The Arvada enterprise., 1910-11-04

its affairs. He came armed with letters of in
poductlon That opened the most exclusive
homes OF the aristocratic English families To
hlm Among the many young girls that he
met was the village BELLE the afianced of the
young Scotch-American. 1t was another varia-
ton OF that old triangle, the woman and two
men From the first the friends Of young Thomp-
son could see that his cause was homeless His
afianced wife and the young stranger spent more
and more of their time together Little rumors
began to find their way about the village The
gosslps, ever ready in a small town, were soon
busy. thompson, moody and hurt by her sys
tematic neglect was the last to hear and the Last
TO countenance the whispered talk that was 60
ing the round of the village oafing places
There was a great hue and cry along the
quiet old streets one summer morning Thomp-
sons bride to be had disappeared Her mother
mad gone to her room to awaken her and found
her gone. She had gone with the young man.
aser or Albions latest business house. and from
that day to this neither of them have been heard
from
Young Thompson changed in a day from
cheertul, happy lad to grimfaced man. He
became moody and silent. He neglected his work
ana never went near the home to which he had
expected to lead his bride. Less than a month
atter the flight Of the elopers there was more
excitement In Albion. 1t was reported that Ed
ward Thompson had disappeared The strain and
the shame OF living in town where every man
woman and child knew the story of his lifting
mad proven too much for his sensitive highstrung
nature. -e
While life flowed on in the same uneven cur.
rent In the village of his nativity he was wander
ing here and there among the emerald islands
the lagoons and the coral reefs OF the seas that
behold the Southern Cross
All the islands that lie of the familiar track
OF the steamers knew him first and last in the
three or four years that he spent with the traders
and copra buyers The Philippines the Iadr6nes
the Solomons and dozen other island groups OF
the southern Pacific were visited by him In tho
epic years of his Odyssey Finally he and HIS
trading companions touched at the island Of Mai
keya In the Fills One of the eternal civil wars
that are always dsrupting the peace of tbe 1ttIe
island Kingdoms was brewing in Naikeya when
the tramp schooner dropped anchor inside the reef
OF coral that formed the harbor breakwater
new claimant had risen for the throne and he
and his followers were demanding the scenter
and the head of the old king
Thompson had left Illinois, had mt tbe stote.
oehind MIN to escape the constant reminder ot
his lost love that he saw in eyery woman The
wandering life Of three or four years had cIeansed
n,s heaIt oi out little bitterness against woman
hnd he mad put the old life behind him and
dreamed only of adventure and never n, bright
eyes and loving lips 1t was mixed creu, ~
manakas, , Maiaysans and half-castes aboard the
nttie trading schooner. They cared but little for
he kings and ch1eftains of the islands hut II
was part OF their policy to be polite to the ma
tive rulers An audience was arranged witb-tbs
native sovereign and part of the sbip's comnanv
attended laden with calicoes, mirrors and brass
rods as gifts 1t was in the royal hut Thomson
hrst SOW the Princess Lakanita She stood at the
side Oh her fathers throne when the white men
entered the palm hut for their talk with the old
king. -" tne oio
some indefinite attraction seemed to draw the
whi'e asVehturer and the brown-skinned princess
to each other. They met many times Will ,ss
schooner was taking on its load Of native nrod,
ucts' Inere was more than little spanisb
blood In the veins Of the old kings daughter Her
mother was haifcaste Spanish woman and
in.ch IN. OF ,ne languorous beauty of the maids OF
princess OF the remote isle of Naikeya. In the
haii twilight OF the coooanut groves he heard her