause! Consider—”" But he got no farther. midst stood ferth the woman whom his presence had affected with such deadly ter- ror. But now she was no longer the Lady Juanita Silveda. She was Janet Mark, the fe Anna had passed an arm about and now half-suppurted the meeting!" the oke like acid “Philip Stans- For there in the ye," she cried, “I bid you consiuer the blood Shed—and who shed it! You, Saul Mark, drop by drop! The guilt may be mine and his. That I deny not. But before God the judge, the blood shedding was yours first and last. By your suggestion and compelling I sinned and fell. I suf- fered for your crime. And he—he—" She paused as if at a loss for words, Saul Mark laughed a low, cackling laugh, nodding his head at the'same time. He had crossed his legs under him and sat upon his feet, the chains that were upon him stretched to their utmost, looking like some hideous malignant idol of the orient, “What of him—aye, what of him?" he chuckled. “Are Philip Stansfield's sins 007" ul Mark!" yours—yours!”" “You are generous with other people’s si Janet,” said Saul Mark. ‘Pray keep one or two for yourself, lonely in your old age!”’ But she went on, her voice rising with every werd till it rang out into a shriek as she pointed with her finger at Saul Mark, the man who was still her husband. ‘Then Captain Stansfield raised his head and said, speaking very quietly, “Janet, the greater sin is ours alone. Let us endure the rest! Be silent as I have been! There was a sudden commotion on the other side of the widening circle. Most of the men had shrunk away, fearing they knew not what. Perhaps the foreign tongue used in anger had a strange sound to them. And there, through the gap, could be seen the abbot of San Juan de Brozas and the grand Inquisitor, sitting upon their mules listening. “Your seryant,” said the latter, bowing. “My lady, are these more friends of yours? You are most fortunate in friends. Provi- dence {s indeed kind to you.” He turned to Saul Mark. ; “And you, my friend, are you also from Scotland and of religion?” “Tam indeed of Scotland,” said Saul, ris- ing to his feet respectfully and speaking in admirable Spanish, so that all might un- derstand, “but I am a humble follower of she cried, “yours— lest you grow the Scottish persuasion in gold box was his—it contained jewels of price, most like. He would soon show these clerks who was master on the Island of St. John of Porto Rico—whether they or he, Nicholas Silveda, commandante in the ser- vice of his Most Catholic Majesty Ferdi- nand, king of all the Spains. “Give it here,” he cried, “all treasure is the prerogative of His Majesty King Ferdi- nand. I claim that which is found, what- ever it may be, as his alone “Excellency,” said the inquisitor. with deference, “this is not found treasure. It is a gift to holy church, being a box con- taining the relics of a martyr. Such even the king himself could not claim, were he here in person!” “The box is gold, I claim that!” cried the commandante truculently. “The box is the gift of the holy father, the successor of Peter,” said the priest. “It cannot be separated from the blessed relies it enshrines!”’ “Deliver it, or I will take it by force!’ cried the officer fiercely. For in his heart he hated and feared the rival authorities ef the monastery. “Forward, there, men! Seize them!” The two priests put their hands to their sides swiftly as a horseman draws a pistol from his holster. And the next moment a crucifix was in each right hand. They held it toward the commandante and his sol- diers, who shrank back as they would not have done from the muzzles of hostile guns. “Dare to lay a hand on the priests of the Lord,” cried the abbot," towering above them all on his white male, “and we will wither the blasphemous fingers and deliver to eternal fire the sul of the desecrator! By these relics of the:blessed martyr James We swear it!” P And so for a space they remained thus, daring the powers military to come on. The commandante was speechless with wrath, but, looking. about, he saw well enough that his men: would not obey him Ror yet seize these headstrong sons of the church. Z “I shall not forget this,"";he said, turning away. 5 “Do not!" returned the inqulsitor, gently. “I pray that you willremember. Let it be a lesson to you, my gon.” « The churchmen were riding off together when Saul Mark, seeing himself forsaken,. cried out to them: “Have ipity, deliver