The Argosy, April 1916 — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

FOOLS OF —the first time in my life—and when I came to he was rubbing my face and trying to get me to stand up, I fancy, because I had dropped right down on his—his—his— bed!” Miss Addison listened aphit to Susan’s further recital of the arrival of Mother Juliet and William Ransom, of her dread lest Ransom should learn she had come there and of the assistance rendered by the strange man when Michael and the Brothers descended upon the place. “Of course, my dear,” Miss Addison re- marked, having considered Susan’s story, “the strange man must have been brought to the island in their boat to help those mis- creants at the Settlement.” “T’m afraid that’s so, though he did not seem like a bad man, even if he did talk in a suspicious, rambling way. But why should they need help at the Set- tlement? ‘Haven’t they enough men as it is?” “Quite so,” Miss Addison admitted. “Yet you forget that Ransom and his men had little or no money—a thing we never use here on Twin Island and which you can’t move a yard without on the mainland. They brought back a heap of stores, which they couldn’t get on credit. Who knows what riffraff in Honduras with a handful of dollars would not be willing to invest them on the chance of sharing in the pillage and possession of Big Twin Island?” ~~ “That’s true, Addie—and it’s awful to think of, isn’t it?’ Susan looked away musingly toward the window that opened on the sea. “And yet if this man has come—” “Dear Susan,”’ Miss Addison interrupted, “we must not be mooning over all these matters of ifs and ands; we must think fast. What kind of man is he to look at?” “T don’t know.” “You said he is a white man, Susan.” “Oh, I’m sure of that. His talk, his manner proved it to me. But I never had a glimpse of his face, nor he of mine. It was black as pitch in the timber shed and once outside I ran ahead of him so fast I soon lost him. He said he would remember my voice—wasn’t that funny, Addie? ‘“‘Now that I am safe here and can look back, it seems to me he said several things that were funny, though they didn’t seem so then.” ‘We'll leave this man you’ve never seen,” Miss Addison told her, “to your father and SACRIFICE. 115 Michael Sands. They will see to Mother Juliet and any other disreputables that she may be hiding im her serpents’ nest for the Settlement mutineers. What I want to know is whether Oscar Molle knows that—” “Oh, he only knows that I went to see Mother Juliet. He had to mind the launch, you understand. When I told him I hadn’t been able to see her and he asked why I had been so long, I explained that I waited and looked about, expecting she would appear. He hasn't the least idea about the strange man.’ ‘‘Nor cares to have, because he has an idea about you as I’ve told you—and don’t you see what you’ve done, dear girl?” Susan nodded mournfully. This was the dread that went to-her heart like a knife. © - “Tf what you say is true, Addie,” Susan admitted, ‘“‘of course I ought never to have trusted him so far. But I’ve always held him rather like a confidential servant, you know. And he’s been most respectful and willing.” ‘‘He’s waited on your every whim for a year or more. He’s served you like a slave —no man does that as a servant. Almost, it seemed to me, there was joy in his un- readable, horrid eyes to-night when your father manhandled him with words that ought to have made his blood boil.” “IT tell you what we'll do. You sleep with me to-night so I can’t think of things,” Susan -was. saying, when a knock sounded on the door. “Come,” Susan called out, antl looked round, as did Miss Addison also. There appeared Rebecca, the mistress of the kitchen, where she bossed the Brothers as cooks and two other blacks as scullery boys. These boys also did the housework in the men’s wing of Half-Moon House, while Rebecca performed the same service for Susan and Miss Addison. ‘The room’s all ready, Rebecca,” said Susan. anything?” “I beg your pardon, miss,” the large, .. statuesque negress answered, smoothing the - tiny white apron at her waist with one. hand. “I brought your coat. Mr. Molle gave it to me down-stairs. He said you left it by mistake in the launch, and I’d better fetch it to you.” ‘Lay it on the bed, please,” Susan told the girl sharply. ‘Good night, Rebecca.” Rebecca bowed, murmured her good cComicoooks “Did you wish to see me about. C@