The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-12-15 00:00:00

[ALL RIGHTS FLESERT AD.]
EVE AT THE WHEEL,

G. MANVILLE FENN.
Author of " Ship Ahoy," "Dutch, the Diver," " The
voundry Belle," 4.c.,

QIIAPTER XXXIX.
TWE SEARCH CONTINUED.

Ix spite of the desolation of the coast, and the
sense of misery entailed by-the misfortune that had
come upon them, the three little bands found it hard
work not t show the influence of the exhilarating
morning breeze and the bright sunshine.
There was all the feeling of one of those brightest
of spring's bright days. In the air birds were
twittering and singing, as they marched inland;
and at every step the traces of the eruption grew
more rare.

They would not show the joyful feeling that in-
truded in every breast. The effect of the delicious
morning was visible in the elastic step and eager air
of every member of the expedition; and on Laurent
or lielston saying a few encouraging words, and
warning his followers to keep together, so as bet ter
to resist attack, they responded cheerfully, and, in a
compact body, pressed on.
A rough plan of procedure had been made, by
which the three parties were to meet, after taking
different routes, at the southern slope of the volcano,
from whence, after resting and recruiting them-
selves, they could take a fresh start, and, dividing,
go round the huge eminence, and meet and complete
their exploration on the other side.
"Thello was sent along the coast with his party;
and, from the black's previous behaviour, Ilebton
had little fear of his conduct if he should encounter
the savages.
'T aurent took the left; and his instructions were
fo lean towards the western shore, while Helsfe n.
took the centre, intending to take a zigzag com
but with the central point of the volcano as li's
goal.
Everywhere, as they journeyed on, the pine e
seemed to teem with new beauties. The iin,:er-

growth was of the most brilliant and tender gre, n,
while the volcanic ash seemed as if acting as a
stimulant, with the accompanying heat and nini-;-
ture. to the growth, for the leafage seemel 11)01'9
abundant, even as it was of a richer character th n
of old.

The rapidity with which the great grasFe:; an I
palm shot up was astonishing; while where, h few
weeks ago, all had been sterile and bare was now a
brilliant carpet of flowers of every hue, sparklin
tufd blushing in the morning sun.
Put it was not only the vegetable world that I al
teen so active, for enough of the animal inhalitl:n
had been left to increase, as only the life of troi ic
regions can increase.

No less than three times did they start little herds
of the small wild pigs of the island, and these were
in a great proportion made up of young, some even
of the smallest dimensions.

Trifles to record, but facts of great importance to
the people on the island, as it meant a supply of food
to supplement their fish.
The birds too, were very abundant: but a kiwi of
vild turkey that they had not seen before was put up
F' venal times over.

