Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-09-01
pyfight. By RoBERT BoSsER's sosl
CHAPTER Xxx.

yrotto.
Where is the successor of Lowai? ?"
lsked high-priest, in shrill tone.
The question had as much effect on
Kaumai as it had on me. She rose to
an erect sitting position and shaded
aer eyes with her hand as she endeav-
pred to penetrate the surrounding
darkness with her vision. 1 even
Imagined I saw a look of anxiety on
ihe beautiful face.
81 am herer' l said, in loud voice,
hat awoke the echoes in the surround
ing caverns.
SIT is well, successor OF Lowai, that
Fou are here," said the leader of the
aigh priests. Come before Kau-
mai"
l stepped forward and stood un-
masked before the beautiful priestess.
what have you to say to Kaumai,
10 prove your obedience to her com
nauds and the laws of Pele?" asked
ihe high priest.
81 have already proven my devo.
lion by tho promise l have made. |
will abide by it. All can say to
Eaumai is that she is more beautiful
ihan Pele herself. -
"What, you have seen Pele?'
shouted the high priest, gaspins in
istonishment.
eyes. 1 was with Pele in Haleakala
ior more than a year -
This seemed to stagger them. !
thought l noticed a slight look Of
pleasure on kaumai's face.
"That is enough, " she said. 'If the
successor Of Lowai has been with Pele
4 year, he needs no further tests from
me-"
"But how comes he as new priest,
the success of Lowai, who has but
Just died, if he was with Pele in Hale
akala?" asked another high-priest.
ANSWER that, successor of Lowai, u
said the priestess.
81 was not with Pele as a priest,
but in my travels I discovered her
temple, and she babe me enter and be
welcome.
A murmur Of surprise went round at
this. 1t was plain that, as the form
sr guest of Pele, I was a greater man
than they had before supposed.
Return TO your place, successor of
Lowai and friend of Pele," said the
high priest. "Let the sacred one be
brought before Kaumai."
Again, from some inner room, they
brought Winnie and seated her before
Kaumai.
1t was evident that animal passions
did not enter into the forms of wor-
ship of these fanatics. They treated
Winnie with great reverence, because
she was going to be sacrificed. !
withdrew and covered my face with
my mask, fearing that if my sister
recognized me she would make anoth-
er scene, and l would be prevented
from successfully carrying out any
plan L might have for her rescue.
The poor girls eyes were red and
swollen with weeping, and she sat in
the chair before Kanmai, listless aud
disheartened. The high priests swung
small urn of incense over her head,
md they began chant as they
marched around her. L did not fear
that they would do her bodily harm
then. She was held for one great
sacrifice, and the time for that was
not yet. 1 had noticed, when they
brought her in, that they came from
the direction in which lay my dun
geon. L wanted to see where they
kept her, and while their march was
in progress | crept away from the
common priests, who were still kneel-
ing, and lost myself in the darkness.
| worked my way round to my dun
geon-door and waited there.
When the ceremony was ended
heard them bringing Winnie, and |
hid myself where could see without
being seen. One high-priest carried
candle in his hand, the light Of
which enabled me to follow their
movements.
Winnie was led to door in the rock
not far from mine and was put into q
room that l judged to be next to my
dungeon. If it was so, then only q
wall separated us; but whether this
wall was thick or only thin partition,
had no means of telling.
With my senses doubly acute from
association with danger, l began tc
think of a way to get through that
wall. I recollected having seen on
the floor Of the dining-temple, OIL
grotto, large piece of steel that had
evidently once been great cutting
instrument. 1 hurried, or, at least,
tried to hurry in the darkness, around
back of the worshipers and out of the
door. 1t took but moment to rusf
to the grotto where we had dined, and
after feeling about few minutes
found the piece of steel was il
search of. II was quite heavy
From its formation it might have beer
o rude imitation Of the adj used b,
cur carpenters.
With this I went back to my dun
geon, laid the weapon away in tn
darkest corner and then stealthily re
sumed my place among the priests.
There seemed to be no method i
the worship of these people. The
kept up form in which Pele playe
the prominent part, but what it wa
that Pele demanded of them beside
sacrifices, it was hard to learn. Afte
some more chants and marches, in tn
last of which the common priests, il
eluding myself, Joined, they marche
forth and, no doubt, went to thsi
sleeping places, unless they took an
other meal before separating for til