The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-12-02

AArsniy. and It may be that you will
find its judgment just. Yet do not
hold myself as on trial at this MON ent,
but you"
II do not understand"
There are many things that you do
not understand, my friend"
II would that had been left in ig-
norance."
Nay, that is not a mans wish, but
a child's."
"Of one thing I am certain"
And what is that?"
THAT l should have killed him!"
Nay" said the woman again, that
is not a child's wish, but brute's."
you said yourself" he flashed at
her, that there we're some things a
woman could not forgive, and this
is one that a man puts in the same
class"
The woman sighed There occurred
to her at the moment no answer which
was adequate to the stark realism Of
this fact. The conversation had reached
an impasse beyond which 1t could not
progress without the full and com.
plete explanation which now there was
neither time nor opportunity to give,
for the boat from the man-of-war was
approaching the shore. The woman
stepped resolutely down the strand to
meet 1t, and the man, after a slight
hesitation, followed her.
So soon as the boats keel grated on
the bottom in the shallow water a
middle-aged officer rose from the stern
sheets and stepped ashore followed
BY younger companion in the uni
form OF sergeant Of marines. A
little squad Of privates in the bows
landed and fell in line with martial
celebrity and precision. The officer in
charge. who wore the white tropic uni
form Of lieutenant commander, now
faced the people on the island who
had instinctively divided into two
groups, one on either side Of him.
To the ght stood the man and be-
hind him the woman, to the left Lang
ford, back of him his crew. 1t was
to the latter that the oficer FIRST ad.
dressed himself.
Sir" he began. II am the execu-
tive offlcer Of the United States
cruiser Cheyenne, detached on special
service. We raised this island this
morning. ran 1t down, circled It, saw
the yacht yonder-"
He paused.
1T is my yacht, SIR, the Southern
Cross" answered the other MY
name is Langford"
Glad to meet you, Mr. Langford.
Mine Is Whitaker"
The lieutenant commander touched
his cap as he spoke. Langford lifted
his, and the two shook hands.
I'VE saw" continued the lieutenant
commander. what appeared to be
some sort Of fracas with the natives
and fired a gun to attract attention
and Capt. Ashby sent this boat partg
/, ashore under my charge to do what
ever was necessary. Perhaps you car
explain how you came to be EN-
broiled with the natives"
Sir" said the woman. And tn,
fact that she addressed him in his owl
language, and with the cultured &C
cents of the well-bred and the well
educated, caused the officer to star
violently-"the island is mine"
Mr.. Whitaker turned and looked
deliberately at her, his surprise onl.
equaled by his admiration. The tuni,
that she wore was a rough garment
and shapeless, but few vestments wer,
better calculated to set of her ex
quisite proportions. The grace an,
beauty Of her figure, the nobility ant
intelligence of her face took adde,
luster from the contrast of the utterl,
simple, natural and primitive. Whit
takers glance fell upon well-nigh pei
feet woman. The constraining influ
ences of civilization had been so loni
absent that nature had time and or
portunity to reassert its claim. Sh
was tall, exquisitely modelled. He
bare arms might have supplied thos
missing from the Venus of Milo; he
limbs, which the short tunic to he
knees left exposed. we're perfect 4
their symmetry and strength her fee
were such as those to which ancien
Greece had bowed; her hands wer
shapely. graceful, yet strong; her dar
eyes looked at him fearlessly; he
dark hair rose like a somber, cloud
crown above her brow. The fierce SUI
the open air, the wild wind had nc
materially altered the clear, slight
olive pallor of her face. The woma
had been beautiful before. Now ths
nature had had free sway, she wa
nobly lovely. She had stood little
the rear of the man at first and tn
lieutenant commander had not parti
ularly observed her. When she spok
she stepped into the open. He stare
and stared amazed.
Indeed, the direct intensity of h
glance added a sudden new perez
ton to the woman's faculties and fC
the first time in years she realize
that she was standing before her fe
lows half naked. In one swift m
ment convention leaped across II
missing years and caught her in 4
arm. The red flashed into her cheel
| h1r 10 har h4onr, ros