The Washington times., 1908-12-25
By CHARLES CAREY
Author of "The Scarlet Warning, Down the Toboggan,
x X * "The Van Suyden Sapphres, etc. x x -

run forward; but Helene, apparently
undismayed. gave a stamp OF her foot.
waved them imperatively back, and
went on quite feaTlessly to meet tins
barbaric horde.
And then the anxious watchers were
treated to a strange and impressive
spectacle.
on came the leaping savages, yelling
and brandishing their weapons-as
threatening a sight as could well be
imagined. but when they reached Hell
enc they all, as one man dropped pros
trate to the earth, and groyeled in the
sand at her feet
We'll, I'll be bIowedr gasped the
captain Of the tramp, peering from his
bridge. III sure be bIowedI I've said
ever since she shipped that that there
smile o heT'n would charm a mutlneer
on a Arctic whaIer outn his suIks: but
that it would work on a head-huntin',
heather Malay was clean outside my
calc' 'lations. Why. they're a worshipin'
her sames II she was one OF their ten
g. ed gods"
But Invocation and supphance were
not what Helene was seeking. Heed
less Of ceremony, she leaned over to
seize Malanaga rather vigorously by the
l
Then she demanded 10 know, as rap
idly as the sign language would permit.
if jim were on the island and where he
could be found
The chief shook his head. His white
brother had been with them, ne indi-
Gated. having come thither in a small
boat. but had left two days before in
/ the same way.
] Gone whittier" she questioned
breathlessIy.
NIaIauaga could only give a vague,
| indefinite wave Of his arm toward the
west The little boat had sailed away
/ in the direction OF the setting sun.
| Did he intend to return
/ The Malay could not say. but thought
| not Immediately. as he had said he was
! starting on a long voyage-IOur fuI'
! moons were Indicated
/ A startling possibility suggested itself
! 10 Helenes quick mind.
/ How had her lord occupied himself
while Cpon the island?
Wen, ne had been very difieTent-ap-
parentIy moody and abstracted, as
! Malanaga acted it out. He mad seemed
/ 10 want TO be by himself. wandering
much alone on the path by the cliffs.
Sure now that she was on the right
track. Helene asked quickly il he had
taken anything from the island with
him when he sailed.
But to this MaIanaga returned a de-
! cided negative. The white brother, he
explained. had told him the reason OF
his being SO sOrrowfUl and dOWucast
was because he had learned by his div!-
nations that the sacred shrine had been
: robbed Of its medicine BY the inter
ventiOn OF evI spirits, and had demand
ed before leaving that his boat and him
self should both be thoroughly search
ed, so as 10 preclude any suspicion OF
his having been concerned in the unhOly
. raid.
( The white brother must have beer
mistaken, though. the chief continued
for after the others departure, greatly
depressed at the news, he had sent tht
new chief priest upon a special mission
to investigate, and had been informed
that the Offering 10 the gods was intac
and spread out upon the altar as usual
Nor did ne think Il necessary TO adj
wise Helene that a few old teakwOoC
I chests at one side Of the cave, lille,
( with immaterial trash, were reported
missing. The point in which she wOUlC
, be interested. of course, was that th'
mighty charms-the ones by which sh'
had wrought the miracle Of her hair
I still remained.
As he finished, the girl knitted be-
brows IN uncomprehendiuS perplexity
What could II all mean2
These solitary excursions OF Jim L
the cliffs, and all this bogie-talk in re
, gard TO the shrine were manifestly {,
obtain the treasure; yet MaIanaga as
serted that he had gone away wit
empty hands.
Again, either with or without the loot
he would naturally start for Manil;
10 rejoin her; but seemingly he hai
sailed away. instead, toward the west
and on a voyage which he declares
might last for four or five months.
Might It be that he had never intend
ed 10 como TO her I'm Manila; that h
was in reality what they sad OF hin
, A fugitive from justice, an Ishmael fee
ing constantly before the terror Of tn
. law2
The dark suspicious which she toun
II 50 hard TO keep down upTeared thei
. Kissing heads more strongly than eyer
: but with a surge Of loyalty she st'fe
, and beat them back
: No. she could never believe that he
Jim was such a coward and traitor
. especially not here at yartra, where
had so rnanfuIly defended her. an
where those solemn vows had been ez
. | changed
He could not have lied to her so. I
he was not returning to Manila. bu
| setting out upon a longer cruise, b
/ had some good reason for 1t. and nj
= explanation would reach her IN a mes
n sage from him upon the date he ha
Il promised.
=.