Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1914-11-20
CHAPTER XVII.
rhl. Mortal Tide.

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
anonymous even to her mental an
guish.
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 4.
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 emerges
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 q cry Of
mystifled 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-
dqlced to even greater simplicity: his
example,. rev lacked a sleeve
that had been altogether torn away
at the shoulder.
Not. he told her, az soon as he cav
her wits, were awake once more
don't waste time plying me. I'm all
right-ahd 10 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 q
movement Of such grace and xigor
that 1t seemed hard to believe she had
ever known an instants WEAKNESS.
That's the rub" Barcus confessed,
squatting on the sands and knuckling
his hair. Il dassent take you to him.
Judith might object. Besides, you can
see for yourself 1t isn't safe to mingle
with the Inhabitants Of this tight
little island-and you can't get to
where Alan 10 without mingling 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
can manage rescue under cover Of
night"
. And when the girl had settled her
self beside him he launched into =
detailed report.
"It's Katama island. all right" he
announced. ''but q .change has come
over the place since 7 visited it some
years ago. Then It, was . community
Of simple hearted villagers and fisher
men, now, unless alli1igni fail, its q
den Of smugsisrs. noticed . num-
Der IL Chinese xbout; and that, taken
in connection Nth Che fact that, when
l ventured tdiatl6 ddcei myself to the
village ginmilf and ask q. few limo
cent questions. the entire population,
to child. landed on me like Z thou
sand brick-the two circumstances
made me think we'd stumbled on q
settlement Of earnest. workers, It the
gentle art 81 helping poor Chinamsn
eyade the exclusion laws. =
With q WY smile. he puxsasd: As
for me. landed out back az tn Joint
on the nape Of my neck, and took the
count, surrounded BY Q. lot Of unsym.
pathetic boxes and. barrels that had
seen better days. And whom I cans 10
and started 70 crawl unoGtentat3ouSly
away. I was inst In time to witnsst1hs
landing Of your amiabls sister, that
gang Of cutthroats, abe k0Sps On 4he
pay roll. and Alan n company with ~
choice . crew Of scoundrsls q you'd
care to sec. gathered from ! few
words that leaked out o1 the hack door
Of the barroom, that Il was g ! had
thought-Judith had stolsu . boat
from the ship that picked her up, and
rammed It on Norton's reef; ana after
she gathered Alan In the schooner Of
these smugglsrs happened along, and
she hailed It and struck Q baresin With
the captain and signed co.partnesship
articles. or something IKE that. Any.
way. her lot and the islanders were
soon - thick % thieves, and tanling
up % socially that I actually got .
chance 20 whisper voed % Alan and