me. They will wreak thelr vengeance on me. Take me with you. Do not forsake me who did this thing for your sakes But the abbot and the inquisitor seemed not to hear. They had obtained all they cared about, and what mattered a naked man in the chain gang. Then Saul Mark, seeing himself deserted and growing afraid, cried aloud: “The se- cret—the secret! I have a secret that will make you and your church richer than kings of Castile and Arragon—wealthier than the mines of Potosi. I swear it. De- liver me and I will reveal the secret.” They turned about and consulted. Saul cried aloud again with even greater ve- hemence. “Save me—deliver me. I swear I have the secret—I and only I.” The abbot and the Jesuit came slowly back. Saul stood eager'y waiting, his eyes flaming and the perspiration running down from his finger tips::They bent thelr ears missive) the abbot would ride over on his mule with a train of monks or the grand inquisitor require the pleasure of the com- pany of Commandante Nicholas and his no- ble lady at his next festa in the grand Square. For now by great efforts the road was finished, so that the Donna Juanita could the more easily drive thither. After a day or two Eborra brought us word that Saul Mark and Capt. Stansfield with him were allowed their full Mberty in the monastery of San Juan de Brozas. They occupied one room and some of the negro guards had heard the man with the silver earrings laughing during the night, “like the bird which laughs in the woods, where no man is” (so they expressed it). And they were afraid, for it sounded like the devil triumphing. Ducing the day Capt. Stansfield walked silently up and down the quadrangle of the monastery, or read books from the library. He spoke little and ate sparingly. A senti- nel with a loaded musket continually fol- lowed him. Saul Mark, dn the other hand, did not appear to be watched at all. He went everywhere about the settlement, and a table was kept for his use near the apart- ments of the grand inquisitor. Here, under the shade of a vine-clad arbor, with papers, ink horns and charts scattered about him, Saul sat drawing many days, and often all day long. As for Anna, I saw little of her during these days. But by means of Eborra and his witch mother we managed to exchange greetings every morning. She was well. So came the news. She had found my mother busy with her broidering among the kind sisters, when last the Lady Juanita had driven over to the nunnery. The donna was kinder to her than ever, but, for fear of Saul Mark, never allowed her out of her sight for a moment during the day. Even at night she would come to the door of her chamber half a dozen times—so that she was compelled to write to us on scraps of Paper and hide them under her pillow when Bhe heard her mother coming. I could well understand Janet Mark's reason for keeping her child in sight while so dangerous a man as Saul Mark was close at hand, and with allies so erful as the abbot and the grand inquisitor. But be- cause of these precautions I could not very readily communicate to Anna, which was a grief to me. Meanwhile Will and I labored in our moist-hot weaving shed, having matters pretty much our own way, so that we turned out enough cloth for the soldiers and also for the galleon, which was to stop of Spain, bringing of cloth, as well as channel of communica- commandante and his su- But we soon became epee were being tan’ tas that —_ made for some dis- expedition. The San Esteban, the stand against the sky. All the moon hardly shining so much ing with a whitish green illumination up the black sky. The fireflies among the branches of the and the glow-worms jetted fire at our feet. We watched the darting lamps alighting near their mates, the tiny fires first bright- ening, then dulling, last of all being ob- scured as the insects consummated - their a affairs, all of which interested us much. On board the San Esteban we could hear a sound of hammering, and sometimes figures moved up the stays and about the rigging, all black as ebdny, save for a silver edging to each spar, mast, cord and moving shadow. «But, Lord, how the mosquitos bit down by the fat mud banks of the shore— great, speckled fellows they were. and with the appetites of unfed tigers for good, fresh Scottish blood. On these nights it was hot with a nd of lukewarm heat. and Will and I would giadly | have cast off our light clothes and plunged into the heaving