The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-11-27
Euening Story
A Royal Thanksgiving Feast.
BY R. RAY BAKER.

YOUTH II,
seemed that she was destined soon to
be a widow. if she had not already |
reached that stage in life's journey. |
les, it was a gloomy Thanksgiving
day, altho the sun was shining blist-
eringly. Her husband had disap-
peared, and the chances were 100 to
against ever seeing him again.
She censured herself for agreeing
to this south sea honeymoon Why /
had she yielded to Ialph's wishes to
fexplore Londo island when something
inside her had persistently warned
that she should not let him set foot
on shore?
True, being. an explorers daughter.
she had been as keen for the trip as
/ had her newly acquired spouse, but
events-one in particular-made her
realize now that a threes room fiat
would be heavenly for a honeymoon
and as a place to live and die.
She sat on the deck of the steam
way out of the dilemma happy
way out One course would be to
| hoist anchor and steam away. But
| that would not be the happy way,
because it would leave Ralph in the
clutches OF the cannibals.
Still. what was there for her to Go?
Take the five men that comprised the
crew of the Crystal and invade the ma
tives' lairs? No, certainl.' that was
not the solution; not with the natives
/
in a pool of syrup.
The big event that converted her to
the three-room flat idea had occurred
| the previous afternoon about < O'Clock.
They had just. arrived at the island
and Ralph had insisted on going
There's absolutely no danger he
assured her. II was here two years
ago with your father and We found
absolutely no traces of inha bitants.
III f-
island and Plague island, which are
populated with cannibals, but the
nearest of the two is 100 miles distant.
It's perfectly safe. Madge-'
Margaret realized a sense OF fore
boding as her husband set off in the
the sailors.
Better let me go along" she called
after MIN. but he shook his head.
/ pretty hard climbing around in
vegetation which reached down to the
water. I'll be gone only a short
time
Margaret saw her husband land and
| help Samson draw the boat where the
| waves could not touch it: then they
both disappeared into the forest. She
sat on the deck and watched and
waited, stiil harassed by that feeling
of forebodine.
Perhaps an hour after the landing
|
of faint cries arising from the island.
but she could not be certain this was
| not the product of nerves. She looked
intently in the direction from which
| the weird sound seemed to emanatc,
| but the forest was so dense that she
could not have seen anything happen
> ing within twenty feet Of shore. A
silence that was complete, except for
/ the lapping of the waves against the
! Crystals sides, had settled over the
kI.s
! tivity and not tend to dispcl the fore
boding. She knew the men were play
-inS poker somewhere below, but she
| hcs:tated to call and thus display her
terror; for she was q girl who was
proud OF her lack of fear
The sun was a half circle on the
! horizon when she saw Samson stagger
out from among the trees and push
the small boat into the water, leaping
in. This action seemed to take the
last ounce of strength. for he sank to
the bottom of the slliff and lay there
apparently helpless.
! That was sufficient excuse for Mar
garct to sound an alarm that brought
the crew of the Crystal stumbling and
tumbling to the deck. where they at
once comprehend the situation and
set out in another boat to rescue Sam
son. whose craft was being tossed back
on shore.
whats h appenin Where's
Ralph % breathed Margaret, as Sam
son was carried on deck, but he an
swcred simply with a CLASSY stare and
was taken to his bunk He rolled his
eyes queerly and opened and shu. his
hands repeatedly.
There was question but that he
thad been thru narrowing experience.
for his fatigue was due as much to
fear as to physical exertion. The other
men could not find much as n
. scratch on his body. Presently he
seemed to get a grip on himself and
managed to articulate:
"Cannibais got him.
While Margaret steadied herself
against the wall, growing deathly pale,
he went on. talking laboriously:
I'VE spent some time getting our
bearings before he sent me to find a
spring OF water. while he went in a
different direction to dig up some relic
your father left two years ago.
found water and was starting after
him on the dim path he had taken
: when I heard unearthly screeching
; from direction he had taken. 1 hur-
; ried and soon arrived at scene oftrou-
BILE. About forty black men were dane
: ing around him. shouting and sing
t ing. and he was tied to tree with
} thongs 1 knew I couldn't fight whole
gang. so hid behind anothertree and
watched for opportunity to cut him
. loose. 1t didn't come. for they took
him off into woods. 1 was scared most
to death and didn't know what to do.
but thought it best to return to yacht
and get help. Hope you don't think
did wrong"
Samson sank back in the bunk.
Sighed heavily and closed his eyes. All
night he was delirious, and MarGaret.s
condition was not much better. She
realized the infeasibility of sending
1.-THE men ashore to fight the cannibals.
especially at night. but was determined
that some action be taken in the morn
ing. When morning came, however.
the crew refused 10 go-all except Joe
Larson, the cook, who said he'd be
willing to wade a river of blood to
help Ralph
The idea of one man and one
; woman against hundreds of cannibals
did not seem nractical 50 she sat ON