The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-06-07
How often had he thought of her dur


left him gray and old, the years that
had carried him unscathed through so
| many dangers in every quarter of the |
world. For him she was still in her |
adorable girlhood, untouched by time,
a radiant princess in her radiant isle,
waiting by the shore for his return. 1t
] shocked him to remember she was not
| far short of SiXty-a fat old woman,
perhaps. married to some strappng
chief and more than likely with grown
children of her own. How incredible it
seemed!
Dawn was breaking as he slowed
| down to leeward OF the island and
watched the shadows melt away. 1t
was Sunday, a day of heavenly calm
fresh yet MINDLESS, With a sea SO
smooth that the barrier reefs for once
We're silent, and one could hear from
across the hushed and shining water
the coo of pigeons in the forest. Under
bare steerage way, With the leadsman
droning in the forechains, the ship
Rugged the shore and steamed at
snaifs pace round the island.
With every mile the bays and wood
ed promontories grew increasingly IA
miliar as Sir John was borne toward
Lihua, the scene of his boysh folly.
He looked ashore in wonder, surprised
at the vividness and eNactness of his
recollection.
1t was like home coming to see al,
these familiar scenes spreading out be-
fore him. He looked at his hands, his
thin, veined. wrinkled hands, and it
came over him, with Il sort of surprise,
that lie was an old man.
THAT was forty years ago. he said
to himself. Forty years ago.
AS Lihua opened out and he per
ceived With I'D indispensable pang the
matched houses set deep in the shade
of palms and b.eaafi'uit trees he felt
himself in the taroes of strange and
painful INDIGESTION. He paced up and
down the bridge, he lit cigar and
threw it away again. he twice APP
preached Commander Stillwell as
though to give an order, and then, still
in doubt, turned shanlefacedly on his
heel.
by the deep. nine" came the hoarse
murmur of the !cads.nan
1t lay With him to stop the ship or
not-a word and she would come shiv-
ering to standstill; word and the
boatswain would pine away his gig
and the crew would be running to
their places. His heart ached With the
desire to land. hut somethng-he knew
not what-withheld the order on his
lips
Did he not owe it to her to keep the
promise of forty years, promise Civ
EN- in the flush of youth and hope and
sealed with scalding tears!
His resolution was taken. He or
dered Commander Stillwell to stop the
ship and lower boat
II am going to treat myself to run
ashore" he said by way of explanation.
The vessel slowly stopped. The COW
ers were whipped off the gig. She was
hoisted out and lowered, the crew drop
ping down the ladder into their places
at the peep-peep-peep of the whistle.
He was landed at little cove where
in bygone days he had often whiled
away an hour waiting in charge of
Hadow's boat. 1t gave him q singular
sensation to feel the keel CRATE against
the single and to say to himself that
this was Lihua! He drew deep
breath as he looked about and noticed
how unchanged it all was.
1t came over him With start that
the village was empty Then he re-
membered it was Sunday. and they
We're all at church. Thank Cod there
was none to watch him! No prying,
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
5 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 a haunting
sense that Teliea was near him; that
7 perhaps she was gazing at 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
t to the only house he bad eyer called his
!. own. AS he heard the splashing water
|, fall he stopped, not daring for the mo-
S ment to go on. When at last he did so
J. and mounted the little hill he found no
e house at all. Nothing but ferns and
i weeds, man high He moved about
here and there, up to the armpits in
: verdure, in CONSERVATION at discover
: ing it gone.
d His foot struck against bowlder
He had forgotten that there were rocks
e on the hill. He moved along and his
o foot struck again. He pressed the
i, weeds back and looked down.
n He saw tomb of crumbling cement
G green with age and buried out of sight
under the tangle
|. 1t had never occurred to him before
:. that Tehca might be dead.
v he held back the underground again
o and peercd into the depths. Yes. it was
S the grave of a chief or woman OF
v rank He laid both hands on the thick
q stem of Il shrub and tore it out Of the
s ground He seized another ana drag