The Washington times., 1902-12-23
CHAPTER XIV.
A CIif- -Encircled Paradise.

Suddenly Thorne awoke and opened
his eyes. He was lying In a grass ham
mock in the shade Of matched yeranda
A pleasant. undulating country. with
smooth. green meadows. checked OF with
little garden patches, was stretched out
before him. In each garden plot was
low hut. with a conical matched roof
He did not know where he was.
He was in that blissful state between
waking and sleeping where a man cares
neither where he is nor what has hap
pened; when wonders cease to amaze and
mysteries to perplex.
A slight graceful figure in a flow
ing white garment sat by his side. One
pretty hand rested on the hammock and
swayed it back and forth. the other up
held the face which was turned from
him. 1t did not seem strange that
Sydney Latimer should be alive and be-
side him in the midst OF these un-
familiar scenes. He put out his fingers.
surprised to find even such a slight ef-
fort wearying. and laid them upon the
hand in the hammock
Sydney sprang to her feet and bent
above him. her dark eyes shining like
stars. He put his other hand upon her
shoulder. and slight though his strength
was. drew her nearer. Their lips met.
Then she stood uprigh; shook her hair
back from her face ane said:
do you know me. Howard?"
That was a ridiculous question for a
girl TO ask a man just .fter she had
kissed him, Thorne tolG her so after
ward; but then he was content to lie
there and listen 20 what she had to say.
You don't know where you are. do
you?" she went on. you have been
sick a week-out of your senses. too,
you poor boy. most Of the time. At
first YOU were going over and over in
your mind that awful experience we
had together the night OF the wreck. and
cur battle with the tide when we were
swept into the tunnel Oh. you told a
lot had never suspected before"
She shook her finger at him roguish-
ly.
Luckily there was nobody but your
father and my father to hear IT,"
My father-your fatEer?" repeated
Thorne.
Yes; don't talk and l VIII tell you.
This is the interior Of the island. Would
you have guessed it2 Your father says
Il was an atoll before It was upheaved.
The cliffs surround it on all sides. only
in here they are only about fifty feet
high and very easily scaled. / have
been up there and looked over the whole
island. The inner basin contains only
FIVE or six square miles. but there are
nearly a thousand people living here.
They almost worship your father.
Isn't it wonderful? He was wrecked
here twenty years ago. His companions
died. These natives. who have nothing
TO do with any Of the inhabitants OF
the other Pacific islands. found him.
They have been here for centuries: that
is. mean, their ancestors were. The plain
is drained through the crevasses in the
coral cliff. and when they have occasion
to enter or leave this plain they 20 in
canoes through the tunnel az low water.
Well. they welcomed your father to
their villages, and he has been here all
the time. excepting the few months he
was absent on his trip with Jessop tc
Auckland. He returned from there. de-
termined never 20 leave again"
But you" began Thorne.
Walt 1 will tell you 1 was car
riod right thrcrrb tho ttD,e1 mich .-
about hfty yards long. and out into tht