The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-09-20
HEARTS OF THREE
Last NoUel Written by Jack London
tcopyrghted)
righted)

Water. a few ounre- of winter, was
all no needed 10 make him strong
again. And there was no water
hut the light was growing stronger
and nearer. lie noted. toward tho
last that tho floor OF the passage
pitched down AT tho angle of fully
80 degrees. This made the way easier.
Gravity drew him on. and helped
every falling effort OF him. toward
tho source % light. Very close to II
he encountered an increase in the do
post Of bones. Yet they bothered him
little. for they had become an old
story. while he was too exhausted TO
mind them.
Ha did observe. with swimming
eyes and increasing numbnens OF
touch. that tho passage was contract
ing both vertically and horizontally.
Sisnting downward at 10 degrees. Il
gave him an impression OF rat trap,
himself the rat. descending head fore
most toward he knew not what
Even before he reached II he appre-
hended that tho slit OF bright day
that advertised tho open world be.
yond was too narrow for the egrens
OF his body.
And his apprehension was verified.
Crawling uneono-rnodiy over a skei.-
ton that tho blazo OF day showed
him 10 DO mans. he managed. by
severely and painfully squeezing his
ears fat back. Go thrust his head
thru tho siiticd aperture. Tho sun
beat down upon his head. while his
eyes drank In the op~nneas OF the
| freedom OF tho world that the un.
yielding rock denied TO the res, OF his
body.
Most maddcning OF all was q run.
ming strram not a hundred yard q
away. tree fring-d beyond. with iuah
meadow grass leading down to u
from his side. And In the trce-shad.
owed water. kne.-deep and browsing.
stood several cows Of tho dwarf breed
peculiar to the Valley Of Lost Souls.
Occasionally they filckcd their tails
iaxily at flies. or changed the distrt
button OF their weight on their legs
He Elared at them 20 se- them drink.
but they were evidently too katosi
with water. Fooisi why should they
not drink. with all that wealth OF
water flowing idly byi
They betrayed aicrtneas. turning
their heads far back and pricking
their heads forward. Then. as n big
antlcred buck carno out from the
trees 10 tho waters esisr. they nat
tened their ears back and sheok thciI
l 4
could hear tho splashing. Bu, the
stag disiainod their threats. lowered
HI. hand and drank. This was too
much for Torres. who emitted Z
maniacai scream. which. had he beer
In hts senses. no would not have rec
oxoixed az proceeding from his owr
throat and larynx.
Tho stag rpranE away. Tho catsi<
turned their heads In Torres dircc
ton. drowsod their eye. shut. and ~
sumcd tho nicking % flies. With q
violent effort. scarcely knowing thai
he had half torn OF hts ears. he drew
HIS head back thru IN. siit,ed ap~r
ture and faintri on top OF the skal
! eton.
THE PASSING or TORRES
Two hours later. tho h. did moi
know tho passage of time. he re
gained consciousness. and found hi,
head cheek by jowi with the skull ol
tho skeleton on which he lay. Ths
descending sun was already shining
INTO the narrow opening. ana hi,
gnxe CHANGED upon a rusty knife
/ sha TT fs(
and he established the connection.
This was tn. knife that had
scratched the inscription on the roct
at the base OF tho funnel at the Other
end Of the passage. and this skeleton
was the bony framework OF the mar
who had done the scratching. And
Alvarez Torres went immcdfa teiy
mad.
"Ah. Peter Noon. my enemy hs
mutter~d- Peter McCni OF Glasgow
who betrayed mo TO this end--this
for you--and this. and thisr'
SO speaking, he drove the heavy
knife into the fragile front OF tho
skull. The dust OF the bone which
had once been the tabernacle OF Peter
McGIirs brain arose in his nostrils
and increased his frenzy. He at.
tackled the skeleton with his hands.
tearing at II. disrupting II. filiing the
psnt space about him with flying
bones. IL was Ike n battle. In which
he destroyed what was left OF the
mortal remains Of the one-timo resi-
dent Of Glasgow.
Once again Torrrs squeezed his
head thru the silt to gaze at tho fad.
ing glory OF the world. Caught by
the rock in the trap OF ancient Maya
devising. he saw the bright world and
dry dim To darkness as his final con.
soiousness drowned In the darkness
of death.
But stiIi tho cattle stood In the
winter and drowsed and fiickcd at
flies. and later the stag returned. dis
dainful OF the cattle. to complete his
interrupted drink.
Continued Monaixyt
h10Mh y A Naf1l1i