Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-02-16
CHAPTER xxx.

NOI ALL "A DhEAM.
Fairfax had been dreaming. He stood
on a barren, rocky islet in mid-ocean. An
about him was n wild, wide waste Of de-
sorted, sunlit waters-not sail, not a cloud,
not bird, nor fish, nor any living thing in
aightl Only the endless, boundless, ever
lasting stretchof sea and the solid, scorch-
ing rock beneath his feet.
He knew pot how he came there, nor why.
To him time and space had no beginning
nor end. Pa9t and future there was none
only one eternal nor.
Like the ancient mariner, he was ''alone
ON n wide, wide sea,n but with no other
facts, no other data. no other knowledge Of
any thing save Of himself, Arthur Fairfax,
and this blistering, barren rock and that
vast, silent, glaring wilderness Of waters,
met on all sides by heavens Of brassy hue.
Here he stood, stony-hearted, passionless,
quieta as the rock itself and as motionlcss,
staring out over that horrible sea-salt plain,
with tlxcd, expressionlcss eyes.
There came no morn, no noon, no night;
but one never-ending, unchanging day.
Time was not
IL might have been day, II might have
been month, year, n century-he know
not, nor cared-but at last there rose, far,
Cor away on tho uttcrmost EXTREMIST verge
Of The horizon, a feeble, upward-crawling
line Of smoke, which came near and nearer,
and grow dense aud yet more dense. On il
rolled with ovor-incrcasing rapidity, until II
rushed ahead with lightning speed.
Within, and almost hidden by this mighty,
roaring column, bclching forth fire and
smoke, he detected the outlines Of a vessel.
Straight toward the rocky islet, straight
towards himself Il came, with unerring, un-
swerying course.
Now he saw and recognized IT,
Il was the "Namovna,n IS cnvclopod in a rag
ing sheet Of fame that shot upwards and
backwards, roaring and laundering with
terrific sound, aud, high in the farthest
tip Of the yet unsoorcilod bow stood Natalie,
In speochioss horror, hor snow-white arms
stretched appoalingly toward him.
Nearer and swiftor, yet swept on that
frlghtful, rolling pillar OF fire, tho sea boil
ing and soothing In its track and vast
clouds OF white steam arising and inter
mingiing with It's million blazing tongues
and smoke Of inly blaelmess.
With an almost Incredible suddeuness II
stopped Its hoadlong speed q short distance
from tho rock, and at once began quickly 70
sink
Jump shrieked FairfaT,in terror. And
back ovortho thunderous roar rang tho
piercing cry;
@|N|f y 49, tftFN = AtA ~ - uN =
His soul ON fire, his strength ncryod
70 utter desperation, he leaped far out from
tho crngs over the sea and struck---not
tho water, but soiid carfN
In an instant be had awakened from sloep
and found himself standing erect, with
nergos and muscles strained 10 their ut
in0at tension, his arms extended rigid from
hla u!dc, his head bent eagerly forward,
lnse ono alert from fear Every norve
ungled with horror. And HE ear could
have caught the faintost posalblc Whisper
What was 40 What did 4 means The
cold sweat stood out IN great beads over
Ma fofchond, and II peemod h him ho could
yct hear that piercing cry for help ringing
Tar along The shoro aud Ia tho woods
II evcra man was thoroughly awake, he
10 ran 70 fhowater aud glancing up ana
down heard o. eaW nothlnR, save the sui
lcp Nayc1 lniorldng npgrily Against the
rnrie, and the nhiping hlliows, kllstening In
the moonlight From ne forest came no
sound, bui tho fal-eroy, Dcaslliq iuurm,pof
ne plnca.
Nofhing nothing roihing, az all Only
> oill1 ap1aml Aud, y2i that call ih4t cry
fQs ho|a' llNaa Nf II wiz ~ ap|pllQn