Show t I f t THE ISLE OF STRIFE FE By GEORGE C C. SHEDD h Copyright 1912 1012 by Small Maynard Co f-f- f SYNOPSIS Charles Woodworth inherits his fath- fath ers eri estate Being Being- refused b by Elizabeth Moore daughter of a diplomat to Veno- Veno uela zuela zuela he goes to a ranch In Texas TexaL With Lieutenant William WlIIlam Harrington he pro proposes proposes proposes pro pro- poses to take a vacation in Maine aine News of f tho the capture of a 8 Russian spy with plans of ot a European fortification dis- dis close the fact that Woodworth possesses plans lans ans of a supposed German fort tort taken from rom the trunk of an ex-English ex army Weer Fred red Douglass who with dUr a Frenchman Fr were employed at the mine Jack Mai Maitland Hand manager hot at Douglass when he l learned both were the mine escaped On One pe be e boat from Galveston Gal to New York a a aflee flee cites raiser relates that andel and andel el eI President Castros right right- and man n. n are the sam same Del Ue ton ron tho the Venezuelan presidents president's favor by Lonagan a contraband trader In nn New York Woodworth m meets ets Jack who has married Fenon Fenon Fenon Fen- Fen on daughter of the Forge Forg-e mine owner who tells him hIn that Mr lr Moore and daughn daugh daugh- terara er n are at Island Maitland tolls tells to go In and win Elizabeth Eilzabeth On Jn the train traina a German demands to know how low ow Woodworth got tho the map Woodworth Woodworth Wood worth refuses At night tho the German Gennan attempts attempts at- at tempts to steal the map and a fight re- re suits At Woodworth Is again confronted by the German On tho the walk to the German again appears an andY and being refused attempts to assault i Woodworth A Woodworth learns from his man Andrew Andrew An An- drew drew that Elizabeth called at his NewYork New NewYork York home She didn't think hed he'd act fo foolish on being being- refused A raging storm keeps Woodworth Indoors for two days Clad In oilskins he goes to the Village The Innkeeper Mme Coubeau informs him that a a. a German named Von Huss Huss- Hussman nan man js ja stopping there t Woodworth rents a a. boat from his old friend Jean Gervaise who often took Betty Moore out He Is hailed by Betty Bettyas Bettys as s Jean In tho the boat Betty discovers her mistake mistake- They part as us strangers era after Woodworth calls S Senor nor Del Her- Her valle aJIe who is stopping with tho the Moores r r a a. scoundrel At night Woodworth goes Wo jo f o th the Moore home Oi On 0 i the grounds he ho hos' hos iris s' s attacked and Del Hen Hen-alle takes the theand i map and instructs his secretary DaIto Davis I to hide It ft I Woodworth recovers the map Woodworth Wood- Wood worth falls fails to convince Mr Moore that Del t-Del wa was was- known under several uveral i aliases alIes es Del visits Woodworth and tand endeavors to have Woodworth sell Uhe the tho map but falls fails The German again appears y f I Baron aaron Von Hussan and Del bargain for the map without success The Moore servant tolls tells Betty Bett- tho the true truC story of or the attack on Woodworth Del holds up uv And Andrew ew but Woodworth Wood- Wood worth orth appears In tI time e. e I 1 iI ff CHAPTER VII 3 Strategy Introduced Upon an I Island rj Two da dars s 's s passed without parti particular ular eve event vont t. t I idled about tho lod lodge e I spent an hoar each h afternoon at Moore house land and once took Muriel Nesbit for a Her conversation was always amu l an and oti original inal and it was doubly dou dou- ely bly lyO BO so when she rode between tho two of sunburn and what she not beUk be- be Uk ft used to water conceived to bo ox ox- adventure II Her Hr r speech came round to Davis U He moves like lik a a. tong crea- crea are ure sho he declared and and make me shudder hudder And once I I pled pledged cd you ou to Ho no tried to make love to me and iid d once to Betty but in su such h a a way bat that we vo couldn't t take offense Bett Betty land nd d I r c compare notes you Ou know IT t Always I inquired I- I Even about you but you vou dont don't do uch nuch that's interesting J J Ill Ph improve at once and I laidy laid ay y hand over hers here i She Sho snatched it away I Charles Woodworth when where I h have ve ove o made to me J I r want it in de dc dead d earnest arid and and you Vou are are head over h heels els En Ii a love with Betty If you want to on on me me ohl oh that wave wa will win r n usI-a usI a i a a sort o of understudy in reparation for the address addreS yon fl shall make ake to Betty Ill I'll oblige ohlie e you Ill I'll l lot let loty t ty y IF y tiD fingers trail trait in tho the water like lik the thc ladies ladies' in picture pictures only here hore Are no swans about and cast my yes lyes y 5 down mournfully She ted ut ut- t red ed a suppressed scream then said D How flow dare you yOU youl You You turned the tiller pur and sad w wit wet t m my sl sleeve e the tho elbo elbow r I couldn't help it I reap J d ot tt t i I