The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-08-20

strongly and pettishly. and man
entered over whose shrewd and kindly
face the word surgeon was written.
well, mon," he said. cheerily,
''there is q note OF temper in the
voice which says you are as much
| yourself as ever"
Il did not mean II, doctor, but I'm
bit perplexed. Did you find me
on the shore? Were the others
saved?"
There were ma Others" said the
surgeon. gravely. Il found We on the
shore, as We say. an bar twisted
ankle and an overdose Of salt water.
We are not a pin the waur for a bit
| Of rough sea handlin'."
Where are we? This hut"
Il dinna see why / should ma tell
We the truth. This Is the Roger
Stanalaus group of islands, and we
are the first colony, formerly crew of
the Arion."
saved, all Of them? Why. l had near.
ly dozen personal friends among
those passengers! For 12 months we
believed them at the bottom of the
sea-"
"Of our bones were coral made?
Ma! We're vera much alive. But
we've had ma word from the outside
world for mony day, an they're keen
to have speech Of We. For myself, l
expect no news. I've neither kith
nor kin. I'm fra Edinburgh"
THE Stanalaus group! Why, my
uncle discovered them about 20 years
ago. They are utterly out Of the way
of passing steamers. and a mere baN
rem mass of stone. How have yoAl
! uved?'
ma SO barren as your uncle thought.
This central island is little oasis. Up
here, like nest, snuggles bit king
/ dom OF thousand acres or SO, with
rich soil. and We saved seeds from
our wreck. Then we've seabirds'
eggs. an fish, vera nutritious diet"
But, good God, we may be here SO
years before steamer passes!" He
clutched- the Scotchman's arm. DO
you appreciate that?'
We've had some time in which
to comprehend It," said the surgeon.
dryly. And we take the matter
accordin' to our different dispositions.
To return to yourself. Can We see
|, some Of the others soon? They've had
no news. as ! said, an for some of
them ye must hold the keys of life
an DEATH"
Let me rest a moment. will be
ready SOON
Surely. mon," returned the sur.
geon. cheerily. Call when we've had
time to think bit"
He withdrew. and the other lay
there. staring dreamily through the
window.
Then they really were all there
these people he imagined dead. They
were Of far more interest to him than
the lost crew Of his own ship. among
whom he had no friends.
But what were those words the sur
geon used-"the keys of life and
DEATH" He laughed gently to him.
self. Nothing in them! They mere
ly meant he was a walking newspaper
to be cast aside when read. Well.
for the present, at least, they must
turn to him. and to him alone, for
knowledge.
He. the driftwood. thrown up by the
ocean, he was no less a person than
the Master of Fate! For what he
said they would all believe. That be-
lief would lie undisturbed for per.
haps generation. long enough to
shape their lives as he willed. Ex-
ultation flooded his whole being. They
We're his-his puppets. He would deal
gently with them. He felt a tender
ness that yet had In 1t an iron resolve,
at variance with his past Then a
sweet but anxious voice fioated in.
"Oh. Mr.. McAlister. when will he
see u.s."
The listener lifted his voice in re-
spouse: Now. II you will"
The door was opened hastily, but
| quietly. and q slender figure crossed
the threshold. Behind her doomed the
manly form Of young fellow Of per-
haps six-and-twsnty. The couple
greeted him with an eagerness that
touched him with a sense of luxury,
and he answered smilingly their In
! 7uiries as to his own well being.
He knew the girls history, the de-
tails Of her miserable married life;
knew still better the dissipated scoun-
drel whom she called husband, and
whom she had obediently started to
Tejoin when she boarded the Arion.
He felt the question trembling on
her lips. At last she said. bravely:
May I be selfish now? want to
ask for news?" She paused. leaned
against the rough wall and said dat-
b: my husband!-is he hving?"
The Nas&se e Eats did not answer