Unfortunately the reptile element was not extinct,
fl • numberless specimens of lizard and serpent were
encountered, and two or, three were of great size,
thoiigh they seemed only bent on escaping from
those who had disturbed them in their haunts.
So large a number were of small size—some
four or five feet long—that it seemed as if a new
species had been hit upon, one which, from the con-
figuration of the head, was apparently not of a poi-
sonous nature, wanting as it did the broad, spade-
like development of skull, and thin neck close
behind.
These creatures, on the contrary, were long, thin,
and tapering to the extremities. It soon lec
evident, however, that they were the young of the
huge serpents of the isle ; and as this knowledge
gained ground, it was plain that a regular crusade
must be attempted against them, or they would son
be masters of the place, and wofully diminish the
birds which were looked to for supplies.
Fruit would soon again be plentiful, and a year
would so obliterate the traces of the eruption that
they would hardly be noticed, and, growing trorg
accustomed day by day to their life, the women h
now ceased to dwell much on escaping from t' e
island.
For the prospect had for long enough seemed so
hopeless that, for the most part, they devoted their
thoughts to their present necessities, and to their
defence from the wild and savage enemies that en-
vironed them.
They had been journeying on, keeping a bright
look-out on all sides, for about a couple of hours,
' when one of the women in advance announced traces
of the savages.
The whole party was immediately on the ale t,
looking on all sides for danger as they joined her
who had given the alarm.
Her discovery consisted of marks in the gra,s,
which was beaten down to such an extent that it
was evident that the savages had made it their
Aleeping-place at some late period.
elston examined it eagerly, and, to be frk e of
doubt, asked himself whether there was any pes,i.
bility of the marks having been made by animal.
As far as he knew, though, there was nothing 1 id
the pigs that could have so beaten down the herb-
age, and traces of their occupation were decidedly
wanting.
It was evidently a lurking-place adopted by the
savages; but not during the past night, for the dew
still lingered in places amongst the strands in si ite
of the increasing strength of the sun.
Onward again, with every one on the alert; fer
theY felt that they were now on the right track, and
that, as the savages had approached most probal,ly
by this route, they would retire by the same to some
stronghold among-t the rocks.
Every here and there the party encountered some
little token of the savages having lingered a out
there; and it was evident, from the chips of wood
and obsidian, that they had been busy mina-
faeturing arms, the obsidian or volcanic gla -9
evidently pointing to the fact that arrow heads
had been made, o hether as arms of offence, or for
shooting birds or animals for food, it was impossible
to say.
• .Now and then. too, they found themselves in doge
proximity to one or other of the lava streams, some
of which were broad as great rivers.
The heat emitted by these was very sensible still ;
hut they were everywhere so crusted over that the
party crossed and re-crossed as the necessities of the
journey required.
At last they paused in a sheltered ravine, where
huge piled-up blocks of slag sheltered them from
the burning rays of the sun. Provisions were
brought out, and by the side of the trickling
fount that gushed from a bank of sandstone, covered
with rich green ferns, they sat and partook of their
peal.
But Helston could not rest; he was incessantly
walking about, seeking for traces of the savages and
Ending none: till, just as, quite disheartened, and
telling himself that he must be now travelling in the
wrong direction, he kicked against something in t' e
g res. and stooping down, he uttered a cry of d;s-
-appointment, for it was only one of the home-Tna,?o
knives that had been forged by 'Thello out of the
soft hoop iron, and ground up and bound at the
handle by the women themselves.
"Which of you has lost a knife?" said Ilelston,
returning disconsolately to the group, who were
watching him as they partook of their meal.
No one answered, but every woman felt at her
'.giidle for the weapon.
"Someone must have lost this," said Helston,
Impatiently. "Here, take it."
Ile passed it to Janet, who took it and examined
it curiously; and as Helston was turning away, her
words arrested him:
"Why, this was Deborah Burrows' knife," she
exclaimed.
Deborah Burrows had no knife," said Helston,
sharply. "I gave orders that one was not to be
supplied to her."
"Yes, sir, you did," said Janet; "but she went
into a furious rage about it, and declared she wou4l
have one; and when it was still refused, she took
Father Moss's."
But how do you know it ? " said Helston, grow-
ing interested.
"By the handle," said Janet. "I saw Esf2.,.c.f
make it by binding seaweed round first, and over it
a piece of her dress. Look."
she held up the blade, and, sure enough, a handle
had been so contrived by the owner, the outsi le
being a piece of old cotton print.
"Do any of you know that as being Esther
Moss's," said Helston.
"Yes, oh, yes," said half .a-dozen girls.
"I'm sure of it," said Janet, firmly. "She took
it, and she must have lost it here."
"Are you all sure that you have your knives?"
said nelston, huskily; for he would not deceive
himself as to what seemed too good to be true.
"Yes, yes," said his party.
Then he argued to himself that no one could
have been hero since the knives were made, not even
Deborah, who had been too closely watched in camp
to get 'away. So he was compelled at last, how-
ever unwilling, to accept the evidence that
Deborah had been there, of course with the savages,
and therefore they must be, after all, on the right

track.
After due rest had been taken, the party set off
once more, fresh and well recruited, as evinced
by the eagerness with which they continued their
search.
At the end of a couple of hours they were well en
the slope of the vol,ano, and here, as the others
were to meet them, Helston might have halted his
party; but as on every side there were such rifts,
gorges, and ravines, every one of which ofi'ered
the greatest facilities for concealment, he decided to
well search each volcanic crevice as far as the day-
light would allow.
Before long they were again rewarded by traces
of eavage work, for the glassy obsidian had becn
broken up, in one place on a block of stone, quite a
pile of chips lying by the side; and as Helston
picked up a few fragments of the strong volcanic
glass, with their keen points and edges, he could
not help thinking hew mu* more able the mind of