said Bald U Your Your acted me I acting dt di- di Thon Thoa I well we'll have ha no flo moro more Of it oure re not to be trusted ted A As I Vas was Mv MR I what a slap that Wave Lye vo Mr Davis makes me ne shudder e Bays Bas be bes bea a an American but I t dont don't I boyo it He speaks half a doz dozen n K all vi fluently and nd theres about him that is foret foreign n. n I no not an n American Ill I'll bet t a dol dol- Jar lar he continued he be then e always keeps his his' eyes eyes on on- onono one until ono crows rows uncomfortable If he annoys you or Betty Ill PH take him in hand Be careful Ho hates you I know it Perhaps he ho has reason to I tOr grinned remembering the tho fright I had given i en him bim When your our name is is mentioned his eyes crow row positively ugly nily Well I dont don't think I have havo ave anything any any- ny thing to fear And as I said sald Ill I'll see 1500 that he doesn't annoy you The Tho occasion arose aros that very afternoon after no noon n n to to- to tout vat ut into c t my championship champion champion- ship We Wo had landed and were ascending ascending as as- the path when my companion darted forward to a copse which stood on the turf to gather a cluster of bluebells The clump of bushes was small perhaps ten feet across and as asI asI asI I followed her we were both immediately immedi apprised d by bv voices engaged in con tho the presence of ot others not not- not visible You treat me with scant regard said one which I recognized as Davis Davis' It was Betty who answered You Youcan can find no fault with the treatment you you have ha received as ns a guest st e-st at Moore house No no but it is something more than that I want Perhaps because I Iam Iam Iam am only Senor Del Def secretary secretary secre secre- tary I should silence Yet I cannot You have given me mo encouragement a ement t to bell believe eve eve- Mr Davis Davisi It is true or I Would not now presume presume pre pro sume sumo to make any advances advance Wo Ve need not let others know see you are in in- I know you yon are arc above tho the littleness of conventions You are aro a woman of experience At this point I marched around the bush Like a true comrade Muriel fol fol- fol- fol lowed Jowell at my heels heels Uta to see the fun fUD as she afterward expressed it You Youve YO said too m much ch Mr Davis and I don dont don't t like your insinuations as to this lady's ladys disposition I stated s sternly Let Lot this bo be the tho last time timo you vou speak to her except on common commo to topics es 1 Ho He drew back a step The rho natural pallor of his bis cheek increased until it ft resembled marble but th there re was a venomous light in his eves By what ri right right right- ht- ht he hebe be began an Betty interrupted him with a wave of her llor hand Leavo Leave this to mo me Mr Davis Davis she sho said Then Thou turning Youre You're taking a great frat deal upon yourself Mr W Woodworth Wood iod- iod od worth to intrude hero bere without my express ex ox- press invitation What Mr Davis says or doesn't sa say concerns you not tho the l least ast in th tho world And Aud her eyes flashed d many lightning I think it t docs does X 1 answered Pray how howl Well WeH for one reason because I am going to marry you vou shortly She stared then a look of scorn grow grew r w on on her face Indeed Kindly state that again Yon Youre You're re going to 10 what Ex Exactly cUy what t I sa said said marry d marry you rou You may not b be perfectly aware ware of it as yet but such is the case Thero- Thero fore I give this gentleman duo due warning warning warn warn- ing lug that Ill I'll administer such punish ment mont as I think necessary if I d discover er co him making any more impertinent pro I 1 stepped forward Well Well We'll return to the tho house And taking her hand band and placing it upon my arm I started up imp tho the slope She di did not resist she by my side as in a a adream dream until we reached tho timo portico Then she sho whirled upon me with eyes eos burning like hot bot sap I hate you OU hate you Youl oal ah sho exclaimed in a a. fury of pas passion on You are contemptible I shall listen to Mr Davis Davis' whenever I please please and and I 1 shall please very often I 1 never want to speak ito you JOU again or see sea you If vou ou dare to molest me in th the future r i I I Oh I hate hato you youl Betty I replied q quietly U that a scoundrel Stop No uNo Ive I've not finished and you must listen Hes He's a slinking scoundrel and aud if ho he eve over r insults you again by bv veiled allusions allusion Ill I'll break every bone bon in his body I need not tell toll you I love 10 you you-you vou you know DOW it and have known it for years Her lIer eyes still blazed Her whole bole lovely pe person on was afire with an anger er and she gripped d her palms until her hn hands s were wore white Never N er c set foot here again Charles Woodworth Ill have to to for Im I'm going t to ma marry ry you Marry me mel moI she choked Id td