Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1916-06-01
FIRST EPISODE
On Windward island.

The sea wind, freshening as tn
sun fell low, riffied the shallower chan
mel waters and struck inland to coo
the heat-baked dunes of Windwart
island.
On the most westerly lip of tina
island, shaded by grove of rustlinl
eucalyptus trees, a man and woman
stood staring across the beryl-tintet
sea-arm to where the shores Of South
Carolina lay low and dim in the dis
lance.
You were not made for life like
this" said the man, speaking with that
full-voweled softness peculiar to the
Italian voice.
Its the only life I've known for
nine long years" she answered, with
out looking at him.
''And it's the only life you ever will
know" he declared with sudden bold
ness, 'if you refuse to wake up to the
fact that your husband is mad. l am
a physician, and l know. No sane man
brings a woman to an island like this,
to an island that's only fit for CLAIMS
dllQ ocd6 ullot anu bPCAub Lie OO5t
years of his life-yes, and her life
locking for a nitrate mine that never
existed. and never could exist in such
place.
But my husbands workmen have
found traces Of nitrate" protested
Mrs. Golden, fixed in her determine
ton of loyalty.
Palidori, the Italian, laughed softly.
"And that nitrate, dear lady, was
planted there by Golden himself. For
your husband is deceiving you. He's
searching for gold, yellow gold, mil
lions of dollars worth of gold But
that gold he will never find, for 1t
exists only in his imagination"
81 cannot listen to words like that"
protested the azure-eyed wife; II will
mott"
That's because you are afraid of
the truth. Why do you suppose Golden
has spent thousands and thousands in
saving his miserable island from the
ocean? Why has he put up seawalls
and dykes, and constructed a great
levee like that to keep the open At
lantic from encroaching on these
precious sand fields of his, at every
high tide? Why, except to keep the
water back from that buried treasure
Of his? And what has all this mad
ness brought to your"
II think I regret only the day that
brought you to Windward island" she
quietly replied, as their eyes met.
"And l, too, shall regret that day
handed
81 think my husband would kill you
If he heard you speak to me like
this!"
Palidori shrugged shoulders.
He is at least watching US from the
porch of the manor house there" an
nounced the Italian. "And that /
must accept as compliment"
Then we must go back" said the
woman, visibly alarmed
"And you go back not believing in
me?" asked Palidori as he walked be-
SHE her.
Il cannot believe you or believe in
you! Even if what you say is true,
how should you know his maps and |
papers are northeast"
II you doubt me, l merely ask that
you hand me your husbands keys.
Then will bring to you bag OF this
Chilean nitrate that he keeps hidden
away in his inner study, that he scat
tiers about In the plantation sands to
salt his famous mine with. You hest
tate, naturally. But il this is not true,
why should that inner room be SO
jealousy locked and guarded?"
1T is guarded only because the
Golden jewels are kept there" was
The triumphant retort; Jewels worth
a kings ransom!"
yet his loveiiest jewel is not kept
under lock and key" murmured Pali-
dori. Unless you tell me you will
bring that key to the shrubbery be-
yond the manor house will take you
In my arms here, under your husbands
syesi"
"Stop!" cried the unhappy wife, as
he stepped closer to her.
WI yOu DiluS tu0 kcJ ! lOT dll-
lori knew that jewels worth kings ,
'ansom were also worth one final ef-
ort-
She hesitated, white-faced, as he re-
,eated the command. ,
yes" she gasped, as fair-haired
:hild OF six ran lightly from the manor
house steps to meet her mother. !,
Palidori lighting cigarette, turned
away and sauntered to-
ward the shrubbery of the eastern =
point. Margory, the fair-haired child, {
shattered and futtered birdlike about s
aer silent mother as she approached
he house and passed inside. But on q
the wide loggia Enoch Golden, stern !
Dyed and grim-lipped, paced back and q
forth, scared by the fires Of Jealous {
suspicious. He wheeled about and
strobe into the house. 6
He passed through the quiet room /
until he came to his study and rang I
Tor = servant
ga al Mru HnIdns, e., r<v,oa tarou ~ | ,