Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-10-27
lcopyright, by Ro3ERr BoSSER's soSs.
CHAPTER XXI.

enOugn, anu WOulu cause no trouble.
Tho sight of so many soldiers hae
driven all the wickedness out of him.
And, indeed, he was not so wicked as
he was demented. Long familiarity
with the worshipers of Pele had so
worked upon his weak intellect that il
had been an easy matter for him to be-
come one Of them. And, like all
Frenchmen, once in their ranks, he
threw his entire nature into the idol
airy and became the worst fanatic OF
the lot. But Pele could not save him
from armed soldiers. He was looking
out for the safety of jean Chicot, and
this safety lay in obedience.
Secamp sat near the old Frenchman
and smoked. At times he would at
tempt to lead the old man into CONVEX
sation, but found in him very iu-
different listener. Chicot's eyes were
fixed on me. He did not care what
Seacamp was saying.
Gordon and 1 paced the deck i'm
patiently.
Making turn forward, 1 stepped
alongside my comrade, who had for
the moment paused, and stood with
his glass in hand scanning the heights
of Lanai.
II am trembling with excitement, ="
1 said.
A grim smile played around his
mouth. He was a contrast to me.
He was SO calm, SO strong. There
was on his handsome, rugged face a
purpose well defined. 1t meant but
little good to the person we were go
ing to seek.
WHAT'S your purpose?" he asked
Suppose we find this wretch-Kau-
mai or Helene or the devil--whicheve
she is? DO You mean to say you wi Il
give your uncle's estate over into her
hands?"
SIT was my uncle's wish"
''But she is the murderess Of Win
ME-
81 know. She could have saved
her. But she is my uncle's daugh-
ter"
"But she played you false"
Eyes; but the will must stand. She
must have what is hers"
Gordon moved impatiently.
"After that?" he muttered.
"She deserves punishment. There
is law in the land. Let her abide
by it."
Law at any time is SLOW"
''True. / have sworn to kill her,
but cannot have the blood of my
cousin on my hands-or yours"
Cousin? An outrage on the rela-
tion."
TRUE. An outrage on all woman.
hood if you will, but she is the heiress
of The Corals."
1 examined the. rapidly nearing
coast.
'If I am not mistaken" 1 said,
pointing to what seemed to be little
bay in the rocky shore, "that is
where Patua landed me. Let us 60
ashore there. From there l can easi.
ly fiud my way. The map of that
horrible place is burned into my
brain. / can see it aldo see it,
have seen it since the day hell
opened and peace departed from my
life"
We were both very pale. We were
on an errand the like of which no
man had ever been on before.
We were going to place upon a
pedestal of gold heathen idol. A
woman who had falsely claimed she
loved me, only to wiring my soul in
agony; a woman who had spurned the
love that in the great gratitude she
might have won, would have been en-
during for all time; woman whose
cruel adherence to hideous unearth.
ly form OF worship had lost to me a
beautiful and loving sister, and to
Gordon the one he hoped to wed; this
woman we were-or / was-bound by
my uncle's will to tenderly care for, to
place in possession of her great in
heritance. II was hardl 1t was hard
to forget the horrid scenes that l had
been through, TO sink my hatred Of
the traitress behind my obedience to
Uncle Tom. The struggle had cost
me dear, but right was triumphant.
Helene should have her own.
Again the Aumo's boats were low
cred, and we went ashore.
A large ishing-boat was lying up on
the rocks high out of reach of the
tide. / examined it. 1t was Patua's
boat. II had been thrown on the
rocks by storm, and was battered
and broken.
"This is Patua's boat" said. 'Ti
is the same one that came here In.
The fisherman must have been over
come by the volcano"
81 see no evidences of a volcano, Z"
said Gordon.
"Yon could not see any signs OF il
here, no matter how severe an erup-
ton there was. Between us aud Kap.
atoli there are high walls of rocks
which would stop the flow. The lava
could sweep down the mountain side
aud across the plains on the Other
side, but would be held in check on
this side"
Hurry upl" said Seacamp. 'Let's
get the job over with and get back to
Christianity. This place and that
other we have Just left, fills mo with
chills and fever. It's enough to give
q man perpetual horrors. After this
I'll attend to my own business.
can run hotel as well as anybody in
Hawaii, good grub, good beds and
first-class American home comforts.
Rut whan IL oomaa tn limiting snOOka
and goddesses aud crazy priests, l am
not in it any more. No, sirreel Come
on, let's find the beautiful Helene and
yank her out Of this before she gets
us fred into volcano.
Gordon gave him look that sill
enced him.
LEAD the way, Tom. " said Gordon.
''You know the road. We will fol-
low"