The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-04-07
"The Beacon Hill Mystery"
BY FRED V. WILLIAM.
Drawings By clyde Ludwick

thru tho air. reached into the very
marrow OF bis bones.
lie saw the man and girl
shrink hack. Clark rose to hts
feet. They started With fright
at his movement. The girl
rushed 10 his sido and put her
arms about him
"Whai Is II. Tohaf he asked
She did not understand. but looked
Al smith. lie answered.
"lt Is the monster II Il loose
upon the island The women arr
hiding The men are seeking shell
Ter. they arc surrendefins 20 the
women 10 be free OF the beast"
Clark was stunned. lie dld not
believe such "A thing possible.
"Aly hos. your throne Il lost"
Smith continued. "EVcr,thinE l.
lost. We are la the hands - the
women. lon made an idle boast
that you would conquer the mon.
sier.
This girl IA your only salvation.
She loves you. she would marry
you By The ritual Of her tribe. And
that means that on the morrow OF
your wedding day you viii die,
'Just now" the old man went on
gravely. "the queen, whom you de.
nrived Of her power Tor a few hours.
IS eager for revenge, She has De,
manded OF her women that they find
you and east you 20 the monster.
roba has hidden you and hopes 20
stay her wrath"
Clark glanced again AZ tho girl He
was frightened now. Her eyes were
very soft. She s,roked his cheek.
do you love me. TohAf- he
asked Clark preferred love. mat.
rimony even on this Wild isle Of
death. 10 the fate the old queen
planned for him.
But. no unused, escaping the mon.
s,er did he not sentence himself 10
die another way1
DO you love me, Tohaf" he re.
pcated and Smith translated the
message for him.
TOBIAS eyes shonc brightly In the
moonlight.
AYE. love thee. strange man OF
another people," she said
Hope sprang In clark's heart.
Then II you love me. Toba.
you would possess mo for all
time that We might live and en-.
joy our love for the length Of
our liyes'" he asked.
She listened. with head slightly
bent. 20 Smiths translation aud a
frown puckercd her brow.
Clark watched her closely. lie
thought no saw a way cut OF his
difficulty. II this girl loved him.
she surely would want him 20 live.
She must not be unlike other
women. All he had 10 do was ride
down the tradition OF her race that
the husband. on the morrow Of the
wedding night. be slain as sacrifice
70 tho god OF fire.
Tho girls reply came IN torrent
Of hot. imprisoned words from her
lips. Smith translated as rapidly as
she spoke.
II love thee better than all the
Isle. than my queen. than my sis
tiers. but In giving you TO my god
Of fire, I win paradise for US
both" she said
You mean that II I. too, love
you and We are welded under the
rites OF your tribe that you would
kill mel" he asked.
AYE. beloved one. that we might
In the end journey thru paradise 20.
gcther. Ny knife. that cuts the
thread Of your life here. but makes
you secure for me in the after.worid.
Good LordF' exclaimed Clark. and
wiped his brow. lie turned 20 Smith
In mute appeal
The old man sadly shook his head.
You are In n most delicate
situation. and I likewise" he
said. IF you accept the aid OF
this girl In hiding from the
monster you must we'd her and
as sure as the sun rises she win
Stay you. believing that In doing
80 she Is winning heaven for you
both" he explained.
AS for myself" he continued.
viii die, too. The old queen never
did like me. She only tolerated me.
VIII be sacrificed to tho god OF fire.
In aiding you in the revolt or the
men against the women I sealed my
fate. did It only because II seemed
a last chance"
He buried his face in his hands.
Clark watched him with heart pound.
ing.
TO think" went on Smith. that
for 90 years. have fought the wiles
OF these beautiful creatures. only TO
perish miserably now. Woman after
woman who courted me / have
spurned. have fled from them. RI
have lived hermit on this God. for.
saken island. only TO die like
stuffed pig on a spit over that vol.
cano fire.
might after night I've watched
that tongue Of flame spit out Of the
earth and wondered II some day I
would feed II. Now"
He raised his arms in a gesture
of despair.
Clark was desperate.
II will not dies' he said fierccly. Il
won't have my throat cut by
woman. I'd rather 20 down and take
my chances with that bowling thing.
What is II. anyway"
Smith stared in astonishment at
Clark. His face was very white.
II don't know" he confessed.
This is as near as I ever got TO
II. I've heard II roar and that's
enough for me. Rut fro,u tho