Part 32 (1/2)

”Necessity may have no laws,” said he; ”but I fancy I should have found a code to ilance Committee in my time, and its articles kind of fitted in,” was the American's quiet reply ”That is why I have a few recent knife-cuts distributed about an to shoot and ere two short on the muster roll next day De Poincilit ran, and fell on his knees So did a skunk of an Italian, and I did not want to waste cartridges They were tied back to back until we sailed to-day”

”And the fifth?”

”The fifth was a woman”

”Huh!” Boyle reached out for a bottle of wine and refilled his glass

For a little while there was silence Then Courtenay ave me of the tree and I did eat' Did he blame the woman?”

”Well, yes But it was a e it off the slate, eh?”

”I agree heartily Drink up, Boyle, and pass the buck I have a five years' thirst”

They talked until day-break; then Courtenay turned in He did not appear on deck again until noon By that ti the slazier's art was replacing the broken glass Making the round of the shi+p, the captain found Elsie sitting with Isobel and Mrs So Joey's foot, and he knew then why the dog had scas as soon as the cabin door was opened

The girl colored very prettily the moment she set eyes on her lover

Mely vivid She was adorably shy, Courtenay thought As he approached, he debated thea sailor, he did not hesitate

Lifting his cap with a s,” he bent over Elsie

”Well,” he said, ”surely you owe me at least one kiss?”

If her cheeks were red before they becalance had warned her that he would adopt no pretence, so she lifted her face to his, though she did not dare to look at her amazed companions Courtenay explained matters quite coolly

”If Elsie has not told you already, it is ned articles,” he said with a set land”

”Indeed, I congratulate you both most heartily,” said the missionary's wife

”Events have marched, then, while ere stranded on that wretched island?” tittered Isobel Her voice was rather shrill She, too, was excited, not quite mistress of herself She did not kno far Gray's stateht have prejudiced her with the captain; she had already sent de Poincilit a note urging hie of the plot to steal the boat, and attribute the A of the Spanish patois used by the Chilean sailors

”Yes,” laughed Courtenay, ready to put her at ease ”One crowds the events of a ht, for instance, I had five minutes' aun which will serve alltime to come”

”You feel sure that we shall see no more of the Indians?” asked Isobel, quickly

”I think so One never can tell, but if they have the grit to attack us again I shall regard thehters”

”Dr Christobal says they have an astonishi+ng power of bearing pain without flinching,” said Elsie, plunging into the talk with a hot eagerness ”The Alaculofs in the fore cabin were afraid of hi he meant to kill them, but, when they found that he wished only to dress their wounds, they followed his actions with a curious interest, as though he were tending some other person's hurts and not their own And that reht to have that cut on your forehead washed Leton a chair Lifting Courtenay's cap she brushed back his hair with her fingers, and found that he had covered an ugly scar with a long strip of skin plaster The tense anxiety in Isobel's face forthwith yielded to sheer bewilder with the self-possession of young people who regard the ”engagee as a venerable institution

Of course Courtenay liked to be fondled in this el But he protested against the need of the doctor's precaution