Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-04-26
BY GRANT AL1EN9

disappearing coral reef. "With those
| beautiful palms waving always over
ones head, and that delicious evening
| air blowing cool through their
branches. Il looks such a Paradise"
Felix smiled and glanced down at
her, as he steadied himself with one
hand against the bulwark, while the
ship rolled over into the trough OF the
sea heavily. "Well, I don't know
about that. Miss Ellis, - he answered
with doubtful air, cycling her close as
he spoke with eyes of evident admira-
ton Zone might be happy anywhere,
of course-in suitable society; but If
you'd lived as long among cocoanuts in
Fiji as I have, [ dare say the poetry
Of these calm palm-grove islands would
be little less real to you. Remember.
though thev look so beautiful and
dreamy, against the sky like that, at
sunset especially THAT was heavy
one, that time, I'm really afraid we
must go down to the cabin soon: she'll
be shipping seas before long if we stop
on deck much later-and yet, it's so
delightful stopping up here till the
dusk comes on, isn't it?)-well. remem-
Der, was saying, though they look so
beautiful and dreamy and poetical-
Summer Uses of Eden lying in dark
purple spheres Of sea, and all that sort
of thing-these islands are Inhabited
by the fiercest and most blood-thirsty
cannibals known to Travellers"
"Canniba1s." Muriel repeated, look
ing up at him in surprise. "You don; t
mean to say that islands like these,
standing right in the very track of
European steamers, are still heather
and canni bal?"
''Oh, dear, yes,' Felix replied, hold
ing his hand out as he spoke to catch
his companions arm gently, and
steady her against the wave that was
just going to strike the stern EXCUSE
me: Just so; the seas rising fast, isn't
it-Oh, dear, yes: OF course they are;
they're all heather and cannibals. You
couldn't imagine to yourself the horri-
BILE bloodthirsty rites that may this
very minute be taking place upon that
idyllic-looking island, under the soft
waving branches of those whispering
palm trees. Why, [ knew a man in
Marquesis myself-a hideous old ma
tive, as ugly as you can fancy him
who was supposed to be god, an in
carnate god, and was worshipped ac-
cOrdingly with profound devotion by
all the other islanders. You can't pic
ture to yourself how awful their wor-
ship was. [ daren't even repeat it to
you: it was too: too horrible. He lived
in hut by himself among the deepest
forest, and human victims used to be
brought, we'll, there, it's too loath-
some! Why. see, there q great light
! on the island now; big bonfire, or
something: don't you make it out? You
can tell it by the red glare in the sky
overhead" He paused moment: then
he added more slowly, Il shouldn't be
surprised if at this very moment,
while we're standing here in such
perfect security on the deck of a Chris
| tian English vessel. some unspeakable
and unthinkable heather orgy mayn't
| be going on over there beside that
sacrificial fire: and if some POOR tremb.
ling native girl isn't being led just
| now, with blows and curses and awful
savage ceremonies, her hands bound
behind her back Oh, look out, Miss
| Ellis"
He was only just in time to utter the
| warning words. He was Onl y just in
| time to put one hand on each side Of
her slender waist, and hold her tight
so. when the big wave which he saw
| coming struck full tilt against the YES
|
drenching sheet OF foam against her
! stern and quarterback.
The suddenness Of the assault took
Felix's breath away. For the first
| few seconds he was only aware that a
heavy sea had been shipped and wet
| him through and through with it's I'M
| expected deluge. A moment later, he
| was dimly conscious that his companion
| had slipped from his grasp, and was
nowhere visible. The violence of the
shock, and the Shiny nature of the sea
water. had made him relax his hold
| without knowing it, in the tumult of
| the moment, and had the same time
caused Muriel to glide imperceptably
! through his fingers, as he had often
| known an ill-caught cricket ball do in
his school days. Then he saw he was
on his hands and knees on the deck.
The wave had knocked him down, and
dashed him against the bulwark on the
| leeward side. AS he picked himself
up, wet, bruised, and shaken. he looked
about for Muriel. A terrible dread
seized upon his soul at once. Impossi-
BILE! Impossible! she couldn't have
| been washed overheard.
Any even as he gazed about, and
held his bruised elbow in his hand.
and wondered to himself what tt could
all mean, that sudden loud cry arose
beside him from the quarterback,
MAN overheard. Man overboard"'
followed a moment later by the an
swer cry. from the men who were
smoking under the lee of the com
panion, "A lady. lady. IT'S Miss
| Ellis. Miss Ellis.''
He didn't take it all in He didn't
reflect. He didn't even know he was
actually doing it: But he did it, all
the same, with the simple, straight
forward, instructive sense Of duty
which makes civilized man act Alright,
all unconsciously, in any moment OF
supreme danger and difficulty. Leap
ing on to the taffrail without one in
stant's delay, and steadying himself
for an invisible fraction of time with
his hand on the rope ladder, he peered
out into the darkness with keen eyes
| II 1Ss h n