Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-28

let her see, not to let her suspect that
for moment however. and l tried to
convince her by my conduct toward her
that my kissing her on the ship had been
but momentary madness. but I learned
later that I failed lamentably. She says
now that a baby could see that 1 was
dying for her, and I suppose it is true
but. at least. I didn't say anything. After
that outbreak in the cave l kept silence
AS / look back upon those days /
scarcely think she treated me kindly, and
yet l know not. l was at once happy
and miserable = happy in her presence.
miserable in the thought that / was and
could be nothing to her. She played upon
me as If had been a pipe; she led me
on and she repealed me. I had wit, how
ever, to see that she was enjoying it,
even If l did not, and I was in some
measure content that she should be glad.
1t was a FOOLS paradise in which we
lived. We had no care. nothing could
touch us, nothing could hurt us-at least.
so we fancied. We had water in plenty
and enough to eat of pleasant variety
fruit, fish fresh caught from the lagoon,
the meat and eggs of the turtle. relieved
by the edibles we had brought from the
ship. of which we still had some store
left. The air was soft and balmy, the
birds sang. the flowers doomed. We
were young. loved blindly. passionately:
she, as l know now though I never sus-
pected it then, with her beautiful eyes
open-that is, If eyes that love are ever
open.
We made daily trips up the stairs and
into the cup of the island; we traversed
as much Of the wall as possible. al
though that was but little. because the
sharp, jagged edges when we left the
path would have cut our feet to pieces.
We fshed, we launched the boat on the
lagoon and rowed clear around the island.
I left her sometimes that she might re-
fresh herself in dips within the cool
water, while l did the same farther away
and out of sight. Like Adam and Eve,
we lived in paradise and dallied with the
forbidden fruit even IL we did not eat it.
Aye and the serpent came, as of old, into
that soft Pacific Eden.
Late one afternoon We stood at the
head of the stairs looking seward. We
had come from a long ramble through
out the cup of the island, and as we
stood on the top our gaze. as usual. in
stinctively turned toward the sea, per-
haps seeking for the sail of some rescu-
ing ship. The water was black with
great, savage war canoes!
We could not believe our eyes at first.
We stared in amaZement, motionleSs.
awestruck This time it was I who came
to my senses first.
Great Cod" cried. ''look yonder.''
II see, l See" she cried. in turn. "Who
can they be?''
"Dwellers from the other islands to the
westward" answered.
They could not see us yet, fortunately.
but after all that mattered little. My
little lady did not seem to be nearly as
disturbed as I.
THE reef will protect u.s. she said. at
last looking at me confidently.
mot for a moment I answered; they
will ride that reef in those light canoes
more easily than We did,
And You think-' she instantly be-
gan.
Our lives are in Gods hands. If I
know anything these will be ferocious.
bloodthirsty savages. See, they are
armed
/ pointed to one tall brown man, who
stood up in the bow Of the nearest canoe,
fiourishing a broad-bladed spear.
I'VE must hide" she said.
But where? They will search the
island
"In the treasure cave she answered
And, indeed that was the most likely
spot. We had brought but little with us
that afternoon. ! had thrust q brace Of