The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-10-29
- =. ~
CHAPTER XVII.
rhia Mortal Tfde.


she reckoned without her. host OF
trials that had bred I'm hersa fatigue
anonymous even to- her mental an.
gulsh: !,
For time after Barcus had left
her she fingered upon the sands, in
the mouth OF the shelter he had ee-
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 it
mirrbred, as fair and sweet Of seem
ing as though 1t had never yelled a
heartless tragedy.
= Slowly it darkened as the sapphire
above grew; darker, blending ineen-
aiblys into rare. ultramarine with the
slow decline: OF the sun, by whose al
ititude above the horizon the day had
not more than ninety minutes to run.
And she thought drowsily that IL
that sun sank without her learning
that her lover lived. itswould not rise
again upon world tenanted by Rose
Urine. q
! 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 It's nirvana-=came,t to her senses
with an, effect Of one who energies
from somesvast place of blackness,and
terror, to find Barcus kneeling over
and gingerly but persistently shaking
her by the shoulder.
j. And then she sat up with a cry OF
mystitied 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 SO.
verely used. az
He'had acquiredsa long cut over one
eye, but shallow, upon which blood
had dried, togetherGWith aibruised 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 sleeve
that had been altogether torn away
at the shoulder. e.
! "No!" he told her, as soon as he.saw
her, wits were awake once more
don't waste time plying me. Jim 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 tt
him% she demanded, rising with
movement Of such grace and .ytgo'
that it seemed hard to believe she hal.
ever known an instant's weariness.
"That's the rub" Barcus confessed
squatting on the sands and knucklint
his hair. 81 dassent take you to him
Judith might object. Besides, you cat.
see for yourself 1t isn't safe to minglt
with the inhabitants of: this tight.
little Standard you can't get t.
where Alan is without mingling con
siderably.s Sit down, and Ill tell yot-
s2l.about it, and we'll try.to figure out
what's best to be done. Maybe We
can manage agrescue under cover OF
night" ~
Il And when the girl had settled her
self beside him he. launched into Q
detailed report. G
'Its Katama leland, all right" he
announced. "but a change has come
over the :placessince 1. visited it some
years ago. Then it was community
of supplemented villagers and fisher
men; now, unless all signs fail, it's a
den OF smugglers: noticed "a mum
Der of Chinese about; and that, taken
in connection with the fact that, when
Il ventured to introduce myself. to the
village ginmtll and ask q few limo:
cent questions, the entirekpo pulation,
to child, landed on me like0a thou
sand brtck-the two circumstances
made me think we'd stumbled on q
settlement of earnest, workers at the
gentle art OF helping poor Cinnamon
CIV, lie the exclusion laws"
With wry smile, he pursued: "As
for me, i landed out back Of the joint,
on the nape oftmy neck, and, took the
count, surrounded by lot ofSunsym.
pathetic boxes and barrels that had
seen better days. And when l came to
and started. to crawl unostentationsly
away, / was just in time to witness the
landing Of your amiable sister, that
gang Of cutthroats she keeps ION the
pay roll, and Alan in company with as
choice crew Of scoundrels as you'd
care to see. i gathered from a few
words that leaked out OF the back door
OF the barroom, that: 1t was as I had
;thought-Judith had stolenBia boat
from the ship that, picked her up and
rammed it on Nortop's reef; and after
abe gathered Alan iinst heSs schooner OF
these smugglers happened, along. and
! she hailed it and struck q; bargain with
the captain and,.algnedh cor partnership
articles, or, thing like that. Any;
way, her lot and the islanders were