Gilpin observer., 1910-12-08

prophet. Day by day have seen
terrible secret is gnawing at her
heart. robbing her Of the very life
which few weeks ago made her the
most beautiful thing on this island:
some dreadful influence Is shadowing
her every step, and as the day draws
near when she is to Join the kings
harem l see in her eyec at times q
look that frightens me. There is only
one salvation. Tomorrow l shall kill
Strang!"
And them"
Neil shrugged his shoulders.
Il will shoot him through the alb
domen SO that he will live to tell his
wives who did the deed. After that
I will try to make my escape to the
mainland"
"Will not marry Strang! Isn't that
plain?" st..-.
"You have guessed nothing-no
cause for the prophets power over
your sister," asked Nathaniel
Absolutely. And yet that influence
Is such that at times the thought of
1t freezes the blood in my. veins. 1t
is SO great that Strang did not hesi-
tate to throw me into Jail on the pre-
text that l had threatened his life.
Marion implored him to spare me the
disgrace of a public whipping and he
replied by reading to her the COM
mandments of the kingdom. That was
last night-when you saw her through
| thn vryfn Gfro to fv,fn %,,
ated with her beauty and yet he dares
to go any length without fear of losing
her. She has become his slave. She
is as completely in his power as
though bound in iron chains. And the
most terrible thing about 1t all is that
she has constantly urged me to leave
the island-to go, and never return.
Great God, what does 1t all mean? 1
love her more than anything else on
earth, we have been inseparable since
the day she was able to toddle alone
and yet she would have me leave
her! No power on earth can reveal the
secret that is torturing her. No power
can make Strang divulge It," -
And Obadiah Price!" cried Ma
thaniel. sudden excitement flashing in
!
Il. believe that He does!" replied
Neil, pacing back and forth in his agi-
tation. Captain Plum. If there is a
man on this island who loves Marion
with all of fathers devotion it is
Obadiah Price, and yet he swears that
he knows nothing of the terrible in
fluence which has SO suddenly en-
shaved her to the prophet! He sug-
gests that it may be mesmerism, but
l." He Interrupted himself with a
harsh, mirthless laugh. "Mesmerism
be damned! It's not thatp -
your sister-fs-a Mormon" ven
tured Nathaniel, remembering what
the prophet had said to him that
morning Gould it be her faith?-a
message revealed through Strang
from" t
Neil stopped him almost fercely.
Marion is not Mormon!" he said.
"She hates Mormonfsm as she hates
Strang. l have tried to get her TO
leave the island, with me but she in
sists on staying because of the old
folk. They are very old, Captain
Plum, and they believe in the prophet
and his heaven as you and I believe
in that blue sky up there. The day
before l was arrested I>begged my
sister to fee to the mainland with
me but she refused with the words
that she had said TO me a hundred
times before-'Neil. must marry the
prophet Don't you see there is moth
ing to do-but to kill Strang?"
Nathaniel thrust his hand into a
, pocket of the coat he had loaned Neil
, and drew forth his pipe and tobacco
, pouch. AS he loaded the pipe he
, looked squarely into the others eyes
and smiled.
Nell" he said softly. do you know
that you would have made an awful
3 fool of yourself If hadn't hove. in
r sight just when did?"
, He lighted his pipe with exaspera
3 ting coolness. still smiling over Its
!. bowl. - $50
'You are not going to kill Strant
/. tomorrow" he added, throwing ava,
/. the match and placing both hands or
g Neii's shoulders. His eyes were
y laughing with the Joy that shone IL
" them. Neil. am ashamed Of you
n You have worried devilish lot ovel
very simple matter. See here
o He blew a cloud of smoke over tn,
others head. I've learned to deman,
d some sort Of pay for my services sine
y l landed on this island. VIII yo,
H.