waters. We refraine however, owing to the presence of certa curious objects out in the bay. These we! most like black bottles set aslope upon the sea, save that they passed and rep: 1 swiftly and noiseless!y across the shinii wake of the moon, glistening like wet leath er as they vanished into the shadow. They Were the back fins of a school of sharks. and, as may well be believed, the sight pui bathing out of our heads. It was upon our return from one of these rambles that we fofind Saul Mark waiting for us. He greeted us cordially enough. but with more than usual of the sneering manner which made me hate him so. He was seated very much at his ease in the little chamber at the end of the weaving shed, where for ordinary we swung hammocks and kept whai privacy wa sible for us. It was a pleasant place for the mosquitoes, and the de sh to rid ourselves of by rais or “smudge,” as we called it outside ju beyond the veranda. This we started on one side or the other according as the wind blew. It was, therefore, through a_ fine cloud of this smoke that we discovered our unwelcome tor, his black beady : sparkling and his large silver glinting in the smoky firelight i in through the open door, bringing with it the rolling smoke. This la pt us all three coughing and rendered more bizarre our interview with Anna's our ing, as we came in. had found and opened case bottle of Hollands, the Juanita. He lifted a tankard and quaffed us courteously, leaning back the while in our only chair, and crossing one leg over the other, very much z ease. At which Will Bowman only grunted, b I saluted the man courteously enough, b because he was Anna’‘s father, and becau: (save in a matter of conscience) I have al- ways tried to steer the course which most avoids the perils of our life’s pligrimage by land and sea, not always, I admit, with en- tire success, but always with the best in- tent. “You have been out to visit the senoritas —ah, youth, youth!” he cried, holding up his hands. “Well, I am the last man to blame you. I drink, instead, to your fair ladies’ eyes.” “We have been down by the shore edge, to admire the moonlight upon the water.’ So I answered him, gravely. “Ah.” he cried, ‘with a note of added gusto in his voice, “so it was in my time. I also went to admire the moonlight upon the water!” “Nevertheless, the thing is’ true, sir.” sald I, with a respectful assurance whicn I thought fitted to convince the most un- believing. “Ah, what have you in that pocket?” he said, pointing to the place in my blue work- ing blouse where I carried Anna’s letters in a flapped inside pouch, secured with a but- ton and tag. At this I was astonished, and, I fear showed something of it. Saul Mark nodded gent! “Good lads—good lads,” he said, “why should you be ‘shamed? We are all ily party here—husbands and wiv: and daughters—a little mixed pe present, but full of the possibilit Mestic bliss when once we settle little.” And his expression was that of a demon driver who cracks his whip of fire over a new and unstaled team. Will and I had no words to answer him. and after gloating over our silence for a moment he went on: “But now I need you, said; “you and I hav remember well your ma excu High Woods when we were all in a man- ner of speaking so happy together on the Isle of the Winds—before the coming of Captain Key's cruel pirates. You know the down a place of our adventure. I will reveal to you a secret. Under the blessing of the Almighty we are fitting out an expedition to retake the island and find Mo treasure. It is not the first time Philip here has gone treasure seekin; give him better luck on this occasion! Yous dusky friend comes with us as guide. I think you know what he will guide us to. Therefore make ready. Leave the weaving for a week or two. The weavers will have a holiday and the webs will not rot. The commandante also will leave a guard to keep all safe. So be ready to go on board the San Esteban at any time upon a sum- mons. There was nothing for us but to obey and I nodded my promise of obedience, while Will sulkily combed the back of his hand with a teasle. “We will not fail you!” I answered. “No, I shall see to it that you do not!” he answered, smiling. And that was the one word of threatening he used. CHAPTER XLVI. Saul Mark Expla In addition ta warning Will and myself that very honest man Saul Mark made himself clear to all concerned on a certain hot evening a fortnight