Part 26 (2/2)

Walker winked suggestively

”That chap inside thinks he's out of it,” he said, ”so that's all wight” An energetic turn of the screwdriver signified that the man froines, he preferred to be on deck when the trouble caht delay Courtenay glanced at the northern headland, which Elsie had christened Cape Teht in arht to the chart-house, he nal fire which was in full blast on the summit of the cliff It had not been many minutes in existence, and it struck him at once that it was a vehicle of co canoes and others, yet invisible, ere expected to share in the attack

He was quick to perceive how seriously this new peril affected his calculations By the tiside the shi+p, there ht be dozens of others ready to help them

He leaned over the rail

”Did you test those flexible pipes this ?” he inquired

”Yes, sir, they-aw in fine condition,” said Walker

”Try theain, will you? I want to make sure Our livesthe onco canoes By a touch on the shoulder he called the nal on Cape Templar A voluble and perfervid explanation in Spanish was useless Here arose the unforeseen need of an interpreter Without troubling to analyze his feelings, Courtenay was glad of the excuse which presented itself of obtaining athe senorita,” he said, and Elsie, wondering why she had been sue co pit-a-pat She hoped that Courtenay ht; she aliven specific orders that she was to re that she should wish to avoid him, but why should he wish to avoid her?

The joy in her eyes died ahen she found that the captain merely required a translator The restraint she iue trip She had to ask Suarez to repeat his statelish

”He says that the Indians only kindle a fire on that point when they want the signal to be seen from the sea,” she explained at last ”They used it once, to his knowledge, when soone to the island out there to kill seals He cannot guess what it portends to-day, but he is quite sure that they have many more canoes at command than those which you now see up the bay”

Courtenay could not fail to notice her agitation His quick intent was to soothe her

”I a for you in such a hurry rather alarmed you

Suarez strikes me as a person of nerves; he overrates the eneh to believe that I would not mislead you, and I am quite in earnest when I tell you that we shall drive off these unfortunate wretches with comparative ease Why, I had it in lad he itation

”Suarez is certainly rather draht to have discounted his Spanish mode of address But is it really necessary that I should re at us, the chart-house will probably be hit Ah, yes, I am sure you would risk that, and ht to have help You see, I aht her hand and looked into her eyes There are so e; for a blissful ot the other woe did she realize that Courtenay, too, etful And that was very distressing, both for her and the unknown But here she was, face to face with him, and in such close proximity that she was unaccountably timid While her heart leaped in tuht You are always right I was selfish in thinking that--that I-- in the corners of her irl, Elsie,” he o now Have no fear We are in God's care May His angels watch over you!”

”But you, you will not risk your life? What shall we do if anything happens to you?”

She was strung to that tense pitch when unguarded speech bubbles forth the soul's secrets All she kneas that Courtenay was looking at her as a man looks at the woman he loves And that sufficed The o, yet held her hand a willing prisoner His words had the sound of a prayer, but it was the orison of a knight to his lady He bade her fear not, while he treh she well kneas not fear which shook him Neither of them paid heed to the presence of Suarez

For an instant they had a glimpse of heaven, but the curiously harsh voice of the Spanish miner fell on their ears, and they came back to earth with a sudden drop

”The Feathered People are singing their war chant,” he said, and his gesture seemed to ask them to listen They started apart, and it was not Elsie alone who blushed Courtenay crihty interest in the doings of the savages

The girl recovered her self-controlof the h

”They will be singing a dirge next,” said he with a jaunty confidence

”Now, Elsie, off with you! Be sure I shall come and tell you when you ht of the Alaculof challenge Though the raucous notes of the tuneless lay could be heard plainly enough, they did not reach her ears When she raced down the saloon co over the shtened himself in his peculiarly stiff way

”What did the captain want?” he asked, with a suspicious peevishness which, for once, detracted from his habitual courtesy The note of distrust jarred Elsie back into her senses