The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-01-31
FOUL PLAY.
A NOVEL.
BycHARLEs REAba.
CHAPTER Lxv.-coNTlNrEp.


WIEN the Springbok weighed anchor and
ieft the island, o solitary form was seen on
Telegraph Hill.
When she pnssed enst ward, out Of sight o
TINT point, a solitary figure was seen on the
cliffs.
When her course brought the island dead
astern Of her, solitary figure stood ON the
east bluff Of the island, and vas the los: "fs-
Jet seen troU tho boat as she elt those wa.
tiers forever.
What words can tell the srkering sorrow
and utter dssolation that possessed that
yearning bosom!
When tho bont that had carrie! Helen away
was out ofsiyht, he came bnck with uneven
, steps to the cave, nnd looked at all tho fl-
miliar objects with stony eyes, and scarce
reco gnizcd them. for the sunshine Of her pres
ence was there no more. He wandered to
and fro In heavy stupor. broken every nov
and then Ivy sharp pangs of agony that al
most made him scream. Aud so the poor
bereaved creature wandered about all day.
He could not eat, he could not sleep. lis nit
cry was more than he could bcnr. One day
of desolation succeeded another. And what
men say so hastily was true for once.
His life was n BURDEN He dragged it
about with lin he scir.e knew how.
| He began to linte all the things he had loved
glorious with peurl, that he had mnde for
her. he could not enter 1t, the sight killed him,
and tho not there
lie let Paradise Bay altogether ut last,
and anchored his boat in q nook ofSeai Bay.
And there he slapt in general. But sometimes
he wonldl le down, wherever he happened to
be and sleep ms long ~ lie could.
10 him to wake was o calamity. And,
when he did wake. it was always with dire
sense of reviv,ng misery, und q deep sigh ut
the dark day he knew awaited him.
Nis flesh wasted w. his bones. and his
clothes hung loosely about him. The sorrow
Of the mind reduced him to that miserable
condition in which he had landed on the isl.
| and.
The dog and the seal were faithful to him.;
used to lie beside him, anll often whimpered
their minds, accustomed to communicate
without the aid ofapeech, found out, Heaven
knows how! thut he was in grief or in sick
ness.
These two creatures, prehaps, saved his
ifs or his reason. They came between his be.
rcaved heurt and utter solitude.
Thus passed u month of wrctcilcdness un.
spenkable.
Then his grief took less sullen form.
He camc bnck to Paradise Bay, und at
sight OF it hurst into q passion OF weeping
These were his irst tears, and inaugurated
grief moro tender than ever, but less akin
to madness and despair
Now he used to gO about and cry her name
aloud, Passion,%tely;; by night ind day.
And next his mind changed in one respect,
Every morning lie went round her haunts,
md kissed every place where he had seen
her put her hand.
Only the cave he could not yet faco.
| lie tried. too He went to tho mouth Of it
ngnin and agnin, and looked in; but go into
| 1t and fscc it, empty ofler-he could not.
He prayed often.
| One night he saw her in drenm.
She bent look Of angelic pity on him,
mud said hut these words Live in my
clve," then vanished.
Alone on an island 10 tho vast Pacific, who
CON escape superstition? 1t ILLS the air. iIe
took this communication % acommand. and
But be entered In the durk, and left it be.
fofe dawn.
by degrees, however. he plurke,l up courage
and faced it In daylight. but it WINS a sad
trial: lie rnnlo out crying bitterly alter q
Jew minutes
Still! he persevered, because her image had
Ade him; and at lust. one evening, no even
lighted the lamp, and sat there looking al
the glorious wills und roo. his hnpless love
had made.
Getting stronger by degrees, he searched
about, and found little rclics of her-a glove
Il needle. u great hat she had made out o.
some lnrge leaves. All these lie went oycl
and cherished.
But one day he found Mt the very back o
the cave a relic that made him start IA il q
viper had stung his loving heart. 1t was 9
letter.
He knew it in moment. 1t had alrea,ly
caused him many ping: but now it almost
drove him mad. Arthur Wardlaws letter.
lie recoiled from 1t, an1 let it lie. He wen,
out Of the cnve, und cursed his hard fate
But he came buck. II was one of those lor
rit'le thihgs a. man alhors. yet cannot keer
away from. He took it uP and dashed ii
down with rage mnny times; but II ull ended
IN his lighting the lamp at night. and tor
turing himself with every word Of thatlovinl
letter.
And she was going home to the writer o
that letter, and he was lett n prisoner on tllt
island. He cursed his generous folly, Gnt
writhed in agony Mt the thought. He ragged
with Jealousy. SO that his very erfef was blunt
I'd for n time.
He felt asiflle must go mad.
Then he prnyei-pIayed fervently. AND
at lust, worh out with spch fierce and con
tending emotions. he fell into q deep slssI
aud did not wake till the sun was high Ii
heaven.
he woke; and the first thing lie saw va,
the fatai letter lying at his feet in q marrow
stream Of sunshine that came pcering in.
He eyed 1t with horror. This was then tt
hapnt him by night and dry.
lie eyed it naeyedit. Then turned his inc,
from It; but could not help eyeinv il agajL
And at Last certain words in this letter geeia
sd to him to bcnr an affinity to anothor piec,
OF writing that had also caused him Erea,
woe Memory by its subtle links conrectet
these twosnemies of his together. He eyed i
still more keenly. and that impression becan,
strengthened. He took the letter and l0oket
at it close. und held it ut arm's length, an,
devoured it; und the effect of this keen exam
inStion was very remarkable. II seemed t.
restore the man to energy and to something
like hope. His eyes sparkled, and q trump
ant "Ah!" burst from his bosom.
He became once more q nun 81 action. H,
rose, and batlied, and walked rapidly 10 an,
fro upon the sunds, working himself up to
darii & enterprise. He took his saw into TIN
Jungle, and cut down o tree Oi a kind common
enough there. 1t was wonderfully so.t, ant
WIS literally useless for any other purpos
ttan that to which Pcntold distined it, lie GU
great many blocks 'Gf this wood, ant
drilled holes In them. and. having hundred
Of yards Of good line, attached thesa, quns
corks to the gunwulc, SO rs to make q life
hont. This work took him several days
during which time an event occurred thai
encouraged him.
One morning he saw about a million bird,
very busy In the hay, and 1t proved to he {
spermaceti wlla!e come ashore.
lie went out to her directly with all hi
tools, fOrhe wanted oil for his enterprise, ant
the seal oil was exhausted.
When he got nea, the whale in his boat, IL
q