Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1882-03-30
THE MYSTERY OF STEPHENS ISLAND.
BY FRANK MARSHALL EASTMAN
"Beautiful Most beautiful :"

beautiful Most beautiful y
The speaker was De Gray Lee, executive
officer of the o. S S. Waunakee He was
standing upon the white. smooth coral beach
Of an island of Southern Oceanica which
had just been named Stephens island in
honor of the distinguished officer who COM
manded the squadron to which the Wanna
kee was attached. He had heen exploring
the island all day, making notes of its fauna
and flora, ;scertaining with his compass the
directions of the different inlets, and making
with theodolite some primary triangula-
tions. He had found no trace of man. Night
approaching and storm sweeping up from
the west, he had discontinued his labors,
and, surrounded by the sailors who had ac-
companied him, was signaling the ship for a
boat. His signals were seen and a boat was
put out for him.
Lee was young man Of slight figure and
fair complexion. His face was somewhat
feminine, especially its lower portion, the
expression of the mouth being particularly
sweet. A curious, halfpuzzled look sat up
ON his features, as if he were constantly at
tempting the solution of insoluable enigmas.
His eyes were blue and clear, and his bearing
was pleasing and elegant.
While waiting the arrival of his boat he
was watching the approach of the storm.
The entire sky had become very dark, save
that from in front of the on-cOming tempest
there shone pale yellow light, not steady, but
fickering like the Aurora Borealis, changing
at intervals into dull reddish glare. There
was no wind whatever. The whole air
quivered with those fine atmospheric undu-
latiOns which indicate extreme heat. The
outer coral reef and the white awnings of
the ship glared spectrally through the gloom.
Slight sounds were magnified in the complete
stiffness which had enveloped nature, and
the click of the oar-locks of the approaching
boat was heard plainly at distance of sew
eral miles.
While coolly contemplating these evidences
of approaching storm Lee became conscious
of the presence of slight figure upon a
cliff some two or three hundred yards up
the beach, and between him and the storm.
1t was sharply outlined against the lurid
light of the tempest, and turning his atten-
tion to it, Lee saw it was the naked figure of
an Indian woman. She was standing mo-
tlOuicSS, ueI lttCC ClCNdtCu dts
ing the storm clouds. Her form was slender,
1.-THE and graceful as palm tree Her at
titude was one of singular ease and beauty.
Her long, waving hair, which was in strange
contrast to the straight locks of most of the
South Sea Islanders, hung far below her
waist. Her face, though but its profile was
presented, was almost classic in its outlines,
even spirituelle. The bright background
against which this beautiful apparition
appeared permitted the eye to OBJ
serve the slightest detail of her figure. The
deep olive color of her skin even could be
distinguished, and Lee noticed with sur
prise that where the strong light fell upon
her side it was reflected brilliantly, as though
from mirror or some other polished sur
face.
There was something strange about this
tawny woman, even beyond the strange
ness of her position something strange in
the slender neck, in the SinuOus undulatiOns
of her form and in the peculiar smallness of
her beautiful head. 1t was the figure of an
Ariel awaiting the approach of the storm
spirit she had invoked. Altogether it was
d most eerie spectacle which was presented
to our young heutenant-this mOtiOnless
dusky woman in a place where no trace of
man had been discovered, with her wild
surrounding of lurid light and approaching
tempest
beautiful! Most beautiful" The words
were uttered in tone so low as to be scarce
ly audible, yet they thrilled with a passion
ate fervOr The young mans lips were
parted and his breast heaved with emotion.
Scarcely were these words uttered than
the figure changed its position and turned
its face towards Lee. The intense light be-
hind it did not allow the features to be seen
but he was conscious of two glittering eyes,
brighter than polished steel, brighter than
diamonds, which made the garish illumina-
ton of the west seem pale and feeble, fixed
upon his own. A great thrill, that was al
most shudder, ran through his frame
Then, with movement that was more an
undulatiOn than gesture, the figure raised
its slender arms and waved them in graceful,
circling lines about its head. 1t seemed to
him that these motions were pregnant with
some meaning greater than could be convey
ed by words-a meaning which he could not
and yet at the same time al
most OWNED. A moment the figure stood
repeating the graceful motions, and then
disappeared For an instant Lee stood mo-
tionless, as if bound in some great spell;
then darted up the beach, followed by the
sailors. 1t was hardly a moment before they
were standing upon the spot recently occu-
pied by the woman. No trace of her could
be found, not even the print of tiny naked
foot. 1t was in vain that Lee ordered every
thicket searched and every crevice examined.
Nothing was found but a huge, graceful ser
pent, which glided rapidly away into the
Jungle.
But where could she have gomez" cried
Lee at last, in desperation.
BEG pardon, sir" said the quartermaster, |
but wot she does you refer to, sir ?"
"Why, the Indian woman who was stand
ing here moment since. Didn't you see
her ?"
mo, sir, not l." answered the quarter
master; and the others had seen no more
han he
The boat had now arrived from the ship, /
md the officer in charge Of it, by voice and
gesture, was endeavoring to call Lees atten-
ion to the dangerous proximity of the
storm. He therefore went to the boat and
silently took his seat in the stern-sheets.
The boat shot from the shore, and was soon
winging at the davits of the Wanna
rec, and not too soon, either, for the line OF
pune flakes which preceded the storm had