Id sooner Booner marry marry marry-marry marry Andrew Andrewl with ith which she turned and vanished in in the house I gazed at the door The Tho co course I had planned to follow the policy or or determined force had at its first fast trial produced unexpected not to say eay explosive explosive explosive sive results Betty was 01 very lovely in a ra rage but chanc chance of winning her seemed to be exceedingly remote remote to to twinkle afar of off and grow row more and more dim dun like a a. receding star Try fry ry as asI asI I would I could not somehow hit on tho the right road to her affections A voice whispered at my shoulder That was wa grand land Like t tb tho e third act of a play I turned about and nd found Muriel face aglow with mth excite meat ment U And And how you did put down that man Davis T There ere ho he goes foes stealing stealing steal steal- ing around tho the house Charles Woodworth Woodworth Wood Wood- worth warth Ill I'll fall faU in love lore with you m self If Betty docent doesn't want you I Ill I'll 11 take taka you v She Sho doesn't want me mc She doesn't know whether she sho does docs or not Her Her remarks wore very positive on the tho subject Positive perhaps but not final final final-a a womans woman's never arc aro With which sage bit of f philosophy she eho nodded brightly aud passed within tho the house This has been a u. deuce of an after after- noon Ill I'll go o down and seo see if J Jean Jeanis enn ennis is at home I thought lIes Hes an anchor anchor anchor an an- chor in any storm J So Soo o off I set alon along the road to Lavo La La- vo cJe pondering over all aU that had happened since 1 I camo came to the island If I had sought Bought a a. chan change e from the steady uneventful life of my past year and a half I could not in any spot on onearth earth Carth have more quickly found it Quiet old ouche La what with mth the tho map and what with Betty promised to k keep ep mo me i occupied to the utmost Chance throw threw me In tho way of old I Gaspard the Where the road debouched from the wood upon the sands a hundred yards south of th village his garden was situated with an afternoon exposure a n patch of rich black soil son perhaps fifty feet square Tho The little old f fellow who had been bending bend bend- in ing over ver some potato vines concluded his inspection and hailed me mo shrilly Aha Aba ha Charles what is this I hear of ot you OU t ho he cried I can never guess Gaspard I II Come Come sit on this log o he be to fallen wili I pointing a a. tree and I will toll tell you the report certain evil persons are arc spreading about Nothing more was needed to enlist my interest and Gaspard if anybody in c knew kne what was being gossiped gossiped gos gos- os' os and what contrived ed in the village e. e He folded his spectacles and be began an his story It appeared that the three a vagabond abond sailors Pilon Des arte and antI Esper had been talking 10 loudly in tho inn over their wino wine and into the ears of any anyone ono one who would listen talking that I was in possession of ono one of beloved Prances Frances maps a secret map of one ono of her fortresses fortresses fort fort- located somewhere on tho the eastern east east- ern era boundary and w was s attempting to dispose of it to her enemy Germany No one believed the fellows thoy they were such finch and liars and besides it was well wen known that Pilon had no liking for me but nevertheless ne Gaspard Gaspard Gas Oas pard continued d T I w was s acquainted with how people would listen to any idle gossip Therefore it ml would be bo well wen to togo togo too go o to tho the village a and d deny that I had bad any such map or or any auy map at all nil All All' yesterday afternoon and all tho the pro pre vio s evening tho the scamps had talked of it incessantly Jean had at nt last lift lifted J his fist against Pilon and threatened to crack his h head ad then they thoy were silent for a while but only until Jean had har gone Jono away Pilon lJ himself had bad isit visited d half a dozen bou houses cs to toll tho the talc tale talc J Jerome cromo the Merchants Merchant's B Sur on tho the mayors mayor's who was also the oldest fisherman fisher fi man yes and others even Oven to Gaspard Truly Trul it was necessary t to prove provo Pilon a liar b by going to the vi vii vil lage lago and proclaiming that I J had no map Good Gaspard I rejoined l' l I J have m ve veno no map of an any of Prances Franco's forts fortI but it does happen that I J h have ca a map The rho old man rubbed his noso nose and eyed eye me mo in astonishment How comes it Charles that a simpie simple sim sim- pIe young oung man nian like pu should have such a a paper v vOh Oh by by- accident entirely Its It's to too long lone a tale but I can assure you ou that i I haven't lavent the least intention in the world of harmin harming Franco France I havo bavo none of or her ber maps Your word wordis is sufficient it will end these fellows fellows' babble To TC be continued d. d |