Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-01-27
CHAPTER XVI.
This Mortal Tide.


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.
Fer time after Barcus had left
her she fingered upon the sands. in
the mouth of the shelter he had Sc
lected 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 1t darkened as the sapphire
above grew darker, blending ineen-
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 IL
that sun sank without her learning
that her lover lived, it 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. 4.
And sleep overwhelmed her sud
denly. like great. dark cloud &.
But It's dominion over her faculties
was not of long duration. Slowly.
heavily. mutinousiy, she was rescued
from its nirvana-came to her senses
with an effect OF one who energies
from some vast place OF blacknees and
terror, 10 find Barcus kneeling over
and gingerly but persistently shaking
her by the shoulder.
And then she sat up with cry of
mystified 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 se-
verely used.
He had acquired long cut over one
eye, but shallow, upon which blood
had dried, together with bruised and
swollen ches1 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 10 even greater simplicity; his
shirt, for example, now lacked a sleeve
that had been altogether torn away
at the shoulder.
moi" he told her, as soon as he saw
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"
"Yut where is he! Take me to
hint" she demanded, rising with
movement of such grace and vigor
thai It seemed hard to believe she had
ever known an instant's WEAKNESS.
That's the rub" Barcus confessed,
squatting on the sands and knuckiing
his hair. II 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 standard you can't get to
where Alan is without mingling con-
siderably. Sit down. and I'll tell you
all about II, and wen 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 "a
detailed report.
"It's Katama island, all right" he
announced, but change has come
over the place since visited 1t some
years ago. Then It was a community
OF simple. hearted villagers aud 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
/ ventured to introduce myself TO the
village ginmill and ask few limo
cent questions. the entire population,
to a child, landed on me like a thou
sand brick-the two circumstances
made me think we'd stumbled on a
settlement Of earnest workers at the
gentle art Of helping poor Cinnamon
evade the exclusion laws"
with a wry smile, he pursued: As
for me, landed out back Of the Joint,
on the nape of NY neck, and took the
count, surrounded by a lot Of unsym-
pathetic boxes and barrels that had
seen better days And when came to
and started to crawl unostentatiously
away. l was Just in time to witness the
landing Of your arniable sister, that
gang Of cutthToats she keeps on the
pay roll, and Alan in company with as
choice a crew Of scoundrels as you'd
care to see. ! gathered from a few
words that leaked out OF the back door
Of the barroom. that It was as l had
thought-Judith had stolen a boat
from the ship that picked her up, and
rammed it on Norton's reef; and after
she gathered Alan In the schooner Of
these smugglers happened along. and
she hailed it and struck a bargain with
the captain and signed co-partnsrEhip