Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-12-27

home. When any one wrongs a de-
scendant of a chieftain's line the spirit
arises out of the mist and wreaks
speedy vengeance.
While she recounted this legend the
woman seemed to be inspired. Her
immense body swayed back and forth
in time to her words, her half-closed
eyes burned with deep fires.
Champion felt his blood chill in his
veins. The story fascinated him. It
seemed to have some personal equation,
to be in some subtle manner linked
with his own future.
Time braided the days into ropes Of
flowers for Champion. The languor
Of the climate stole into his blood and
lulled him to sweet security. With
Emaline he roamed about the island,
enraptured with its beauty and his
love Of her.
The picture of the blue-eyed Saxon
girl in the back of his watch was for
gotten. England with it's turgid civili-
cation seemed far away, unreal. He
was intoxicated with his own thoughts.
This half-wiId, impulsive creature,
who chung to him with such simple
faith. was so in harmony with the sur
roundings, so much a part Of the flow
cry little kingdom in the blue Pacific,
that he could not separate her from
it. nor himself from either.
It was as if he had always lived
this indolent dream life. They walked
and rode and swan together. She
taught him the liquid love words Of
her people, which was like the music
Of shallow waters ripping over peb-
bles.
Sometimes they wandered to the
summit of Pail and watched the misty
tears falling into the depths where
slept the heroes of an almost forgotten
race. The place had a strange attrac-
ton for him, and sometimes he coaxed
the girl into repeating the legend.
But to her light heart the tragic tale
held no charms. She was. like a fawn
that loves to play in the sunlight, with
out thought Of the past or future. He
was sufficient for her.
But one day there came a vessel into
the harbor and he awoke. His days of
drifting were over. He must choose
between ancestral home in civilized
country and this half-barbaric exist
ence; take up the duties and burdens
Of activity or embrace inaction, becom-
ing for good and all a drone in the
busy hive of the worlds life.
His Saxon blood rebelled at a future
so cheap, so unimpOrtant. 1t was
struggle, but his decision was made.
1t was late in the afternoon. Cramp-
ton and Emaline had wandered far
over the island, lingering in the flow
cry hooks that companionship had
made dear to them. They stood now
in the shadow of a palm half way up
the crater Of Pail.
The sun, a chariot Of fire, was roll
ing down toward the far-stretched line
of the blue Pacific. In the harbor lay
the ship that was to sail in the morn
ing; the ship that was to put two
oceans between them.
He told her as they stood there
told her with the calm, steel-like tones
of the AnglO-SaXOn when he has to
overcome himself, his face was drawn
and white, but with no tremor in his
voice-he told her all, his duty. his
prospects, even his engagement to the
blue-eyed girl. When he had conclud-
ed she stood like flower over which
has passed the hot breath blown from
a desert.
"Aloha nue. loa oel," she murmured.
1--WE are one. l live not but in you,
you are all my life. 1 love you"
He would have answered her, but
no words came to him. Like two stat
ues of grief they stood in the soft sun
light.
Then suddenly from above they
heard a Kissing sound. Out of the
great mouth Of Pail came a breath Of
steam that spread over their heads
like a great fan. And in the center of
it stood dark cloud in shape like a
woman. Above them it lowered
reaching out long, sinuous arms.
Champion stood for a moment trans
fixed with horror. Again he seemed
to see the old woman, the mother OF
Emaline, as she recited the weird le-
gend. "When any one wrongs a de-
scendant of a chieftain's line the spirit
rises out Of the mist to wreak speedy
vengeance"
The words rang in his ears like a
clarion. He turned away with a sbud-
der. Then the materialism of his race
came to his rescue. He caught up the
girl in his arms and ran down the de-
clivity toward the sea.
CHANGING back, he saw the shadow
following them. On he plunged an
awful fear taking possession of him.
He heard the Kissing as Of a great SER
pent behind him. Loose stones gave
way under his feet and plunged down
into the placid waters, cooling SOFTLY
to the shore Branches and hriore