Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-20


a woman needed sleep and rest il was
she. And her easy slumber pleased ME-
the more. for IL bespoke not only OF
WEAKNESS amounting TO exhaustion, but
confidence and trust-and I'm me.
l had sailed in nearly all the waters
OF the globe freauented and unfrequeni
ed. and fancied I had CHANGED upon
most OF the odd things to he seen therein,
but l am free TO admit that the. island
was unlike any | had ever looked upon.
In the first place like most Pacific Is
lands. il was inclosed py a barrier reef.
over which the waves broke in whitecaps
as far ! could see. I supposed that
somewhere there would be an opening I'm
That was invariably the case with all
such islands that ] had ever known or
read about. But | could not see the
opening from the boat yet. The lagoon
inclosed by the -rier reef seemed 20 he
quarter or half n mile wide.
The strangest part Of the whole scene
was that the island itself looked like a
whitish- gray wall rising straight up from
the lagoon. for, I suppose. from 80 feet
in the lowest part TO 800 feet or more
without q break. Its top was covered
with greenery. IL stood un like solid
rampant OF stone. From where Were
l couldn't see the end OF the island. al
though from my inspection Of IL the day
before l judged il might be six or eight
miles long. and as I had sailed past IL
estimated il was about the same breadth
ana nearly circular In shape.
4 long distance away on the other side.
and hard to be seen at all from the hcvel
OF the sea In the small boat. lay other
islands. family outlined on the far hori-
zon. I doubt If I could have seen them
at all had not the rising sun smote full
upon them. They We're too far away for
my purpose. which was TO make a land
ing as possible and find some
concealment. or. at worst. some prac-
ticable place of defense
n l,..l
somewhat when l brought the dinghy to
the wind and changed her course, for
presently my little mistress awoke. She
sat up instantly, and. after the briefest
acknowledgment OF my good morning and
the briefest reply to my inquiry as to
how she did. she stared at the land to-
ward which We We're edging. in SD far
the wind would allow. II was a bleak
MISUNDERSTANDING place: that gray.
rough wall, in spite Of its infrequent
crusting Of verdure. 1 will admit. and
she. too. found il so. After she had
stared hard at the land she cast an anx-
ious glance to leeward. but OF course.
could make nothing OF the distant islands
there.
I'VE have made good our escape from
the ship. since she is not TO be seen. she
began.
For the present. yes.
DO You think that they
They'll be after US. OF course. as soon
as the drink wears Off.
And when will that be-" she asked.
anXiously
naught to fear from them for hours yet
l treasured her.
well. Master Hampton. what do YOU
propose between whiles?" she said.
We must get ashore. said j, as soon
as possible. BY the time their debauch
will have worn of they will either bring
the ship here or send the boat after us
Afloat We can do nothing, ashore We may
find some concealment and probably
make some defense"
"It is bleak-looking spot.
Aye" was my answer but any
haven is better than none. and IL may
prove better than it promises on nearer
view
Have you see any evidence OF human
life?' she asked. nodding in acquiescence
to my proposition.
NO 1 replied.
Indeed. not a curl OF smoke anywhere
betrayed the presence OF mankind. Had
ii not been for depressions in the walls
of the cliff here and there. which were
filled with vegetation, one might have
supposed the isla II to be nothing but
desolate and arid rock. but this reas-
sured me. / thought il strange that there
was no mountain or hill rising from be-
yond the top Of the wall. but / was Yet
to see how strange the island was. In
deed, think there can be no other like
1t in the world. For 1 have inquired OF
they have seen nothing anywhere that In
the least resembles IL.
But as it was fun morning now 1 de-
cided that first Of all the creature COM
forts had to he thought Of l offered to
relinquish the tiller and prepare some
thing to eat but Mistress Lucy took that
upon herself What we had was cold.
but there was plenty OF it. and at my
urging she ate heartily For myself
needed no stimulus but my raging hun
wanted her he in fpftla for
whatever might happen.
We had not much conversation the
while. but 7 do remember that she did
say she had rather be here alone with
me than on the ship. whereat my heart
pounded, but l had sense enough to say
nothing. Her loneliness and helplessness
appealed to me. I might have been bold
under other circumstances but not now.
She was dependent upon me. and i could
not bring myself to the slightest familiar
ity. so / only said that I would be glad
to serve her with my life. and prayed God
that We might come safely out OF the
whole business. to which prayer she
sweetly added her amen.
Well. We coasted along that barrier
reef a good part OF the morning until We
reached the other end of the island. and
discovered to our dismay that there was
absolutely no opening. no break in IL
through which we could make our way.
When we reached the lower end my lady
was for sailing round on the other side.
but this i did not dare We mad heafu
nothing from the ship or her boats. and L
didn't propose to arouse any pursuit by
coming within possible range OF her
glasses. L did not know where ~" R"s"
Of Devon lay. For aught | knew they
might have put her about and she might
be off the south end of the island. IL was
better to let sleeping and drunken dogs
lie, I said. After my rather abrupt mega
tive Of her proposition she watched me in
silence as with clouded brow / studied
the situation
Madam" said I, at last. there is
naught for us but to try to go over the
reef i'm some fashion. As I examined
the island yesterday through the glasses
l couldn't see any opening in the reef on
that side, and although never saw or
heard of q case like this before l make
no doubt but what the reef is continuous
and there is no access to the island eN-
cept over il. And. come to think OF it,
Sir Philips chart showed no opening.
either
II recall that the reef completely en-
circles the island in the map. assented
nay. lady.
Then We must even pass over il we
can. 1 have had some experience I'm TAX
ing q boat through the surf and although
this one over. For one thing. this dinghy
is built like a whaleboat. We may cap
size ii. but II is practically unsuitable.
propose to take turn OF the painter
around your waist. II she goes over you
will not be thrown completely adrift.
am q stout s-'-'-1mer. and can catch The
boat and haul you in or on it, and what
ever happens our lives will be preserved.
Twill 1t be so very dangerous? she