Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-06-28

by anu Dys ABOVE even VIC uOrC0
roar of the mingled thunder and cy-
clone, wild orgy of noise burst upon
them all from without the hut. It was
tom-toms, all beaten in unison with
the mad energy of fear; hideous
sound, suggestive of some hateful
heather devil-worship. Muriel clapped
her hands to her ears in horror "Oh,
what's that?" she cried to Felix, at
this new addition to their endless
alarms. ''Are the savages out there
rising in a body? Have they come to
murder u.s."
Perhaps" Felix said, smoothing
her hair with his hand, as a mother
might soothe her terrified child.
"perhaps they're angry with us for
having caused this storm, as they
think, by our foolish action. l believe
they all set it down to our having I'M
luckily eaten that unfortunate fruit.
I'll go out to the door myself and
speak to them"
Muriel chung to his arm with pas
sionate clinging
"Oh. Felix" She cried. mo. Don't
leave me here alone. My darling, l
love you. You're all the world there
is left to me now, Felix. Don't go out
to those wretches and leave me here
alone. They'll murder you. they'll
murder you. Don't go out, | i'm
plore you. 1t they mean to kill us,
let Athem kill us both together in
each others arms. Oh, Felix, J am
yours, and you are mine, my darling!"
1t was the first time either of them
had acknowledged the fact; but there,
before the face of that awful cOnvul-
sion of nature, all the little receptions
and wells of life seemed rent asunder
forever as by flash of lightning.
They stood face to face with each
others souls, and forgot all else in the
agony of the moment. Felix clasped
the trembling girl in his arms like a
lover. The two Shadows looked on
and shook with silent terror. If the
King Of the Rain thus embraced the
Queen Of the Clouds before their very
eyes, amid so awful storm, what UNI
speakable effects might not follow at
once from it! But they had too much
respect for those supernatural crea-
lures to attempt to interfere in their
action at such moment. They &C
cepted their masters almost as pas
sively as they accepted the wind and
the thunder, which they believed to
arise from them.
Felix laid his poor Muriel tenderly
down on the mud floor again. II must
so out, my child" he said. "For the
very love of you, l must play the man,
and find out what these savages mean
by their drumming"
He crept to the door of the hut flor
no man could walk upright before that
awful storm, and peered out into the
RI nY,1>r ~
the frequent flashes of lightning. He
sky was all ablaze again from end to
onds consecutively. By the light of
could see for himself that hundreds
and hundreds of natives-men, women.
and children, naked, or nearly so,with
their hair loose and wet about their
cheeks-lay flat on their faces, many
courses deep, Just outside sthe taboo
line. The wind swept over them with
extraordinary force, and the tropical
rain descended in great floods
upon their bare backs and
shoulders. But the savage
as if entranced, seemed to take no
heed of all these earthly things. They
lay groveling in the mud before some
unseen power; and beating their TOM
toms in unison, with barbaric concord,
they cried aloud once more as Felix
appeared, in a weird litany that over
topped the tumultuous noise of the
tempest. ooh, Storm God, hear US!
Oh, great spirit, deliver US! King of
the Rain and Queen of the Clouds, be-
friend US. Be angry no more! Hide
your wrath from your people! Take
away your hurricane, and we will bring
you many gifts. Eat no longer of the
storm-apple-the seed OF the wind
and we will feed you with yam and tur-
tie, and much choice bread-fruit.
Great King, we are yours; you shall
choose which you will OF our children
for your meat and drink; YOU shall sup
on our blood. But take your storm
away; do not utterly drown and SUBJ
merge our island.'
AS they spoke they crawled nearer
and nearer, with gliding serpentine
motion, till their heads almost touched
the white line of coral. But no man
Of them all went one inch beyond it.
They stopped there and gazod at him.
Felix signed to them with his hand,
and pointed vaguely to the sky, as
much as to say he was not responsible.
AT the gesture the whole assembly
burst into one loud shout of gratitude
He has heard us, he has heard us.'
they exclaimed, with perfect wall of
joy. He will not utterly destroy us.
He will take away his storm. He will
bring the sun and the moon back to
u.s."
Felix returned into the hut, some
what treasured so far as the attitude
of the savages went. Don't be afraid
of them, Muriel," he cried, taking her
passionately once more in a tender
embrace. ''They darent cross the
the taboo. They won't come near;
they're too frightened themselves to
dream of hurting u.s."
TO BE CONTINUED. ssss