Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-08-04

lower and worshiper, and do take upon
me the VOWS of the Kammiloukanili-
naval. / will place my life at the
bidding of your priestesses, and will
obey you in all things. By the light
II the sun aud the glory Of thy crown,
Pele, l swear these thingsl"
"You are now one of us, said Lowai,
when / had finished.
"What am l to do with the ring?"
/ asked.
keep your business secret from
everybody. Even your uncle must
not know it.
81 promise again, 1 said, impatient
ly.
"You must take that pack and go
with the ring have given you to the
fisherman, Patua, in kannakakai, on
the coast of Molokai, and present
yourself to him. He will offer YOU
bis hand in salutation. Upon the
middle finger of his hand is a ring
similar to yours. When you clasp his
hand the rings must touch each other.
You will feel a peculiar sensation, and
will know by that token that Pele
lives and that you are her follower,
and Patua will recognize you, and
will take You by night to the island Of
Lanai. You will land on the east
coast Of Lanai, aud will proceed at
once inland You will find a rough
path leading along the bottom of a
deep gulf In;rainy seasons there is
water there, but now il is dry. Follow
that path until you come 10 a large,
white ssone-a huge stone of glisten-
ing whiteness. II there is no one
there you must wait. Nimolau will
come. You will know Nimolnu be-
cause he has ring like this. And he
will offer you his hand in the same
manner as Patua, and you must take
if. Nimolau is the guide 20 the
priesless Kaumai. Tell him You are
the successor TO poog old Lowai, and
you wish to be led into the presence
of Kaumai. He will know, when you
have obeyed his orders, whether you
have told the truth. Then he will
conduct You to the temple of kaumai.
and you must bow before her. MIN
olau will tell you what TO do. You
must obey every word he says, or you
are lost.
Toward the last, the words of old
Lowai came painfully and slowly.
''What more?' asked, as he
paused.
sNothiuq -
''Nothingl You have not told me a
word of my sister. Where is she?
Why do you not tell me that?"
''She is there. l have told you
she is held by Kaumai to be sacrificed
to Pele when the volcano spits up its
fire"
'But how can see her, and how
can | get her away from there?"
The old man looked at me yacantly
a moment
II do not know" he replied. fee
bly,. 81 have made you priest Of
the Observation-Disclosures and have
told you how to reach the presence of
Kaumai, the priestess of Pele in
Lanai. Your sister is there. / can
tell you no more. | know Of no way
you can get victim away from Pele
when once she has been chosen.
You must take the course you think
best.
"It is horriblel Who stole Win
nie?"
THE goddess Pelc does not tell to
mortals whom she sends to seize her
victims. Nor does the priestess
Kanmai. They would curse me If
they knew | told you this. But you
have been very kind to old Lowai, and
Lowai does not forget.
Saying this, tho old chief lay back
upon his pillow, exhausted.
] was so unBeryed by what | had
heard aud so torn with my belief and
unbelief, that l sat like a man of
stone. The horrible possibilities con-
jured up in my train by Lowai's
stony chilled and frightened me. My
first impulse was to rush to the au-
thorities and make them acquainted
with facts as | had learned them, aud
have force attack the priestess Kau-
mai and release my sister. But if
Lowai's story was true, no doubt his
advice was good. II Winnie was ON
the island of Lanai, she must be res
cued by strategy alone.
So resolved, controlled, seemingly.
by an impulse emanating from the
shrunken figure on the bed, to abide
by Lowai's advice and visit Kaumai.
Malliauli came in with Doctor Till
ing.
The doctor bent over old Lowai.
''He is dead" he said. Literally
died OF age.
waited until the doctor had gone.
and then told Lowai's daughter that
he had given me the leather pack.
II know" she said, and bent.
weeping, over the corpse of her aged
father.
A servant came from the hose and
met me as | was returning from Lo-
wai's cottage. He handed me a letter.
"a messenger has just come with
this. He says it is important. Your
uncle had me bring ii to you at once. -
/ eagerly opened the letter, recog-
niziug Gordon's handwriting. The
note was short, and evidently written
in hurry.
DEAR Ton" 1t ran, meet me without
fail at the American tonight. l have
learned something about Winnie, aud we
must act at once. Do not breathe a word
OF this TO a living soul. Even now, fear
trouble. Be cautious, and act us II nothin;,
mas happened Above all, tiust nobody.
Yours. ARrHuR."
impatiently waited for night to
coiae. BEFORE dark was a. Seacamp's 5
hotel.
"Did Gordon say he would be here
to-night?' | asked Seacamp.
''No. have not seen Gordon in
days"
waited for hours but Gordon did
not appear.
grew anxious and apprehensive OF
danger. l resolved to hunt him up, /
rode to President Dole's house.