the savage seemed to be in fitting him with ideas
for rendering his state bearable.
Here was a material whieb, when dexteyously
broken, split into le:ik2 11 in nf nrne!z,ng
strength, sueh as mfgre ttimirable points for weapons
and rough knives, which would cut or saw wood.
That their enemies had been here, too, there was
no doubt; but the question was, had they been be-
fore or after the attack upon Nary Wilmot?
The fragments looked wonderfully fresh, but
Helston could not give them the credit of belonging
to the present time; so he ignored that amount of
the evidence, and they went on with the search till
night fell, when Ilelston divided the company into
two parties, which were to keep watch and watch.
The night passed without alarm, each party taking
its turn; but, though L elston lay upon the rocks in
a state of semi-exhaustion, no sleep visited. his eyes,
and he waited eagerly for the coming of the day-.
The morning broke fair and bright enough, and
they once more commenced their search, corning
twice over upon traces of the savages, which showed
that, as 11 els. on had imagined, they -had made the
slopes of the volcano their stronghold.
Nothing more rewarded their search; and to-
wards mid-day they were resting, when a distant
hail saluted them, and far below them, in the tall,
waving grass, they could make out the figures of
one of the parties, which, from its direction, seemed
sad proved to be 'Thello's.

CHAPTER XL.
HOW GRACE FARED WITH THE SAVAGES.

" WELL, 'Thello, what success ?" inquired Helston,
eagerly, as he ran down to meet the coming party.
"None 'tall, sah ; only I worry out ob my life
keep togedder such set wild colts as dese here
gals."
"No trace whatever ?" said Helston, sadly.
"Only, sah, we find one place where sabbage
muss hab slep. But look dah—dah Mass' Laurent
come."

In fact, there in the distance was the third party,
who, on catching sight of those on the slope of the
volcano, incrGased their pace, to stand at last panting
by their side.
"No news, Helston," said Laurent, forestalling
the question that was upon his friend's lip; "we
have searched thoroughly as we came, and have
seen no trace. What have you done
Helston related the meagre success that had at-
tended their search; but it inspired the other with
fresh hope.
"They are here, on the side of the volcano, cer-
tainly," Laurent said; " and here we must combine
our forces and search."

Laurent was quite right; for, as he spoke, the
savages, with their captives, were within a hundred
yards of where they stood. In fact, while he was
speaking, a dusky face was pe,ring over the rough
edge of a piece of rock, which assimilated wonder-
fully with his skin, while to render himself less
liable to be seen, he had placed a couple of rough
blocks, somewhere About the size of his head, by his
side.

Fifty feet beneath him in the black crevice,
which was hot with a sulphurous stream, were his
companions, keeping watch over the two prisoners,
a war-club being held threateningly in the sight of
each, lest she should attempt to raise any alarm.
This, at the time, was far from Grace Monroe's
desire, for she was too worn-out and prostrate;
while Deborah's sole wish seemed to be to keep her
back to her fellow-captive, from whom she shrank
shuddering away, if at any time the savages seemed
disposed to place them together.
Food was placed before them twice—fruit and
the flesh of one of the wild pigs, roughly cooked
o or sticks burned in a lava hole.
But, saving the juice of one or two of the plum-
like fruits, and a draught of water, which was bitter
and sulphurous to the taste, Grace let nothing pass
her lips, being all the time in agony of suspense
and dread as to what was to be her fate at the
h,lnis of the savages.
Every motion on their part made her shiver and
shrink away in dread, lest one of the swarthy
wretches should seize her.

At that time, however, the savages' sole thought
sicmed to be their own safety, for they were, from
daybreak constantly on the alert.
Now they were climbing up the sides of the
chasm, to peer over the edge and watch the sur-
rounding country ; or one would ascend higher up
the mountain, and there, perched upon some shelf,
watch for hours every ravine that ran between the
spurs of the great eminence. In short, they were
?enstantly on the alert, and nothing of any size could
Lave approached their hiding-place without being
seen at some distance off.
Grace was sitting crouched against the rock, to-
wards midday, when the sun was shining into the
crevice and lighting up its depths, when Deborah
suddenly changed her position, and, turning her
head cautiously round, she let her eyes fall upon her
fellow-prisoner, and sat glaring at her for some
minutes without speaking.
Grace began to think on the instant of the hor-
rible fate that had befallen Mary Wilmot; and
having no doubt now that it was Deborah's hand
that cast the stone, she felt the necessity of keeping
the maniac at bay, either by strength of will or
some other determined action.

