The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-12-04
A yERY WEE OF PERIL.

Nkhf WEE VI IEhIL
/, WAS In vain that her savags enimies
called to Ellie Forte.cus, in the frigh,ful
circumstances in which We left her:
"The water 10 full Of sharks
She little needed, In that awful hour,
this additionally sAil.
"Oh, father speak 10 mel" she cried
sustaining the pallid face ofthe dead mis-
sionary above the water.
Tho dun Snss. Of this appeal WAS terri
bly, significant, A. was also tho very inert
ness Of the ifeless form.
"He is dead !" she gaspe3.
lowering over the edge Of tho boat and
Needless alike Of the cries OF tho savAgss
or of the missile, they were still dischsrg-
ing at her, the poor girl placed her hand
upon the heart Of the missionary.
1t had indeed ceased to boat.
"And may ~ we'll die too was tho
cry OF anguish that welled to Ellies lips,
A. she capsixad the nearly filed boat, and
let hor fathers body sink in the sea, to
keep it from falling into tho hands Of the
cannibals. "Of what further use 10 my
life, even il could make my escape from
these murderous enemies! 1t matters lit.
tie what becomes Of me now said Ellie
30 herself, as she swam shofeward. "They
can do what they will"
The ncXt instant she was seized by the
hair of her head by the foremost Of her
pursuers and dragged rudsly GU. OF the
water and thrust into the bottom OF .
bost.
"Ths missionary ?" cried this savage,
looking eagerly around upon the surface
Of the water.
The girl pointed downward, with .
manner sufficiently indicative OF her be-
lief that the body Of her father WAS going
down thousands Of feet, TO tho midst Of
coral cavey. 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 faith :
or had not been unfounded.
"Never mind-you will do as well, !"
grunted the savage, significantly.
These were the last words the W fortu-
nate wretch ever uttered, blow at that in
slant from the club Of = native, who had
arrived in a second boat, having knocked
him over board aud left him senseless to
meet certain death by drowning.
"You are my prize, lovely flower of .
hated racsl" muttsred the newcomer, IS
he transferred the girl to his own boat,
leaving that Of his murdered rival to drift
away upon the water. "You know me, do
you not l am Tongarorov'
Ellie recognized her captor now, and
she was not displessed with the substitu-
tion Of Topgsroro for the rutiian who had
frat siczed her. For this Tongsroro was
ono Of the leading chiefs Of tho islsnds,
Is 10 implied by his name, and one Of the
most intelligent, having been diligent for
many years to learn all he could Of Mr..
Fortoscuo. lie even spoke English quite
husntly.
~ warned that dog against getting in
my way no muttsred, land lot them all
beware how they molsst MOP
"Oh, you win not let them eat mo %
cried Ellie, sbuddering, her tonder and
delicate nature shrinking more from that
PROCLAMATION than death itself.
"No, they shall not cat YOU" said the
savage stoutlyi "At least not without my
permission
ooh, say they shall no! sat mo, In any
case, pleaded Ellie.
~ do not care to say that, said the