New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
a the Su1u Seas-A Short Story by Hjort Valdemi

with Novsilos deadly cruel face sho.
Ing behind them.
think Of Ferose," said a vo,..
inexorable as death itself. "Thint :.
your treachery toward her till -.
spiders have sucked the last dron :.
blood from your craven being"
For Gods sake"- Crest's cry d,..
In his throat. He tried wildly to r.,S
Novelties shoulders between the b,,.
but he had to draw his hands h,.s
to beat down the tiny gray demon.
that beset him SO innumerably, thouss
every time he ripped the heavinr rrss
blanket apart the drip from the csn,
ing overlapped the rent he made
"Ferose married me, although ~,
had broken her heart, to keep me fror
following and killing you," Nov.ll.
went on in a dreadful voice. "Ans
knowing my Malay temper, she msa.
me promise never to lay violent hama,
on you; for that reason / had to Uni,
all these bitter years for a chanc. !.
lure you into a fitting punishment.
knew that you would some time f,ll
into one Of the many traps had c,..
pared with such infinite pains: Va.
hardly expected you to drop so r.,a.
lily into the first one at hand.p \.
added, with q hideous CULVER Of d.a.
sion. "But am satisfed-quite sat,.
fed"
"Novello, for Christ's sake-if VIM
believe in a heaven or a hell-let N.
die quickly-in some other wayn-
1t was then, when Crest was swoor.
ing with tortured horror. that IN.
padre stumbled breathlessly into tn.
cabin clearing, too spent and frightened
at the thought Of what might already
have happened to speak a word; but
the bruised, drenched flowers that h.
laid against Novelties heart and fac.
and eyes spoke for him. Their memory
laden fragrance was as the breath
Of heaven to his hate obsessed hear.
He fell back with an inarticulate crv
but took the flowers with him, clutchsd
to his breast.
"Ferose!" he called into the great
distance. "Ferose. have you come back
at last?"
eyes, she has come back" the padre
painted. "To save your soul from the
curse of Cain she has come back. Fo,
Gods sake do not deny her"
Novello ran to the cabin door,
wrenched it open and dragged his half
smothered victim forth and carried him
to the edge of the steadily Frightening
clearing. In another moment the padre
was helping him sweep Crest's face and
hands and body free of their souirminp
gray veil. talking soothingly, mean.
while, as one talks to q panic-stricken
child, and at last quieting him com.
pletely.
The storm was over and the eous.
torial moon poured silver food over
the peaceful little island and the wide,
shimmering, tossing Sulu Sea. Crest
shaken and weak but strangely quiet
under the PADRES serene ministrations.
sat resting on the bare, clean deck
of the launch while he made his sorry
confession with humility that was
not wholly without dignity.
"If you had given me a chance To
collect my frantic wits, Novello, I
should have told you about that last
stolen meeting with Ferose," he said,
earnestly. "She not only repulsed me
for my faithlessness toward you, but
she would not let me so much as touch
her hand in farewell. 1t was you she
loved, though for a time she was not
sure of it, but your jealous hatred Of
me blinded you to everything else. She
surely loved you, Novello."
Novello lifted unhostile eyes from the
bruised gold of the flowers beside him.
All the turbulence of those lonely, tor
tured years had gone out of his heart;
the gulf between him and the only
love of his life had been bridged, and
he was at rest AS he rose to 81 his
own way he paused before his old
enemy. "You may go your way for
ever safe from any harm from me,
Crest" he said simply. "The padrs
will take you back to civilization"
Padre Rafael Strengthened his vigor-
Gus old frame with a wrench of intense
relief. "I'll be waiting for you at zam'
boanga," he called cheerily after No
vello's receding figure.