Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-07-31

He htld kept his promise to return.
was none to watcn MN! NO prylng.
curious eyes to disturb his thoughts.
But they would soon be out again, and
it behooved him to make the best use
Of his solitude while he might. He
struck inland. his heart beating with a
curious expectancy. At every sound
he held his breath. and he would turn
quickly and look back with haunting
sense that Tehea was near him; that
perhaps she was gazing ut him through
the trees. He approached his old home
through Overgrown plantations. 1t
awed him to part the branches and to
feel himself drawing near at every step
to the only house he had ever called his
own. AS he heard the splashing water
fall he stopped, not daring for the mo-
ment 10 go on. When ut last he did so
and mounted the little hill he found no
house at all. Nothing but ferns and
weeds, man high. He moved about
here and there. up to the armpits In
verdure. in CONSERVATION at discover
Ing II gone.
His foot struck against bowlder.
He had forgotten that there were rocks
on the hill. He moved along and his
foot struck again. He pressed the
weeds back and looked down.
He saw a tomb Of crumbling cement.
green with age and buried out Of sight
under the tangle.
1t had never occurred to him before
that Tehca might be dead.
He held back the underground again
and peered into the depths. Yes. 1t was
the grave Of a chief or n woman OF
rank. He laid both hands on the thick
stem of n shrub and tore 1t ont OF the
ground. He seized another and drag
ged 1t out with the same ferOclty. 1t
was intolerable that she should suf-
focate under all this warm. wet jungle
that intruded itself. like horrible
canaille. where there was none to
drive it back. He would give her air
and sunshine. she that had loved them
both. He would uncover the poor
stones that marked her last resting
place. lie would lay bare the earth
that wrapped her dead beauty.
He worked with desperation until his
hands were bleeding. until his eyes
were stung and blinded with stPaming
sweat. Dizzy with the heat. parched
with thirst and sick with the steam
that rose from the damp ground. he
was forced again and again to desist
and rest. He cut his walstcOat into
slips and bound them round his bloody
hands. He broke the blades Of his pen
knife on recalcitrant roots that defed
the strength Of his arms. He labored
with fury to complete the task he had
set before him. Here he stood within
four walls Of vegetation. the sky above
him. the cracked and rotted tomb be-
low, satisfied ut last by the accomplish
ment Of his duty.
He called her aloud by name. He
bent down and kissed her messy bed.
He whispered with strange convic-
ton that she could hear him. that he
had kept his promise to return.
Then, rising to his feet. he turned to-
ward the sea and retraced bis steps.
The people were still In church. and the
village was deserted as before. He
walked swiftly lest they might come
tiocking out before he could reach bis
boat to torture him with recognition,
with the questions they would ask. with
their story Of Tehea's death. Then he
laughed at his own fears, remembering
Ills white hair and the intervening gen.
GRAFTON. Time had passed over BOrl-
bora too. The world. he remembered.
was older by forty years. Older and
sadder and emptier.
=.
He swung himself up the ladder,
mounted the bridge and put the vessel
on her course. The telegraph rang. the
engineers repeated back the signal. and
the great battleshlp, vibrating with her
mighty engines, resumed once more
her ponderous way.