Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1873-11-26
a VERY WEE oF PERIL.

liz was III vain That her savage enemies
called to Ellie Fortescue, in the fright
ful circumstances in which we left her ::
1.-The water is full Of sharks ~
She little needed, in that awful hour,
this additional peril.
Oh, father speak to me" she
cried, sustaining the pallid face of the
dead missionary above the water.
The dumbness succeeding this ap.
peal was terribly significant, as was also
the very inertness OF the lifeless form.
i" He is dead p she Rasped.
lowering over the edge Of the boat,
and needless alike of the cries of the
savages or of the missiles they were still
discharging at her, the poor girl placed
her hand upon the heart OF the mission
airy.
1t las indeed ceased to beat.
"And may rs well die, too r' was
the cry of anguish that welled to Ellie's
lips, as she capsized the nearly filed
boat, and let her fathers body sink in
the sea, to keep it from falling into the
hands of the cannibals. "Of what fur
Their use is my life, even if ] could make
my escape from these murderous ene-
mics ? 1t matters little what becomes
of me now" said Ellie to herself, as
she swan sboreward. "They can do
what they will >"
The next instant she was seized by
the hair of her head by the foremost Of
her pursuers, and dragged rudely out
OF the water and thrust into the bottom
of boat
1.-THE missionary ?" cried this savage,
looking eagerly around upon the surface
of the water
The girl pointed downward, with a
manner sufficiently indicative of her be-
lief that the body of her father was CO.
ing down thousands of feet to the midst
OF coral caves, beyond all decay, beyond
all life, there to await the resurrection.
The savage uttered howl of anger
and regret, which attested that the
timely fears of Ellie for the remains OF
her father had not been unfounded.
"Never mind-you will do as well, .
grunted the savage, Significantly.
These were the last words the unfor-
tunate wretch ever uttered, blow al
that instant from the club of a native
who had arrived in second boat, hav
ing knocked him overheard and lef
him senseless, TO meet certain deatl
by drowning.
" You are my prize, lovely flower of {
} hated race p muttered the newcomer
as he transferred the girl to his owl
boat, leaving that Of his murdered riva
to drift away upon the water "You
know me, do you not? lam Tonga
roro y
Ellie recognized her captor now, ant
she was not displeased with the substi
tuition of Tongaroro for the rufian whc
had first seized her. For this Tonga
roro was one of the leading chiefs o
the islands, as is implied by his name
! and one of the most intelligent, having
been diligent for many years to learl
all he could of Mr. Fortescue. He even
spoke English quite fuently.
" l warned that dog against getting il
my way" he muttered, land let then
all beware how they modest me p
, "Oh, you will not let them eat me 2
cried Ellie, shuddering, her tender ant
: delicate nature shrinking more from
that PROCLAMATION than from death itself
"No, they shall not eat you, said tn
savage, stoutly lat least, not without m,
permission
"0h, say they that shall not eat me
in any case" pleaded Ellie.
" | do not care to say that" said tn
chief, slowly, shaking his head. "Some
body must be eaten in the great festiva
OF tomorrow. Perhaps some white maj
will come this way"
! Bnt surelv Won can save mo If vo,
will.
"There is one way in which I cal
save you, /" said Tongaroro, as he con
tiuued to row quietly shorewards, ''an,
that is for you to become my wife"
Z" Your wife ?" and the girl shuddel
ed.
| " But that. see is out of the ques
ton, said the chief, grimly. " An,
so you will probably be eaten to-mor
row."
AS she reached the beach, she founc
herself confronted by the king of tn
natives, the father Of Tongaroro.
"Take her away--and let her be wei
fed p commanded the chief, addressing
his son. "She must not be fount
: amiss for the feast of tomorrow.
Tongaroro made gesture to the girl
: leading the way toward his house, anC