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


What was the lost Captain doing; and
what chance had the crew of finding hum
thai night?
lie lad committed himself 10 his dos
perate adventure, without forming any
plan iOr tue preservation OF hi> own safety,
without giving even n mumcntury con-
sidcfatiOu TO tho Consequences that might
follow. til" chnrmlns picture that he had
seen through his Telescope had haunted
hun nIeht aud day. The IMAGE OF tbs IN
nOctnt Ci uatuIc, secluded from humanity
IN her island solitude, was the one image
that iillcd his mind. a man passing "A
woman IN the street acts on the impulse
to turn and follow nCT. aud N that one
thought,css moment shapes The destiny of
his future lie. The Captain, seeing mo
canoe on the beach, acicd on "a similar i'm.
pulse when lac took The paddle ana >hup, /
hl- rec klr,- course for the tlbOltl island.
IL, aching the shore while IL was SUI
durh. he dii one sensible tilng-hc nld ia
canoe 50 lhut II might not bctlay hun
when Tie d1N wight came. That done, he
waited Tor the morning ON the outskirts o.
III forest.
Tue trembling light Of dawn revealed
the mysterious solitude around him. Fol-
LOWING the outer limits OF the trees. first
III one direction, then IN another, ana ind
ing no trace q. amy living creature, he de-
c.icu on Penetrating 10 the interior Of the
island. lie entered tine forest.
An hour ot walking brought him to
rising ground. Continuing the usc-nt, II,
got clear OF the trees, and stood on the
grassy top Ot u broad CllN which over
looked the SEA. An open nut Wac on the
cin. lie cautiously lOVkcd IN, and dlsuOv-
cred that II was cmpty IN" few house
hold utensils leitabOui. ami the simple bed
oi leaves M Il corner, were coy red with
fine. sandy dust. Night birds flew blum
dellng out Of inner cavities IN the roof,
ana took refuge IN the shadows IF the ioi
e-t below. IL was plain tuat the hut had
not been lnhahitci for some time past
"a a. at al.
cOusll,rng what he should DO next,
the Captain saw Il bird living toward
hiln OUT ui the forest ii was turtlc-dOvc,
- tame that IL tiuttpTcd clu-c up to
him. Al the same mOmcnl the sound OF
sweet laughter became audible among the
trees. HIS heart beat last; he advanced "A
Lew Steps ANA stopped. In Il moment more
The nymph OF the island appeared, IN ncr
whiie robe. ascending the elm IN pursut
OF her truunt birl. she saw hun, ana sud-
denly oud -till, struck motIumlc~, bv the
amazing discovery that had burst upon
hrr. Tue aplau upprOacned. smiling and
uoiiiug ont his hand. She never moved;
size stood before him in heiplrs, WONDER
mont; her lovely black eyes iX Il on Inn
>pell-DOund; her du-ky bosom palpliaimg
above the fallen folds Of her roDc; her
ricn red lips puritd ~ mute establishment.
-poll-bound on his SIDE icasling his eyes
on her beauty in silence, the Captain after
"a whlle recovered himself. lie Vcnlurcd
10 speak To her in the language OF the
mann island. The sound of hls voice, add
III e'sing her IN the language that She
knew, reused the lovely creature to ae-
uon. She started, stepped close up To
hum. and dropped on her knees ut his
feet.
MY father worships invisible dcities."
She sald softly. Arc you Il Visible deity
Has my mother sent youf' She pointed
is she spoke to the deserted hut behind
them. You appear TO mo, she went on,
IN the place where my mother died. /,
II for her sake that You show Yourself TO
her chlldY B 'autiiul deity come 10 the
lemplr-cone 10 my father"
1hO Captain gently raised her from the
ground. III her father saw hun he was "A
doomed man. Infatuated rs he was, he
had SENSE enough lett 10 announce himself
plainly IN his own character rs Il mortal
creature arriving from Il far distant land.
Ihr gTl instantly drew back from Inn
with Il look of terror.
." lie Is not like my father" she said 10
herself; "he is not like me. Is he the Is
ny demon OF the prophecy? Is he the pre-
destined destroyer of our islandY
The Captains experience of the Sex
showed hun the only sure way out of ;ho
awAward position la which he was now
placed. lie appealed 10 his personal APP
pparance.
do look like Il dernon ?" he asked.
Her eyes met has. a llllI-snlIlo trembled