Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-04-16
The Mermaid's
Captive

1ad spread upon the thwarts as the
pitiless sun rose once again above the
horizon. Not a drop-not one tiny
drop. He began to whimper like a
,colded child
He glanced astern at two long
dark objects lying motionless in the
water; they would not have long 70
wait. He shook his fist at them in
impotent anger as he thought, then
he erawled under the canvas awning,
which he had erected in the stern
If the boat, and lay down.
Hotter and hotter il grew. Not a
breath Of air stirred the tattered
Jacket raised aloft on the oar that
Id duty for mast. He seemed TO be
the boss upon shield of polished
steel.
What was that?
Something was rocking the boat?
Were those brutes trying TO get at
him already? He sat up and stared
about him. His tired, bloodshot eyes
seeued to start from their sockets
as he saw that hand, small, white
hand, was clinging TO the gunwale at
the bows.
Slowly and without apparent eff
fort a beautiful girl drew herself
from the water into the boat. She
seated herself and regarded him with
eyes that were the color of sap
phires.
Her deep red hair chung TO her
body and trailed over the side of
the boat into the water; her scar
let lips were parted in a smile; her
tiny white teeth CLEANED from be-
tween them like pearls. Her single
ornament was a string Of square
Isemi-transparent green stones about
her forehead.
lie clenched his hands together and
tried in vain to speak. His tongue re-
fused TO do his bidding, his lips
moved, forming no words.
"Water!" lie had said it Mt last.
The girl smiled and nodded to him;
she was busy shaking out her long
hair to dry it in the sun.
Water, for Gods sake!" he cried,
and this time his voice was louder.
The girl pointed to the sea. rs
there not plenty?" she asked.
IF / drink that | shall die" he
answered.
'.Die?" said the girl. what is die2
Do you mean melt?"
I'm doing that now" he said. Then
he laughed laugh that ratified in
his parched throat; the joke seemed
so good that he forgot to stop.
The girl regarded him gravely. II
suppose you drink land-water?" she
said.
TIA, ha! land-waterl Yes yes. HI,
ha, hal Bring il me-" He sank back
exhausted By the effort he had made,
md the daylight turned TO inky dark
ness.
He gazed about him with uncoU-
pretending eyes. He was lying on a
hard. smooth surface, cold to the
touch, and he was no longer at sea.
Surrounding him on every hand were
tall pillars of dark rock; they formed
the natural supports to huge caverns
in whose black velvet depths the EN-
erald water choked and gurgled.
His gaze roamed round and round
the pool in search of its outlet TO
the sea. The water rose and fell.
and eddied in response to the swell
of the ocean, yet no opening was Wis
ible, and no sound of surf reached
his A Ia 81 f.aA 80
water, lay by his side. With an ~
articulate cry he seized it and
drained its contents TO the last
drop.
The life-giving fluid seemed to
course through his veins, quenehing
the fire that was in them. lie lay
back with smile upon his shrunken
lips.
Slowly his strength and under
standing began to return to him.
He seemed, so far as he could make
out, TO be lying in the hollow cen
ter Of some lonely sea-girt rock.
Above the caves and clinging to the
smooth slate gray walls that tow
cred skyward there clambered a vine
like ereeper bearing long ropes ~
scarlet fruit. Before one of the
caves there dangled a glorious
orchid; its flowers, like monstrous
butterflies tied To fine thread.
turned and twisted in the still air,
as though they struggled to be free.
Far above his head, against the blue
sky, countless sea birds were wheel
ing.
He staggered to his feet, and, pass
ing his hand over his brow. stared
about him in amazement. What did
it mean? Why was he here? His
boat was nowhere to be seen, and a
glance convinced him that escape
from the place by climbing was i'm
possible.
He entered the cavern nearest 10
him. lie was weak He had TO grip
the walls with his fingers TO prevent
himself from falling
Darkness, impenetrable darkness