The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-21
CHAPTER VIII.

with n misgIvIng mind nj The flashing of
the volcano on the main island.
IL events had favored nm. he would have
removed Aimatn to the shelter of the ship
on the dly when he saw tine cmpticd basin
of the lake. Lut the smoke OF the priests
sacrifice had been discovered from the
main island and the chief had sent two
canoes with instructions to make inquiries.
one OF the canoe, had uiued; the other
was kept IN waiting of the cape, to plncC
means of communicating with the main
island at the disposal Ol the priest. Tue
second shock OF earthquake had ma urally
increased the alarm OF the chief He mud
sent messages 10 tine priest, cntreating hIm
TO leave the island. The priest refused.
lie believed in his gods and his sacriiiccs-
he believed he might avert the fatality
that threatened has slnctuarv. Yielding
to The holy man, the Chief sent reinforce
ueuts Of canoes to take their turn AT keep
ing watch of the hradiuud. Assisted by
torches. the islanders We're on the alert an
suptfStitiOus terror OF the demon OF the
prOphecyl by night n wei rs bv day. The
Captain would nave ii-krd c"r.ain death
II he had venturtd To approach the IA ding
place III which ne had concealed MS canoe.
He waited and watched. II was only atter
AImata had left him ns usual. to- return To
her father at the close of evening, that the
cuauces declared themselves ~ ths Cap
tains favor. The fire fishes from The
mountain, Visible when the night came,
mad struck terror into the hearts uf the
men IN tho canoes. They thought
of their wives Their children and
their po>scssluns on the man Island,
aud they one and all deserted their priest.
The Captain seized the OpDOi tunlty of
communicating with the sap. ana OF cx-
changing nan canoe which he was Ill
able To manage for swift sailing boat,
capable OF keeping the sea IN the event of
stormy weather.
As he NOW neIrcl the land. certain small
sparks of red. moving IN the distance, ia
formed him mat the canocs hal been or
ucrei back To tncir duty. steering by the
distant tOrChlIghts, he reached his own
SIDE of the island without accident, and.
guided by the boats lantern, anchored un-
der the clif He climbed the rocks, adj
vanccd To the door OF the hut-and WAS
met, 10 lis delight and astuLlsulutnt, by
AInttL ON The thrc>hO Il.
" dreamed thai the anger of the deliicS
had parted IT, for ever she said: "and
came here 10 see II my dream was true
ON, how nave been crying all atone IN
the nut! Now nave seen you avn s.ltls-
lied. hiss me, ann let me 70 back. No,
you must NOT 40 with me. MN father has
us doubts; my father may be out. looking
Tor me. i Is y"u that are ~ danger. not
L. know the forest rs wei Dy dark ~ 10y
dnyll-ht. y ou shall see me again at day
br,akl'
The Captain detained her. "Now you
are mere, ht ~Hli, why ia uld wait un-
I'll dtj hrcak 90 Dlire you IN SAFETY. / have
ptcn to- The snip; huVe brousht back one
of the bolts. Ihe dursncss VIII betliend
uS-lci Us embark while We can"
She sh nuh back as lac took her hand
MY father she sad, family.
" our idther IL IN 40 danger. The canoes
are waiting al the cape. / SAW the lights
~ passed."
Wuh that reply he drew her out of the
hut, aud turned his flce toward the sea.
Ntt - breath of the breeze wis now 10 bc
iclt. Inc dead calm had returned. ami
me boat was too large To b. cas- ~ maui
aged by one man alone n the oars.
." lhe bfceIe may come AZ uu, he sad
10 her. w at here, my all cl, 1or the
cnnLce."
i, hc spoke the deep silence of the forest
bDloW Ihen Was brvhrh ~ a sound. A
hAlsh' llng Nolce WAS nelrd, ealing,
AlInAih. Aindtt.'
My mlhor.' she whisprred; she has
missed ue. ii h. comes mere lou are lost"
she Missed nm with passionate lrTNur;
she ncli han 10 irr Tor u Moment WIN All
her siirugth. "ENpc,t me al daybrotk,"
she .hid, ana dis ,ppearei down the land
ward slope ot thr cllf. He listened,
anxious Tor her safety. The voices of
the hthtr and dHu.nter just reached HIM
from among the Trees. Ine piest spoke
IN no ulgIy tones; she had apparently
Found AN acceptable excuse iOr herdbsencu.
Ltiie DS mule the iaiiing sound Oi thcir
voices told HIM that tnlY were on their
way DAck IL the touplr. Toe silence lcl
aSAn. Not II nipple broke on the Dracn
loi 4 Leaf lusilcd ~ the forest. Nothing
moved but IA" reelected tilshes OF the vol
cino ON the black ky over themaiu island
1t was al alress ANA an awful calm.
lie went INTO the hut, nnd lay uown on
Ia, bed Of leaves, LOt Ia steep. bar 10 resi-
All his cheiglrs might he repaired 60 meet
the coming events Ol the morn ne. Alter
tho NoN age 10 and from the snip. and tnr
long Watching ina mad pr,oelrd 1t strong
a. lac was, n stood IN need ol repo,r.
For suno Iitlc time he kc,t awake
th.uhlng. lustnsihly he opnrc sion Oh the
intense heat, ald,u IN LIS Influence by ms
own Algur. IrtcnriuuSN close ms owes.
IN sptc himself tue weary man icllluto
Il uc'p sleep.
lie ~.is awakened by a roar like the cx
piusiou ol nhrh Of artillery. The volcano
on the man Stand hal bars lulo a.. ale OF
eruption. smoky ilLm,-u-nt oVuispicid
lht sAy, ana lllsntd ,hiodsh th"O open door
way OF the nut. lac spi4n- liuiu ms couch
and lound himself up 10 ms knees IN
water.
Had the sea overlooked the nnl2 He
Wadrd out OF lhe hdl, and tnr water rose.
10 IN. iuiQdr. lie looked round MN bX In.
iurd uAme-llsht oI luc crIp;llu. me ON.
visible uiJ ct wdhlu hls range OF view was
Inc Iopl ol tuc hat. la cav other ulrr,.-
non the waters OF The hOrild sea, stained
blood-'ed 10y me llinlug SKY, rprcld SWIM
lnS aud ripping strangely ~ the dead
ca'm. In uomcnt more ne became con-
sclous tnat the cartn CA winch lie stood
was shaking under ms icet. The water
rose 10 MS neck; the last Vpstgc of INC
looi oI the ma disappeared. lie looked
lpuhd u4nlu, ana inv trutil burst on nuu
me island was s.ukMg slowly, slowly
SINKING INTO volcano ucptns, below Inc
utmost depths OF the sea. The highest on
Ject was the nut, and that bad ulupprI
lnch by men, under water, before ms own
eyes, fhroWn up 10 the sutflco By uccuu
No-caNir influences, tAs island had sluh
back under me same influences to tue OBJ
security from which II haI emerged!
a black, shadowy Object, turning in "a