The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-11-02
CHAPTER XVII,
This Mortal Tide.

MS mCTIdi iuS.
She was very certain she would
never sleep before her anxiety was
assuaged by word of Alan's fate; but
she reckoned without her host of
trials that had bred in her a fatigue
-apndynous even to her mental an
guish.
For a time after Barcus had LETT
her she fingered upon the sands, in
the mouth of the shelter he had Sc
iected for her, staring hungrily out on
the shimmering sea that, now wholly
Invested of its shroud, smiled up to
the heavens, whose sapphire face 1t
mirrored, as fair and sweet of SEEM
ing as though it had never yelled a
heartless tragedy.
Slowly it darkened as the sapphire
above grew darker, blending insen-
sibly into rare ultramarine with the
slow decline of the sun, by whose al
titude above the horizon the day had
not more than ninety minutes to run.
And she thought drowsily that if
that sun sank without her learning
that her lover lived, 1t would not rise
again upon a world tenanted by Rose
Urine.
1t was not true, she told herself, that
people never die of broken hearts.
She knew that, were he taken from
her, she could no longer live. :.
And sleep overwhelmed her sud
denly, like great, dark cloud
But its dominion over her faculties
was not of long duration. Slowly,
heavily. mutinously, she was rescued
from its nirvana-came to her senses
with an effect of one who energies
from some vast place of blackness and
terror, to find Barcus kneeling over
and gingerly but persistently shaking
her by the shoulder.
And then she sat up with cry Of
mystifed compassion; for in the brief
time that he had been absent-it had
not been more than an hour-Mr. Bar
Gus had most unquestionably been Sc
verely used.
He had acquired long cut over one
eye, but shallow, upon which blood
had dried, together with bruised and
swollen cheek that was badly
scratched to boot. And what simple
articles of clothing remained to him,
after his strenuous experiences OF the
last forty eight hours, had been re-
duced to even greater simplicity; his
shirt, for example, now lacked a sleeve
that had been altogether torn away
at the shoulder.
mol" he told her. as soon as he cav
her wits were awake once more
don't waste time plying me. I'm all
right-and so is Alan! That's the
main thing for you to understand; he's
still alive and sound"
"But where is he? Take me to
him!" she demanded, rising with a
of such grace and vigor
that it seemed hard to believe she had
ever known an instants WEAKNESS.
That's the rub" Barcus confessed,
suuatting on the sands and knuckling
his hair. 81 dassent take you to him. |
Judith might object. Besides, you can |
see for yourself it isn't safe to mingle |
with the inhabitants of this tight |
little island-and you can't get to
where Alan is without mfngling con- |
siderably. Sit down, and I'll tell you
all about it, and we'll try to figure out |
what's best to be done. Maybe We |
IAN manage a rescue under cover of
night"
And when the girl had settled her
self beside him he launched into a
detailed report.
tits Katama island, all right" he
"but change has come
,ver the place since l visited it some
ears ago. Then it was community
# simple-hearted villagers and fisher
men; now, unless all signs fail, it's q
len Of smugglers. I noticed a num-
yer Of Chinese about; and that. taken