The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-09-08


had pumped her ghru upimak Pass
By now, tho passage between Uni.
max and Akun islands, and now
she had launched forth into that
wide. western portal of tho Arctic
herring Sea. SIN tho wonderful
succession % bright days had on
dured. no less than marvellous
along tho mist,awept southern
shore Of the peninsula, but now
the brisk, salty wind from tho.
northwest indicated an impending
weather ehanss IL had been "a
remarkably clear and MINDLESS day,
and the night that had come down.
30 swiftly and 30 soon. was Of
slryngo and stirring beauty The
stars had an incredible luster. the
sea itself was OF an unnamed pur'
pie. maryolously deep-such a
color as scientists might find lying
beyond the spectrum And Ned'H
eyes, tonight, were not dulled by
the effects OF strong drink.
For some reason that he himself
could not satisfactorily explain no
hadn't partaken OF his usual aft
ern0on whsklesand,a odas. Ito sim
ply wasn't in drinking mood.
sieadmstly refusing 20 partake.
Lenorc. though she had never
made Il point 20 an outrage Hed's
drinking habits. cou not help but
regard the refusal AS IN some way
slight 10 herself, and was cor,
respondingly downeast and irritable,
Wholly oR OF sorts, she had lot
him 80 10 tho deck alone
The nights beauty swept him.
touching some realm Of his spirit
deep and apart from hts moro love
OF pleasing visual image Ills im.
aginRtion was koenly alive. and ho
had distinct feeling that tho
North had "A surprise in store for
him tonight Some stress and
glory was impending. what. hs did
not know.
Facing over the bow he sud
denly perceived a faint silver RI.
| dance close TO the horizon, His
first impression was that the boat
had taken a uouthcastefnly course,
and this argent gleam waa merely
the banner OF the rising moon. I'M
mediately no knew better: except
by the absolute disruption or Goa.
mic law. the moon could not riae
for at least four hours, He knew
OF no coast light anywhere In the
region. and Il was hard 10 believe
that he had caught tho faroif glim'
mcr Of a ships light. Seemingly
such followers OF the sea had been
left far behind them.
4 But. as he watcked. the light
grew His own pulse auiokencd
Md presently a radiant atreamoI
burst straight upward like rocket
fluttered a moment. and died away
l A strange thrill aud STIR moved
thru tho iptrlcacy Of his nerves
Ito knew now what this light pro
tended. Il was known 10 every way
| iarcr In the North yet the keen
eat excitement took hold Of him
| II moved him more than an,
painted art had ever done, more
than any wonderful mazs Of color
and light that master stage 81
rector could effect Tho steauei
shot UP again. moro brightly col
ored now. and then n great bal
ot fire rolled into tho hky. OK
ploded into a thousand nyinE frag
ments. aud left sea Of every hu'
in tho spectrum IN its wake.
The Northern Llxhta. he tols
\ himself. A culver Of exuita,ioF
passed over him.
There could be no mistake. Tht
was tho radiance. thu glory tina
the Red Gods reserve for thos'
who seek the far northern trails
Ever tho display Increased In son
der and beauty Tho atreamsrt
were whlsklug In all direction
now. meeting with tho effect o
collision In tho dome OF the aky. re
naming there 10 SILVER and CLEAN
with incredible beauty. the surglni
waves OF light spread ever fartho
until. at times. rho sky wus flut
terinE canopy Of radiance.
He thought OF calling Lemon
and Mrs. Hardcnworth; but som
way ths idea slipped out Of hi
mind. In a moment he was to-
deep in his own mood even 20 re
member that they existed. But no
only his exterior world faded tron
J his consciousness. For the mo
men, no forgot himself: and will
Il tho old sclf.loge and self.concei
/. that had pervadcd every momcn
Of his past life, colored NIL hi
views. and shaped tho ends Of hi
destiny. All that was left was tina
Incredible sky and It's weird. re
focted glamor In the sea,
This was Aurora Borealis, nevo
TO be known. in It's full glory. L
those that shun the Silent space
OF the North. Suddenly he fcl
glad that no was here. Tho me
mcnt. by measure Of some dneo
balance beyond his sight. was wort
ali the rest Of his past life put e
gothsr. Great trials might u
ahead, temptations might tear hir
down. his own weakness and foil
Of the past might lay him low I
some woeful disaster Of the future
yet he was glad that no had come
II was the most profound, the mos
far.reaching moment of HIS lifo.
Always nc had lived close TO an
bound UP in man.made civiliz'
ton. In his heart no had woi
shipped It, rather than tho urg
and the inspiration that had mad
It possible: he had always judge
the thing rather than tho sourc,
But for the first timo In his III
no was close TO natures heart. II
had seen glory, NJ natures whin
that ;tanscended the most glorlou
work OF man ever beheld In his NJ
tive city. He was closer TO redemi
, ton than at any timo in his life.
A few feet distant on tho dccl