Charlevoix county herald., 1916-12-22
FIRST EPISODE
On WIndward Island.

island.
On the most westerly lip of that
island, shaded by grove OF rustling
eucalyptus trees, man and woman
stood staring across the beryl-tinted
sea-arm to where the shores of South
Carolina lay low and dim in the dis
tance.
You were not made for a life like
this" said the man, speaking with that
full-voweled softness peculiar to the
Italian voice.
IT'S 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. am
a physician, and ! know. No sane man
brings a woman to an island like this,
to an island that's only fit for clans
and seagulls, and spends the best
years of his life-yes and her life
looking for a nitrate mine that never
existed, and never could exist in such
a 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.
Il cannot listen to words like that
protested the azure-eyed wife; Il 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 you?"
II think | regret only the day that
brought you to Windward island, she
quietly replied, as their eyes met.
And ], too, shall regret that day
If it means ! must go away empty
handed"
Il think my husband would Kill you
If he heard you speak TO me like
this"
Palidori shrugged a shoulders.
He is at least watching us from the
porch of the manor house there" an
nounced the Italian And that
must accept as a 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-
side 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 worthless"
IF you doubt me | merely ask that
you hand me your husband ) keys.
Then ! will bring to you bag of this
Chilean nitrate that he keeps hidden
away in his inner study that he scat.
ters about in the plantation sands 10
salt his famous mine with You hest
tate, naturally. But if this is not true,
why should that inner room be 80
jealously locked and guarded
1T is guarded only because the
Golden jewels are kept there, was
the triumphant retort; Jewels worth
kings ransom!"
Yet his loveliest jewel is not kept
under lock and key" murmured Pail
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
eyes,"
Stop" cried the unhappy wife, as
be stepped closer to her.
will you bring the key?" for Pail
dori knew that jewels worth a king
ransom were also worth one final ef
fort.
She hesitated, whitefaced, as he re-
peated the command.
Yes" she gasped, as fair-haired
child Of six ran lightly from the manor
house steps to meet her mother.
Palidori, lighting cigarette, turned
carelessly away and sauntered to-
ward the shrubbery of the eastern
point Margory, the fair-haired child,
chattered and futtered birdlike about
her silent mother as she approached
the house and passed inside. But on
the wide loggia Enoch Golden, stern
eyed and grim-lipped, paced back and
forth, scared by the fires of Jealous
suspicious He wheeled about and
strode into the house.
He passed through the quiet room
until he came to his study and rang
for a servant.
Ask Mrs Golden to come here" he
commanded
She's down in the shrubbeTy at
the East point with Doctor Palidori,'