The Island School — page 399: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Bt, iy “yr arate exile the « one or hatig the: other,” he said, ed “Then it all depends upon the governor,” said fe be more trouble. If not, then you will be able to live Bt on here in peace. I could,” he added, dreamily, “ at oo bidding, return to Minorca and put a ee - ‘between his ribs—the ribs of Algua Marbalo, I mean.’ ate N 0, no !” | Ns e “Or, senor, I could assure the tyrant that the bony my en is dead, and I could take Lucia di Valo back a me.” | Jim saw his purpose. He might take Lucia with hy : him, but she would never reach the island of Minorca.” Rae) tie ‘se said , briefly. | 1" i mit I am no lover of it,” said Giuseppo, simply; “it is i for the senor I would doit. I owe him so much.” B “JT would rather not be paid in that coin,” said eh A Sim, and they walked on for a time in silence. “Ts the senor angry with me ?” asked Giuseppo. “No. You mean well, but the ways of your people are not the ways of nes There are other ways in 4 i _ which you can help me.” ae : - The letters, which had been carried on, were still in | Etite bags when Jim entered the castle. The breaking ie r "7 ws) ah of the seals, and arrangement for sorting, were left _ for him to see to. Nobody thought at first of even : ann Mr. Farrell that the mails had arrived. _ It was so long since they had heard from home that ane boys were more than usually eager to get their letters. , a hs = quarter of an hour, all helping, it was done. cr a ap letters posted at Gibraltar by the youngsters who had _ been sent home. Mainly, they expressed regret at as _ having been weak enough, as they put it, “to run “ « “away ” from their comrades. There were many good : i” __ wishes expressed, and all hoped that they would hear >t at times how those left on the island were. getting on. oe With the mass of correspondence we need not concern ourselves. It was not of a nature to interfere ae with the life on the island. But there were two letters, one received by Mr. Farrell and the other by se _ Miss Elegantine, we must refer to. ‘Mc. Farrell’s letter was from the agent, and it ‘ referred to rumours which had reached him of trouble - on the island, and asking for particulars. “Tt is to be hoped,” the missive went on, “that you Berit ive not laid yourself open to any charge of a ba criminal nature, and, in any case, I shall be glad if you will write exonerating me en any share in the muddle I feel convinced you are in.” In his now helpless condition of mind and body, Mr. Farrell, alarmed, sent for Jim, who said that the best reply to the agent would be to send for more stores, and ask him to see they were duly shipped. i Giuseppo. ‘“‘Tf Marbalo can spur him on, there may “There must be no bloodshed on my account,” he Among the ordinary matter there were a lot of “THE aon ) soHOOL. | : 1 ‘ ’ fyaet St P ‘ ¥ AM x . . f 4 : ; bee al A Tai’ & 5 Larre.e H : Vala >) f ‘ ‘ i) +i tues eT oa ok ® eg Are Fe, \ ie A ye MH ‘ “A Pee te si ; ze Ly « : Ae) SA Ses / a Ve reer 7 Pat Y te we +P A: in Ate At) y A BA ge “You atiout eee a ave of sail aa paved ps Be ) “just to thank him for his interest in our affairs, and mae ne exOucrUDe him from all blame.” | “Suppose the parents of the boys. sitied have gone | home make a disturbance ?” said Mr. Farrell, Aina “T feel convinced that from the majority we shall y hear nothing,” answered Jim; “the boys are not — At the worst, their friends — ae ha Ae ssi going home to grumble. will write to you first, and, if necessary, you will have — by to refund some of the money paid.” Fi ie Me yee i A “fT am getting very poor,” groaned Mr. Farrell. ae “You need not be rich to live on here for a Fae At said Jim. “Now, if you could get out and about and C select a spot for your future home, I shall be glad. - We must get all the house-building over as Spee eI as possible.” i> Mr. Farrell promised to do that on the morrow, and ty, he told Jim that he must rely upon his help right through. Jim promised to do as much as he could Se for him, and left the presence of his late schoolmaster _ :: § *, 3 vig ad : ae ¥ feeling in a strange way very much like the man who has been talking to a boy. In the matter of pluck | hae and general manly bearing they had certainly change places. | Miss Elegantine’s itty was of a disquieting nature. , es ae | Tt came from a solicitor who had been a friend of the The sorting was at once begun, and in a | father of Oscar Dibble. -anything. Its contents were as follows: ‘197, Blackfriars, London, H.C. ‘ “ Re Oscar Dibble, Orphan. : a “ MapamM,—It has come to my knowledge that forsome years past, while ostensibly acting merely as trustee of the estate of the late Septimus Dibble, for the benefit of the above referred to Oscar Dibble, his son, you have been transferring securities so that they now stand in your name alone. Moreover, it appears that the said Oscar — Dibble has been reared in ignorance of his being heir to a very good property From ‘this we gather that you have some ‘design of appropriating the said fortune for your own use and benefit. We therefore request you to at once return to England to meet a-charge of misappropriation, | or to give us power of attorney to re-transfer the said pro- perty to the heir, and give your undertaking not to further interfere with its disposal in any way whatever.—I am, Madam, your obedient servant, ‘‘THomAs DANEBURY.” . ct 7 ° The consternation of Miss Elegantine cannot be described. This was a matter that had troubled her conscience when camping on the rocks, and she was : half in a mind to make confession of her deeds. But on returning to the castle, where she was “once more : in safety, she changed her mind. ‘Now she had to do something. That eer was not to be trifled with. So she sent for Dibble, and a told him that she had been a very unkind aunt—which he had known long before—and that he was possessed ~ of a large property—which staggered him, because he never ene he had any—and then she asked him what he would do. | | 3 ‘ i “Well, auntie,” said Dibble, “I don’t want ie ie | I suppose yee Ns t the money ye you °”