Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-08-07
IHE BURNING ISLAND.
By CAMILLE DEBAxs.
CHAPTER v.
nx ZINE


CHAPTER v.
an viRE
Whence came tho soundr II was the
half caste who was returning surrrpti
tiously. Tho intention of this monster.
when he prumiscd to return to salem.
was 60 gain the neccsSary time fur "
loading his mns'.et. This DONE ho set
out again I'm pursuit of Alfonso
II Is quito impossible to express the
ragc which tho brazilian felt at the
sight of Grcgorio IIc picked M his
run. glidcl quietly through tho shrubs
without losing sight VI his enony and
t.grn to climb cedar. ~ n 90 find
himself for this the lat tinsc In faco ID
tho half caste II wao nooossaay 10 put
an end to this
Still tho heat bccamc every instant
riorc terrible and moro intense Thick
black clouds rested on th. ,uIss of the
high trccs AMI darl:,lcd tho forest 10
such degrcc that yoa might have sup.
posed that night hal como suddenly oil
Then tho .un appeared again n momcn,
aft.rwari inorc burning than ever. On
tie heads II these two men the heavy
atmosphere weighed like ~ much lead
Alfonso. per piring at every por, reach
cj the top of his cedar without having
ben socn ~ the half caste. who cast his
oyu8 over al the neiL Lhboring trcs
"Gpgurio he then cried out to him.
'.you ned not look any farther. i am
huo You arc psrjurU aud . coward
Oi,c of us two must die"
Hearing this voicc. the sef.cant bc-
e,n to take all prudent Twscsution.
Thy were only 10 pacrs from each 9th.
er. protected ty the trunk Of tree, and
each wAitin. for IN imprudenco CA the
part of his enemy 10 nrc on him. Then
Alfonso took his straw hat, put 10 On
the end 20 the tarfel VI his gun. and
trying 90 initiate the movement of q
heal cautiously put forward hc gently
pushed IL out Of q mas u foliage, TAX.
ing gocl carr 90 remain himself In the
background Grcgurio WAS taken In
He quickly shouldercd his rife and
fired The hat. pier~si hy the hall. fell
To the ground. A cry Of triumph came
from the throat II the punuer. and he
emerged into the open AZ the ssme In
slant Alfonso discovered himself and
cried out.
"Thi. time you shall die On your
kDsx-r'
A clap of thunder of unprecedented
violence suddSnly broke over their heals
and shook the whole forst Tho clouds
gathered In Ices time than u takes to
write Il. and the storm broke out with
inconcivable force The for-t bccame
~ dark NJ night Alfonso understood
that the first thing was to fiy. and not
caring 90 have another death on his con.
scicnoc he left the half caste 10 himself
and rushed ~ quickly ~ he could 10 the
groat river. which could not bs very far
on.
: Greeurio. foe his part, believing that
Alfonso wa. only waiting fur fiash OF
lightning % shoot him down. took ad.
yantagc ~ the ot~curity and hcd Ia the
opposite dirctioa Ten minutes later.
although the clouds were thicker and
blAcksr, the two enemies might have
continued their duel. for the electric
discharp,s suocsssled each other with
such rapidity that their lurid and cun'
tinuous flashes actually supplied the
place of sunlight
Our European storms arc but very
pcor displays by the side Of equatorial
hurricanes II sounds ~ II there was .
continual roll of artillery. accompanied
by flashes ~ lightning. which cross and
r-ro--. gathering force at every fr,sh
dischargc and tcnfold intensity every
..cond. II is all the more dangerous he.
cause all the clouds pass rapidly over
tho tres without brcaking. and the
lightning strikes their top- 10 times n
misute
Grgorio. swift ~ . tiger. nci with
all the sped he was capable II. His cn'
psrieno. of such storms told him that at
any moment the forest might bo In
flames. lie knew. too-and thi. u was
that kep, up hi. couragc-ihIi ienIs~is
~ furious n that which ragged over his
head w,re not of long duration. still
one fash u lightning succcesicd another
with morc fury than ever. Cine moment
he heard u clap of thunder. the noise II
which dcafenei him. thcn another still
morc fearful. then another. and ~ On
continuou.ly. On all sides formidable
sparks ~ electric light fell like show.
sr un this sea u foliAgc. accompanied
with the crash u tho sky. II sscmesi n
IL the heavens themselves were being
broken mp under the pressure of this
TREMENDOUS force. Round the fugitive
Wild bsasts rushed ard scrIsnts writhed
along. seeking safety In flight.
Greeurio bcg,n to lo~e courage A
squirrel. struck with lightning. fell
down dead two pac,- from him. Still
not drop u rain. by degrccS howcy'
sr. the claI,s IL thunder became ls~s vi.
oient. The sky became les black and
the flashes of lightning lees frcluent.
The half caste began to br"athc again.
A cloud commenccd 10 break over the
forest A sheet of water fell like del.
ugc But this only lasted = few mo-
ments. and then the sun appeared again.
II was now alout 8 o'clock In the after
pcon For cue moment the savage ORE
gorio debated with himself whether he
shoald take up again the pursuit of Al.
fonso But this time he felt 10 would b
impossible, as during the storm they
had separaied so far from Que another.
50 he gave mp the idea and set out to
return 10 Salem.
Bu, he hal scarcely walked for 10 min.
utcs when he heard - great noise behind
him II was that Of two jaguars, who
werc seeking safety la night. uttcring
plaintiye howlS Grcgurio did NOT pay
much attention to them. brcaking his
way through brambles and clinging
shrubs, pulling down the flexible branch.
6. ~ as to clear way for himself. He
was quite In his element and knew the
way perfectly. However. band of tiger
cats, leaping frum trce to tree. fell like
an avalanche at his feet He gave him
a. "a t...s sh. s.rx.asur..- utfar.