The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-02-21
HE CAPTAINS LAST LOVE.
By WILKIE COLLINS
{ Continued. from last ,re.k.)

VIVA Nas he - Cap ala dong -?
aud " Sbat chance had The crew Of 6nd-
ing hin that night 2
He bad c"mmiJIed himself to hi-
desperate adventure, without forming
ary plan fer The prtservatiuD of hi
",su safery, without giving even d
momentsry Consideration to the cun
-equeBces tnat might tIil,w. The
charming picture that be had seen
through his telescope mad haunted
him night and day The image, Of
the innocent creature, secluded from
humanity Ia her island solitude, was
The one image that filed bis mind
A man, passing a woman iu the
street, acts on the impulse to turn
and follow her, and in that one
th0ughtless moment shapes the desli-
nv of his future life. The Captain,
seeing the canoe on the beach, acted
on a similar impulse when be took
the paddle and shaped his reckless
course for the tabooed island.
Reaching the shore while it was
still dark, be did one sensible thing
be hid the canoe so that it might not
betrsy him when daylight came.
That done, be waited for the morn
ing on the outskir is Of the forest.
The trembling light of dawn re-
vealed the mysterious solitude around
him. Following the other limits Of
the trees, first in one direction, then
in another, and finding no trace Of
any living creature, he decided on
pentrating to the interior of the is
land. He entered the forest.
An hour of walking brought him
to rising ground. Continuing the
ascent LIE got clear OF the trees, and
stood on the grassy top of a broad
cliff which overlooked the sea. An
open hut was on the cliff. He eau
tiously looked 10 and discovered that
it was empty The few household
utensils left about, and the simple bed
Of leaves in a corner, were covered
With hns, sandy dust. Night birds
flew laundering out Of inner cavities
in the roof and took refuge in the
shadows from,the forest below. 1t was
plain that the hut had been uninbab-
tied for some time past.
Standing in the open doorway and
considering what be should do next,
the Captain saw bird hying toward
him OF the forest. Ii was a turtle
dove, SO tame that it futtered close
up 10 him. At the same moment the
sound Of sweet lsug ghter became aud
IDLE among the trees. His heart beat
fast he advanced few steps, and
stopped. In . moment more the
nymph Of the island appeared, in her
hite robe, ascending the cliff in pur-
suit of her trusnt bird. She saw him,
and suddenly stood still, struck mo-
tionless by the amazing discovery
that had burst upon her. The Cap
tain approached smiling, and holding
out his hand She never moved
she stood before him in helpless won
derment her lovely black eyes fixed
on him spell-bOund her dusky bos-
ON pslpilating above the fallen folds
of her robe her rich, red lips parted
in mute ssionishment. Spell-bound
on bis side, feasiing his eyes on her
beauty in silence, the Captain after a
while recovered himself He ventur.
ed to speak to her in the language u
the main island The sound of bis
voice, addressing her in the language
that she knew, reused the lovely
creature to action. She started, step
ped close up to him, and dropped OF
her knees st his feet.
My father worsbips invisible die
ties" she said, softly Are you g
visible deity Has my mother sent
you ?" She pointed as she spoke tc
the deserted hut behind them. "You
appear to me-" she went on, Sin the
place where nv mother died. Is il
for her sake that you show yourself
to her child Beautiful deity ? come
10 the temple-come TO ny father,
The Captain gently raised her from
the ground. If ber father saw him
be was q doomed man. Infatuated
as be was, be hsd sense enough lef
TO announce himself plainly in hi:
own character, as mortal creature
arriving from 8 .sr-distant land
The girl instantly drew back from
him with g look OF terror.
HE is not ike my father, she saiC
to herself "he is not ike me. Is hs
the lying demon of the prophecy 2 Il
be the predestined destroyer Of oul
island -
The Captains experience Of th'
sex showed him the only sure way
out Of the awkward position il
which he was now placed He sp
pealed to bis personal appearance
do / look Ike 6 demon ~ b,
asked