Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-03-29


Below them the city of AMER lay
in its Sabbath repose. In the bay, the
empty fishing boats were anchored.
II was all very beautiful and peaceful.
Look" cried the geologist.
Far out at sea. thirty miles away,
great tongue OF fire darted up from
the bosom of Krakatoa!
If heaven was in the heart of Conrad
Dunlow, hell burned in the bosom of
Antonio Menzada, the dark browed
Spaniard. In vain the girl assured
him that she could never love him
he would not be denied. With fren-
zied jealousy he watched her growing
interest in the goung officer and
warned her, in note after note, that
| he would brook no rivalry. She
| scorned to answer. and bade the SER
wants refuse him admittance. When
she told Conrad, he laughed, as he
laughed at everything.
That very morning Antonio's worst
fears had been confirmed. A mali
cious servant from the villa told him
of Vivien's betrothal to the English
man, and then fed for life before the
demon he had aroused.
There was nothing generous or great
in Antonio at any time, and now his
whole being was concentrated upon
one idea-revenge Antonio's stiletto
glittered as he let tho sunlight fall
upon it.
He was the only son of rich coffee
planter and had never known wish
ungratified. To be foiled in the su-
preme desire of his life was more than
he could bear. To tear the girl from
her lover was now his one thought,
and it possessed his soul like devil.
The bearer Of evil tidings was gone.
He stood upon the shore alone. A
Little boat rocked idly on the waves.
He united it, jumped in, and seized the
oars. A few minutes brought him to
a vantage point, whence he might sur
vey the Americans villa. 1t was an
old trick of his. With the aid of a
small glass, he singled them out in the
little group upon the veranda. The
tea-drinking over he saw the young
couple wander away, through the trim
|
of the woods. With clenched teeth
and muttered curses, he turned the
boat toward shore, conscious Of the
keen stiletto by his side as of living
presence.
He had nearly gained the shore. A
few more strokes and he would be
within reach of vengeance. What was
the matter with his arms Strive and
strain as he might. he could not ad-
vance one inch. His muscles stood
out like knotted iron, but their
strength was useless now. Slowly, re-
sistlessly, the boat was dragged back
ward as by an unseen cable A great
kissing roar became audible, and look
ing up at last he saw a long line OF
fire rising from the very bosom of the
sea and extending even to Krakatoa it.
self! The ocean was pouring its
whole volume into the abysmal fires
that yet were not extinguished, and on
the crest OF that awful and majestic
cataract his little boat whirled on to
doom. The covering wretch sank down
and hid his face. The tremendous
roar of the waters drowned out his
frenzied prayers and curses. He
strove to make the sign OF the cross
in the cold sweat on his brow.
In that inferno of waters, his now
senseless body was drowned and
crushed. beaten and burned, into its
elemental atoms.
: From the commanding height above
supporting the fainting girl in his
arms, Conrad Dunlow watched with
, fascinated horror the scene below H,
, saw the fishing boats drawn one by
| one into the fiery whirlpool, and knew
, not that in one of them, scorpion lay
7 crushed.
/ There came a mighty roar, univer
( sal crash as of world in dissolution
: The air grew black around him. HI
closed his eyes for one instant. ant
! when he looked again, the city of An