later. It was in the Wide, half-underground appartment set aside for Capt. Stansfield and his compan- ion tn the monastery of St. John of Brozas. The Donna Juanita Silveda had just arrived to visit her compatriots. As was her wont on such occasions, she had left Anna with- out in the arbor, where were Saul Mark's papers and charts. The girl lifted one at random and to her surprise found it a map of the Isle of the Winds, with the fathom- ing of all the anchorages and girding reefs carefully marked. The position of the vil- lage was exactly indicated, but the work had evidently been interrupted, for the in- terior was a blank with only a few vague pencil markings upon it. “Why have you brought me here again?” Anna heard her mother say as she enterea. The reply was inaudible. Then in a few Moments the woman's voice grew louder. “I will not—" she cried sarilly. “I tell you I will not—I would die sooner! Whereat the girl moved nearer to the door, thinking it no shame to listen when all our lives depended upon her vigilance. She had not to go outside, for even where she was, hidden among the crimson bic soms of the arbor, the voices came cleur! enough to her ear. Then Anna distinguished the voice of Saul Mark, not raised like that of a com- mander, but only made more emphatic, as if what he said admitted of no argument. “It is not a question of your will, my lady Juanita, but of your necessity,” he said—“not of may, but of must. I speak, remember, to a man and a woman who are both at this moment not only sinners but convict murderers.” “And who planted the thought in our hearts? Who hounded us to that which was done?” It was her mother’s voice, raised almost to a shriek, that Anna heard as she stood trembling among the heavy crimson-petaled creepers. “Hush, Janet, it is useless," joined in the deep, quiet voice of Capt. Stansfield. This man is our taskmaster. Let him say the thing he will.”” Saul Mark laughed a little scornfully. “How wise is Sir Philip,” he said, “how clearly he grasps the situation! It is a pity this prescience had not come some- what earlier. It would have prevented many things—the blue room at New Milns for one thing, the limekiln of Provost Greg- 21 ————————————— ory Partan for another, a hundred tall ships scuttled and burned upon the high seas, plungings from slippery plank ends, poor Jim Pembury and the jads of the ¢ mantee, some thousand boys. dropping by one in plantation cancbrakes—these and much more. And now S'r Philip be nice about a puling woman and a pair of youths as little distinguished from ihe others as the acorns of tree!” me Saul.” said Janet Mark, as if trying to ch him, “one of them is his and ves our daughter!” If she spoke the word with the intent of exciting pi as ill He « shook his silver earrings laughed a short. ers ng laugh. ‘Ah, ie Janet It a great | word. And who k meaning if not | you? You loved me! You told me & om remember, «nce on a day. Sir Philiy . ce loved his father. He ioved his wife, it ai the altar. Lis brother John Then by a twist of the sand- I is changed. You, :ny lady. loved You hated m Phillp hated his his wife. his child. Only 1, poor not change. I love you as much ever. And I will help you all to ob- tain that which your heart desires, Villain!” cried Janet: “you, killed Philip Stansfield’s tather. him to speak the words which ¢ not ou ec ndemned him—in the blue room of New Milns it was yeur hand struck the t Looking past the Ii f the arbor door, Anna could see Capt. Stanstield Hit his arm d lay his palm upon the restrainingiy. He would hay ul went on par me We w s another n fingering one which and whai do bases? Still t ilip loves his wife. You. my dear wife, Don Nicholas ani r red-and-gold My daughter loves Phil wsBeld md. Again I ain the L alone love you all, < ms without consi} and the ¢ Im hen Philip Stansfield spoke y that which you have to sa rk. What do you wish us to de? & sin I have sinned, by the Mood I have (there is ¢ neugh on my hands, wh t of a father or no), Lam bound to t men bind their souls to the Saul Mark bowed a smiling ack ment of th risen. great honor, » a bargain, you and L 2 Bave SO Much. Did not ye <°which you bargained for? n because holds?” y plainly that cried Capt am in no mood to ba in contention, my whic . ons curl of ‘his lip. ¥ nsw Saut to be plain, I ef all this. T wili no lor be a privateer, conquistador. I would go home to that which is mine. I would setile down