Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1873-11-26
THE GOLDEN IDOL,
THE ENCHANTED TREE.
CHAPTER I.
A GIRLS DESPAIR.

man oil middle age.
The latter was a charming girl Of sew
enteen years, scarcely more remarkable
for her loneliness than for her sterling
good sense and worldly wisdom far in
advance of her years.
AS to the wife and mother of this
couple, she had long been sleeping
her last sleep in one of the lonely hooks
of this far Pacific island.
Ten years had passed since Mr.. For.
tescue had come to the shores of this
lovely harbor, with the intention of pass.
ing his days in the labor OF converting
to Christianity their pagan ido.ators
but the good missionary had, in some
unintentional way, fallen under the dis
pleasure of the ruler of the island, and
was now being hunted for his life.
81 am so tired, father" painted the
girl, as she clasped her hand tightly to
her heart.
eve ought not to have run so fast, "
responded Mr.. Fortescue. "But | am
sure the savages were near lis"
" Hush here they are l' breathed
the girl.
A rush Of footsteps was heard, and q
moment later several sayages came fly
ing past, rending the air with their
cries.
"They think we have gone in that
direction" whispered the missionary.
"Oh, if they only knew how near we
are still to the settlement p
''Will they not soon be back this
way, father 2" asked Miss Fortescue.
=" l dare say they will, Ellie. All
hore comes another band of them"
A dozen armed warriors traversed the
sandy beach Immediately in front of the
hiding place of tho couple.
:" How terrible they are ! how lost tc
all pity p
"Alas for the poor results of all my
tolls !" sighed Mr.. Fortescue. "To see
these savage pursuers, and hear theil
yells, one would little imagine the sacri-
fees VIC have made on their account. All
the benefits they have received from lis
are forgotten. Thoy are determined to
kill us if they can find us"
At this point Ellie started violently,
half arising to her feet.
"Oh, look, father p she cried.
This was all she could say, but she
pointed far away in the direction from
which the fugitives had come.
4" [ see, murmured Mr.. Fortescue,
They have fired our dwelling"
A lurid flame arose in the air in the
distance.
&C 1t is hard to see our home perish.
ing" sighed the daughter. "What de.
mons they are."
She started again, even more violently
than before-this time at the barking OF
dog within ten feet of her.
"The cur will certainly betray lis I!
cried the missionary, springing to his
feet.
" He has betrayed us already" re
turned Ellie. " See they are com.
ing"
In the last moment at his residence
Mr., Fortescue had seized an old SWORD
he CHANGED to have upon his premises
and he thanked heaven for the service
this weapon now rendered him. he be-
ing able to cleave the dog in twain with
o single desperate blow.
" Had we better not plunge into the
interior, father ?" asked Ellie.
think not. 1t is there that they
are looking for MS. They are beating
mp every bush, and-Yes they are Ger
tainly coming nearer to us. See they
have torches Oh, this is horrible ?,'
Perhaps we had better throw our
selves into boat, and trust ourselves t.
the winds and waves"
81 would have done so, darling, bu
for the roughness of the sen"
Its all up with our halt here" sait
the missionary, turning back. "W,
must fly. The dog was heard, and tn,
savages are fastening in this direc
ton"
Breaking from their covert, hand il
hand, the father and daughter ran alonl
the beach and gained temporary shell
ter behind small ledge of rocks which
iutted out into the sea in the form of
small promontory.
eff we only had boat now % sighe,
the father, possibly we could get Of
in it.
Ere Ellie could reply, solitary savag
came bonndling from the bushes, bran
dishing his war club.
"Alas alas p mourned Mr.. Fortes
cue.
He had realized only too we'll tho i'm
minence of the peril--the utter fulfill
OF all his efforts at escapo-but he me
the foremost savage with the strength O
desperation, cleaving him in twain neai
ly as he had dispatched the dog whic
had discovered the whereabouts of III
couple but then came the sharp, lou,
report of musket-and the good mis-
onary lay weltering in his blood, with
bullet through his yitals.
" am hit !" he cried, 81 cannot G
on"
"Not even to the boat, father ?"
ALAS, it is too late !" faltered til
dying missionary, rs everything reele
around him.
ITO Thee, o God, I common
her p
These were the last words of the de
voted missionary. As he uttered then
he tumbled into the boat he had SUI
ceeded with his last desperate efforts i
reaching, and in that same instant hi
senses left him forever.
"Off, demons !" cried Ellie, sti
welding her sword with the strength c
despair.
BY the last desperate effort of her e1
hausted powers the brave girl succeede
in pushing off the boat and in breakin
clear of the pursuers with it.
A FIESpISH REVENGE.
At the same hour when the precedin
events were occurring, large top-sai