She could not bring herself to own that she hated
this woman; but after her advances to Holston, and
hat she had se: on more than one occasion, it was
impossible to thii,:i of her without a shudder of dis-
like, such as ran through her now as Deborah ap-
proached.
"Are you always going to stay there and haunt
me ?" said Deborah, in a strange, hoarse voice, while
Grace sat perfectly motionless.
She wished to speak, but her whole being seemed
to be intensified in her eyes, which watched her
companion incessantly, and with a power that she
felt had a certain mastery over the woman; and it
was a source of comfort to her to know, in hr peril-
ous condition, that Deborah felt the influence of her
gaze, even as might some wild beast, and forebore to
spring.
"Do you hear me ? " whispered Deborah again,
shrinking beneath the steady, fixed gaze. "Why do
you not speak? Are you going to haunt me always
like this ?"
Still no words would come, though Grace's lips
moved slowly; for her throat was parched and her
tongue felt dry with her terrible emotion.
But she never once moved her eyes from those of
Deborah, and the woman shrank and shivered
beneath the gaze, till she crouched at Grace's feet
upon the earth.
"They never speak—they never speak after they
are dead," she muttered. .

And then' bursting into a piteous wail of misery,
she turned her wretched face up to her fellow-pri-
soner.

Grace thoroughly comprehended the situation,
but she felt that she could do nothing, for a word
from her might bring the infuriated woman at her
throat; and, even in the depths of her misery, she
shuddered at the thought of so terrible a death as
would then be hers.
So, as she recovered herself somewhat, she felt
that her only chance of safety with the wretched
creature was to let her remain in her illusion, and
perserve silence throughout.
"Don't haunt me—don't haunt me," groaned De-
borah, in a piteous voice. "Oh, if vou only knew
—only knew how I was tempted to do it! Listen.
I must tell you—l can talk to you now. I waited
weeks and months to kill you, pretending to be calm
and quiet, and all the time I was waiting.
"Don't glare at me like that, your eyes are so
r,old and stony," continued Deborah, with a shudder,
17 but listen. I was obliged to do it. Something
%Ls always urging me on, and I had ready twelve
great stones, lying in different places round the
camp, so that when the time came I knew I could
always have one to my hand."
At this moment a couple of the savages who had
been qn the watch came down, looked at the pri-
soners curiously, and then slowly went away.
"Do you hear me?" continued Deborah, after
cautiously waiting till the savages were beyond
hearing. •
Grace slowly bent her head, as if in acquiescence,
her heart beating fast the while, as she shivered at
the part she was playing.
"Twelve stones," continued Deborah; " an.dwhen-
ever I could get near them, I used to lie down and
kiss and love them, because I used to know that,
sooner or later, one of them would rid me of that
which stood between me and his love. And then I
waited—waited till that other night, disappointed
always, never able to rest, for you were always in
my way; and I knew that, so long as you lived, he
would hate me.
"Poor young thing!" she went on, piteously;
"you always stood in my way, and made me Mtn
you, because of your white skin, and soft, gentle
eyes. Ah, they used to be gentle then, when you
were alive—not terrible and stern, as now. Take
them off me—take them off me, please.
"No, you will not; but you cannot always stay
and haunt me like this. There, I am not afraid.
You need not look at me like that, I tell you. Yes,
I did it. I waited, watching till those two women,
Janet and Mary Wilmot, were gone; and then I
came cautiously behind you—so gently that, as you
were dozing off to sleep, you might have thought
that it was a d• earn ; and then—then," she cried,
exultantly, " I lifted the stone that I had ready, and
crushed your head, even as I would that of a serpent
in my path.
"What!" cried Deborah, "you do not fly at me
for killing you? No, you cannot; so why should I
be afraid of you!) I am not. And yet I am sorvy
for you. Poor child! You were very pretty and
gentle. But, curse you!" she cried, flaming up,
"you loved him, and witched him, and you had to
die."
At that moment, Deborah had so raised her voice
that one of the savages came and struck at her
savagely with his club—missing her, however, for
she crouched down to avoid the blow; and after
menacing her fiercely the man passed on.
How the next hours glided away Grace 1.4-o
-woo
could scarcely tell, for she sat spell-bound, with
Deborah at her feet, watching her constantly, with
a strange, intense glare in her Voodshotteyes.
At last Grace started, as out of a mesmetic Aupor;
for she hal heard voices, and the sounds of peep
calling one to the other.
They were women's voices, and shq saw that the
savages were on the alert, evidently expecting
danger.
Deborah grew uneasy, and turning her eyes away
from the object upon which titey hut been fixed for

hours, she crawled away: while Grace, growing
each moment more excited as the voices seemed to
come nearer, exclaimed joyfully:
"Then there is help at hand! "
As the words left her lips, a dark hand was
clapped over her mouth, and she was thrown back
against the rock, while a club was held threateningly
before her eyes. _

(To be continued.)