The Washington times., 1921-04-10

tance of a mile or two. a black
shape blotting the stars.
The canoe went fast through the
water. BY and by could hear the
humming Of 3 distant reef and see
its long white outline cut across
the dark table of sea. The natives
lowered their sail altogether, AND
turning the PROV Of the canoe be-
gan To paddle toward the reef.
"whers are you going? What IL
thG mstterf" I asked them.
The natives only grunted for re-
ply.
They padded the canoe toward
an opening In the reef. where black.
smooth water broke the pounding
foam. They took her through.
They slfded cautiously. as one who
hardly knows his way. across the
lagoon within, until the leaning
palm trees on the shore had come
very near. Then In the intense
black shadow Of the palms they
grounded the canoe, leaped out and
pulled her up the beach.
!, "0et out!" they said to me. I
did not know their dialect, hut the
sense was unmistakable.
They did not touch me or try to
hurry me out of the canoe; on the
contrary, they withdrew to its far
end as I climbed out over the bow.
Scarcely was l fairly landed on
the beach when they had the canoe
by fits sides, hauling 1t off again
with feverish haste. They jumped
in almost before II was afioat and
padded away as il the devil him
self was after them.
"Hoo- o-hau-hoo!" heard them
shouting exultantly "Hoo-hau-
hoo!" Their voices died away In
the tumbling smother of the reef,
the open seas beyond swallowed
them up, and 1t was as IL they had
never been.
And l was alone.
I might have been more fright
ened had I been more myself. AS
1t was--with that dull, hypnotized
feeling clinging about me and veil
ing half my faculties--1 was not
greatly dismayed. Indeed, was
conscious of some relief at the de-
parture of the two natives. They
did not like me-or something
about me-of that was certain.
Well, they were gone, and the
rocking and splashing Of the canoe
had ceased, and under the palm
leaves that cut greek swathes of
black among the tinse1led stars 1t
was very still That and the soft
ness Of the sand in whichsI stood
exerted suggestive influence in
my trance-like condition. / yielded
to It and lay down. In moment
or two-I slept.
Il must have been real sleep. un'
related to the stupor In which. AZ
know now, l had passed the whole
day and part of the night. ! don't
know how much farther In that In
terminable night It could have been
when I woke up. But I felt re.
stored. rested and clear In mind
ones more.
1t all came upon me with blast.
ing force. knew who I was and
what md happened.y I remembered
the TyctKs n the church--the yet
more terrible scene in the vestry.
realized that-I did not know what
had been the outcome of that last
horror. Had one of the men who
held my destiny between them
killed the other? Was that one
now arrested, in Jail, in danger of
could not form the word?
I, remempered-oh remem-
bered! "Forger - bigamist' -
And the silence that met the
charge.
"Oh!" / cried as the truth fell
upon me like a shower Of stones.
I ran in the dusk up and down the
silent beach, shaking my hands
about as people do in the pictures
and in plays.
"What shall do?" I cried, as
everyone does cry. in extremity of
sorrow. "What shall l do? How
can I go on living
And there stopped, for | had
remembered something else - the
wild rush along the laneways> and
the gardens. over the cliff to death.
had gone as my mother had gone
but | had not met her fate.