at New Milns, live decently and cleanly, huzza for the king on corona > hob-nob with the parson of Sunday Squeeze Umphray Spurw; and, in a wi Sir Philip, do all the things which the litt matter of the blue room and several 6chers prevent you from going home to do.” “There are sald Capt. St field, quietly. “The law—my brother J who w! id nothing easily—my son— said Saul: “we will only consider if you pl As for the lawyer e. the name is your own), I hold him in hollow of my hand, even as [ hold cer brother His practice and chara in Edinburgh are such that he dares 1, avarrel with me. But ‘your son,” w. I will not insult a man ¢ sing that as a father affection for such a son, stickler, Philip, when your own wu all, stood in your pa gether too puny a gnat is in my w. common to cats and other . of landing on ais f tued at New Milns g > shire, | want ao Ion: coming knocking upen my front We must ut that beyond doubt. Plainly, Pailip stield the elder, y our heritage. Ht not! “What—would you murder lad?” cried Janet Mark. (To be coni e+ $20,000 In Twelve Hours. From Ainslee’s Magazine. “This is the story of Alexander McDon- J ald, one of the best-known characte: the Yukon valley. He is a great, lumbering Scotchman—born in 2 Seotia—who up to the time of the Klondike discoverics rever had an idea of winning a greater for- tune than that of a day laborer. He worked from mining camp to mining camp all along the northwest. So slow was he and so 2wkward In his work—his feet entirely in his way and his bulk a misfit for the of prospect holes—that he was reputel never to be able to hold a job for longer than three weeks. He was at bawson short- ly after the first locations were made on the Klondike. He went out with numerous sStampedes, but never arrived in time to locate a paying claim. Finally he stumbled TOSS @ paper man named Hunt, who ad a claim on Bonanza creek. Hunt had become discouraged because he had not the funds recessary to develop it. This claim | McDonald purchased for $200 and set about developing it in his usual slow and aimless feshion. Finding the claim fairly rich, he put on a force of laborers and in a few weeks had taken out $80,000. This sum he used immediately to purchase other claims. All that year“he bought right and heft everything of any promise that was offere] to him, often mortgaging the claims thus bought to buy still other ground. Many of the ventures came to naught, but a few gave such phenomenal returns that a cannot go a’ Philip the young the innocent ned.) rs in he speedily took the rating of a millionaire. Out of one claim on El Dorado creek he shoveled $20,000 in twelve hours. Today he is probably worth between two and three million dollars. ‘Many others came to success even more suddenly than McDonald. One man on Bonanza creek took out ninety pounds of gold—about $25,000—in a single day. A pan of gravel on El Dorado creek yielded its lucky owner £100. This same man cleaned up 3,000 ounces of dust and nuggets from his first week's work.” i The West Previous to Irrigation. From the New York Tribune. John Armstrong of San Francisco was telling of certain phases of western life at the Fifth Avenue Hotel yesterday, and among other stories told the following: “Years ago,” said Mr. Armstrong, “whe that great and fertile stretch of country that has since been made to flourish as a green bay tree was in its physical appear- ance a bare and arid waste of land, its se tlement came slowly, and the pioneers who opened tt up had a hard time. and were of those whom fate had treated harshly. In consequence, they were naturally deficient in this world’s goods. To the men inter- ested in the development of the country it Was as an open book that could water but be brought to the land it would become one of the banner agricultural districts of the world. But the question was how to get the money for an extensive system of irri- gation, without which the land could not be made to bear, although even in those da: all that the country needed was some good society an? a little water to make of it a paradise on earth, a statement which I be- lieve has also been made of an unmention- able alleged hot place. But to those who came in the beginning ft afforded a bare livelihood in return for the hardest of hard work, and nothing could be laid up against the possibilities of future misfortune. All that is changed now.” THE OFFICER'S ORDERLY— From Fliegende Blatter,