Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-09-29
lcopyriahi. by RoHEHr BossER's soNs.l
CHAPTER XVI.

III IS not only pOssiDies Dut pNih-
full fact. The day you were brought
here raving about Winnie aud the lava
and the priests, Uncle Tom gave way
under the shock. He tried to do what
he could for you, but was compelled
to take to his bed. The next morn
ing, as his attendant went to rouse
him. he was found dead. He had
passed quietly away in the night.
Dead" / murmured, as lay back
on my pillow and sighed wearily.
winnie dead, Uncle Tom dead, aud
that hateful priestess alive | must
get well soon, Tilling. I'll tear that
uhe-woIf from her hiding place and
clay her. All, what a cruel wretch
che isl's
Again there was peculiar look ex-
changed between Tilling and Gordon.
''But your words regarding this
priestess were very different while you
we're raving," said Gordon, watching
me intently, and evidently moved
greatly. In my own grief / almost
forgot that he, loving my sister as he
had told me he did, must have felt the
loss poignantly. ''You were continu-
ally calling her beautiful Kaumai,
and telling her that you loved her."
/ raised my hand deprecatingly.
"Don't tell me any more, Gordon.
Let the bright vision that once en-
thralled me sink behind the cloud Of
hate that followed Yes, l had begun
to love her. All, Gordon, you could
not blame me if you had seen her one
day as saw her, melted to tears, a
womanly woman instead of a heartless
priestess. Yes, loved her, Gordon.
But wh.1 l saw that horrible sight
that awful-ah, can't bear to repeat
itl-the love 1 felt for Kaumai turned
to hate, and the former passion only
intensiiied that hate. | must kill
herl'
We were all silent few moments.
A half-choked sob came from Gordon.
He looked away across the valley at
the distant mountains, and dashed a
tear from his eye. In his agitation he
r9s,a =, {, fEam his chair and tram back
Meas ...!.......!..r!.eh: a9reh: 81 ss, ! 9s 5
and forth on '4tfh the 9Is se"as'''.''''''''''-''
always Gordon's way when unu. -,o
citenent.
81 think the time has come for al
explanation of how you got hold o
me-" said. ''It is all so inexpliea
Bile. fell on the rocks. knew
that. But from that moment unit
the day l woke with you and Tillinp
standing over me. do not remember
a thing. 1t is all blank. 1 do mo-
even know how long ago it was"
Gordon sat down again, and re-
covered his composure by an evident
effort of the will.
"There is so much to be said-so
much to explain--all around that we
hardly know how to begin" he said.
sYou do not even ask how long ago
your uncle died, or if he is buried?"
Time seems to be a thing that is
beyond me-" 1 replied. "Until |
know how long l have been here sick,
| cannot form any conception OF
time"
"Ycu have been Just two weeks in
your bed," said Doctor Tilling.
'"Then, Of course, Uncle Tom is
buried. You attended to it properly,
did you not?"
Yes" said Gordon, sadly. eve
did all we could. You know you are
his sole heir and master of The Corals,
now"
''Never mind that" said. 'GTy
inheritance is not of so much moment
as my revenge.
when you ar. sufficiently strong"
put in Doctor Tilling, who had been
quietly watching me, while he smoked
a cigar, "there are sundry papers and
documents that must be attended to.
Berkton has the will and few other
papers"
"Berkton can be trusted" said;
"they will keep. / want to hear how
Gordon found me, and what had be-
come of him the day he sent for me. "
r Gordon drew nearer to me, and the
clank OF his sword seemed like music.
so dear was this soldier to me in my
Affections.
"You remember the letter wrote
you, to meet me at Seacamp's hoteI?"
he asked.
''Yes, perfectly"
81 chaneed to overhear conversa-
ton between two natives connected
with the grounds ct the government
house. They were workmen on the
place, and were enjoying a smoke be.
hind some shrubbery, hidden com.
pletely from view. | was strollinq
about and heard one of them mention
your name. l crept close to the
shrubbery and listened They were
evidently members of secret order
called Observation-Disclosures, devoted
to the worship of some heathen deity.
They spoke about your sister; and
from what they said, could tell that
she was to be made a sacrifice to their
idoiatrous forms. They did not men
tion any place, and l hurried to the
Office and wrote that letter to you. As
got up from the shrubbery, / thought
saw person-another native-who /
seemed to have been watching me, but |
thinking / was safe from them, l paid /
no attention to him
Later in the afternoon, I rode out /
toward Pearl Harbor, and very fool
ishly. I went alone. About midway
between Honolulu and Pearl Harbor,
| was overtaken by squad of about
ten natives, who surrounded me and
in securing me. 1 killed
two of them, but they were too many
for me. l was taken into thick
woods and held prisoner over night. l
think their intention was to put me to
death through some religious cere-
mony, for they had plenty of oppor-
tnnity to kill me then.
'sThe next day, the entire army was
out looking for me, and company
same upon MS in the woods. The
pesky natives wouldn't give up even
hen until fhav ,vara al shot rThax