The Southern herald., 1910-09-09

Us leAAlA1s Nl1eAAAa NAAN-e-
pices, calling a name. beseeehing an
answer. Two days before great ships
had drifted idly under its lee. Il haa
been the center and focus OF great
events. Now il lay desolate, alone.
On that morning the tide which had
drawn away from it through the long
night had turned and was coming
back. The force Of the water spent
itself upon the barrier. Within the
lagoon it lay placid. rising gently inch
by inch in mighty overflow. A watcher
had there been one. would have seen
at sunrise the still water Of the Ia
gOon broken by a ripple, a keen eye
night have noticed st the base OF the
cliff where It ran sheer down into the
blue. a dark object moving beneath the
surface The eye could scarcely have
become aware OF its presence before
the waters parted. A little splash and
a head rose dark crowned, white faced.
There was a sidewise wave and shake
Of the head and a pair Of eyes opened.
The blue of the water was lightened
by flashes Of white arms. As the
body rose higher under the impetus OF
strokes, vigorous yet graceful, II
could be seen that it was that Of a
woman.
With ease and grace the figure
swan along the base of the clin until
It was joined by a iutting spit of sand
which widened and widened into a
great strip Of beach that ran around
the island. Upon this sand presently
the Swallowing Of the water gave the
swimmer a foothold. Progress ceased
With eyes haggard, yet keenly alert
the sea. the shore, the beach, the
cliffs, the trees were eagerly searched
The long glances revealed nothing
Then the head was turned and the eaI
listened for sounds and heard nothing
The look of apprehension faded into
one OF dull relief.
Walking now, the woman in the
water made her way toward the sand
Very white she cleaned In the full
warm light streaming from the riser
sun against the background Of the
dark black rock. The water dripping
from her exquisitely graceful limbs
she looked very nymph Of the sea a:
she stepped out at last above the higf
tide line and stood poised as II fol
fight upon the hard and solid shore
Again she threw about her that quick
apprehensive look Again she paused
to listen. Reassured in that she heard
and saw nothing but the birds song
the winds sigh, the waves splash, she
ran swiftly toward a blacker opening
in the dark rock. She cleaned whitel
still in the entrance for a momen
and then disappeared. She came fortl
presently still unclothed, a look o
disappointment on her face.
She had many things to do, mucl
to occupy her mind, but the first dut,
that lay to her han1 and the first in
stinct which she followed was tina
her nakedness should be covered.
Still warily watchful, still keenl.
alert, still fearful apparently of inteI
ruption or observation, she ran acros
the beach, her movement as free, a
graceful, as rapid as she had beel
Atalanta herself, and disappeared un
der the trees. The whirr of birds dis
turbed might have marked her pass
age.
After some time sne appeared o.
the top Of the high bare hill tha
crowned the island. She had imprC
vlsed for herself a covering out @
three or four great fern leaves, sof
and pliable, which she fastened wit
palm fibers from shoulder to knee o.
either side, her bare shoulders risin
from the rich greenness like whit
corolla from its verdant calyx. Sh
went more assuredly, now, party b,
cause Of the fact that she was clothe
and partly because her first rapid su
vey of the horizon revealed the faC
that the ships we're gone. She wa
glad that this was so, and yet whe
the realization came upon her, sh
flung herself down on the grassy cres
and gave way to voiceless agon,
Sometimes there is nothing 80 te
; rible, she realized, as prayer granite,
: as desire accomplished, as undertal
ing brought to conclusion. The ay
! fulness Of success was upon her
, that hour. Her ruse had worked. HI
object had been attained, yet IL
achievement gave her no pleasure.
: Her own acts had parted her ire
ocably forever from the world ar
the one man In 1t who was the wor
for her. He was gone. She who hs
made him had sent him forth amor
his fellows. She had sacrificed he
self, buried herself alive for him. 81
felt as mother might who expel
ences birth pangs and knows tn
with every throb Of tearing angus
her own life ebbs away, passes in
the new life which she ushers into Il
world aud gives to men.
She had long hours for thought
those two days in that cave who
mouth the waters hid. She hi
) schooled herself to face light and Ii
u without him when she emerged fro
8 her cunning hiding place. She hi
waifAd fhn lnnn nnt.inh In n.Anr