The Washington times., 1921-04-17

different aspect. with the thought
that came to me.
"Perhaps-she is dead"
II seemed to me that she must
be dead. Now that l had thought
Of 1t everything fitted in with the
idea. had already noticed that
this little room was curiously un-
used and fresh; compared with the
others. which had apparently seen
some wear.
"She has died." thought. "And
they shut up her room Just as she
left 1t, and never used II again. I
shall call her Lily"
The romantic thought stayed
with me as looked into the other
rooms on the top storey. I did not
find them so interesting; perhaps
because was beginning to feel the
effects of fatigue and hunger.
The largest room was a bedroom,
not newly furnished; q curious,
bare, handsome place. running
right from back to front and open
ing on to the veranda with great
glass doors that could be slid en-
tirely away.
It had an immense Dutch bed, Of
the kind familiar to Malaysian
travellers-seven or eight feet
square, so as to leave ample room
for GOODNESS and comfort on the
hottest night. The net was rolled
away. The four posts that COM
monty supported II were made Of
four New Hebridean idols, with
grinning teeth, tongues protruded
and eyes Of mother Of pearl.
There was no washstand, but
across one corner Of one room, on a
stand of heavy carved wood, had
been fixed one Of the cockle-shaped
Tridacna shells that island people
know, whittier than any marble,
. deeply futed inside and out, and
fully three feet across. Smaller
shells and carved cocoanuts dark
with age and hard polishing. were
fixed above the great white basin
OF the clam, to hold different kinds
of toilet apparatus.
But the bath In the corner oppo-
site, fairly took my breath away. 1t
was set on a bed OF white cement;
a shower had been hung above. II
was about seven feet In length, and
II was a shell-another Tridacna
Giga. of the long variety. ice-white
and immensely fiuted. don't know
what It could have weighed.
have never seen another like II.
but I have heard OF one-in a reef
passage between two OF the Solo
mon Islands. known TO and coveted
by more than one traveller. but un-
attainable because II could not be
loosened from It's deep-sea bed
without the aid OF divers. diving
dresses. tools and a powerful crane.
Apart from this uniqua washing
apparatus the room contained moth
ing at all but a few sets OF dumb
bells ranged on the wall. long slip
OF mirror close to them and a num-
Der of weapons, swords. rapiers,
sabres. bayonets, daggers, fencing
foils. arranged in circles and stars.
There was no carpet on the scrub
bed white floor. There was only
one table, OF white wood. sanded
clean; there were two plain white
wood chairs. The room, with Its
glass doors thrown back. and the
all but perpetual southeaster howl
ing through, would have realized
every ideal of hygienic specialist
OF the fiercest kind.
Like all shut-up rooms II was q
little musty now, suggesting dust
and paint and hardened soap.
There was Just a whiff Of tobacco
somewhere or other.
I ran across to the last room.
This was a library, full Of books
protected by alright, glass cases.
"Pooh!" l said. glancing at the
titles. They seemed ineffably
-stuffy.~
By now I was almost starving
and food was the only thing could
think about.