The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-05-09
"The Beacon Hill Mystery"
BY FRED v. WILLIAMS

trying 90 console her. but tho
loneliness u their posltion. her
fever, die sense Of impending dis.
aster, had unneryrd hcr. She fell
into a fiilul sleep a siumhu dis.
tnrbed By dreams In which she
cried cut pileously Ciark's heart
was Wrung As he watched her.
lie dld not carr 20 much Tor him.
self now. nut he did hope Tor the
giFl lie determined 20 starfo him,
self, % give all tho food and an tho
water 20 her and then perhaps, when
rescue came, she might 10 alive
even II he was not.
clark loved this giri now more
than no ever thought no could love
aRy woman. sho was wife, sweet.
heart. sister. friend 20 him. Ita
world vas wrapped Up IN her and her
welfare.
He scribhied a note while 10 had
the strength. note which told the
world 90 care Tor her Il ne ala not
survive and which boqueathod 90
her the contents Of tho canvas bags
aboard.
Then he waited for day, n
came, serene. yet omlnous. the
sun rising high and red. the
glare Of it, bright yellow ligit
binding. IT, beams dancing tan
talifingiy In reflection ON the
waves.
Another day. long. drcary, hone.
less dry and hot Marian tossed In
dciirium.
Toward night Il seemed 20 Clark
that bis own mind began 20 wander
that his own body WIS fnvcFed from
within and he caught himself NUT.
tering strange words. broken sen.
fences 10 tho great void around
them.
IL was twilight when. staring into
tho dancing waves. he saw a shin.
Ing. white shape skim the surface
pt the side OF the raft and caught
In flash the black. misshanen head
OF a shark.
a minute later n school Of
them. their black fins flashing
In the setting sun. swept past
and then whiried round and
round the raft.
Hundreds Of them sported IN The
water and kept him company az
night descended. Their Jaws yuwnsd
Tor him. their sunken headllke eyes
Toasted at sight OF him and the
white girl just beyond their reach.
Clark. In half delirium. shook his
lis; at them.
You can't get us YETI no NUT.
tered. you can't set us yet" Then.
sickened AZ his idle boast 70 these
tigers Of the sea. he sank weakly
back and wcpt.
Tho moon. when II came out.
found the sharks siill keeping their
death vigil around tho rsft. Its
tsepnla flashed across black backs.
Clark paid no attention 20 them.
He. like Marian. wns fast passing
under tho spell Of the troplc heat
and tho oceans Loneliness.
In his semi-conscious state lie
cared little now whether he sur.
,iyed or not. His home, his
friends. his liberty. The comforts
his new found wealth might
bring him, even the love and
rompanionship Of the uncon.
seious girl Mt his side. meant
iittle to him.
Death was stalking close upon It's
prey. death that had but TESTED when
It seemed 10 pass them by on the
island and In tho storm.
The rift rode siiont on the waves.
The tsss figures upon " wcro like
dead. And tho sharks circled round |
and round.
Suddenly they dartod away and
changed their course. They shot far
out TO where black hulk. lunginS
easily on the swell Of tho open road, |
appeared. They spun thru tho water
like racing craft and reached II.
II was a ship. bound from The
orient. And its watch. pacing the
forward decks. sighted IN the gloom
the speck, then the shadow. finally
the raft far ahead.
The dirty canvas signal flown
by Clark hung listic-- from
rail. The great liner changed
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