The Bozeman courier., 1927-07-01

come to him at last. He cut short the |
old mans memories to find out where |
Hibeau, the old shipmaster, lived, and
went to him. Hibeau was old, over |
seventy, but his memories were alert. |
Mark Stonor gave him no opportunity |
for garrulity. He said: "They tell me |
you have a wonderful knowledge of out !
of the way islands. Can you tell me any
island that has hill like that?" He |
sketched on piece Of paper the outline
of a witchs hat
''It looks like the landfall Of Futa-
Huoa, little place north of the Mani
hiki. It's uninhabited."
you're sure?" said Mark Stonor in
dismay.
happen, and I haven't been there for
thirty years, but it was then. It's a
lovely spot
"Could you take me thereP" asked
Mark, but the old man said he was past
that, though he recommended a younger
man. He was not very satisfactory, on
man, and the wife, and the young baby,
and the uncle, Of twenty-eight years ago
when Mark probed his memory, but that
/ was about all. He had nothing more to
offer.
Mark Stonor hired a schooner and
sailed the long slant to Futa-Huoa. At
first he was excited, and then his senses
dulled. He remembered that the old
gossip in Noumea had declared that
these people he hoped to find on the
island with the witch's hat were fugi-
tives from the law. He tried to tell him
self that this was rubbish, that if they
were his parents it couldn't possibly be
so. But the thought stuck and chilled
his eagerness. What if, after all, this
strange obsession, this strange search had
led him to a disgraced name? 1t seemed
likely. Why did they choose a lonely
island if not to hide?
They made Futa-Huoa in the very
learly morning, while Mark was still
asleep. They were entering the bay when
he came on deck, and being close in like
that the sight Of the Witch's Hat came
las shock. 1t was his Witch's Hat.
What he had thought a dream was only
the memory Of somewhere under two or
three. He stood trembling on the deck
staring at the place. 1t was smaller, but
in this bay he had lived. He saw the
great breakers tumbling on the sand, and
they were the breakers he had remem-
bered. He saw the sand, and it was the
, fine and glowing silver Of his dreams. He
saw the house set back against the green
j of palms. 1t was not quite the same, but
! that was because creepers had covered
! it with riot of howers-and he knew it
2 A man at his elbow told him that
! breakfast was served. He said, 'No-In
, going ashore now"
! The Kanakas took him skillfully
4 through the surf and he landed on the
silver beach. His heart was pounding
r and he was dizzy with his feelings. II
was the same, unaltered. 1t was hot anc
S slipped away with queer, tickling sen
, satton. Walking up to the house wa
t like walking up a mountain, so deeply
3 did he feel the strain. He supposed thI
lroom of the house was the same, but i
f was so small now, so very small where i
e had been bright and vast to a baby. H'
e stood in the veranda staring in through
Y the door, wondering who lived here now
q and as he, did a woman came from th
= interior Of the house and said "Nearl,
t. ready" and stopped with gasp.
y Then she cried, hand on heart, John
d and then again-"John, you've cut of
Then she seemed to realize it was som
: lone strange and-younger. For she stoo
q trembling, her sweet, pitiful face lookin
: at him in mystihcation and-yes, an
> guish.
e He saw woman a little beyond tn
.C middle hfties,l graying hair, but figur
n still neat and alert, despite homen1ad
s. clothes. He saw face that was perhap
= older, but which had never changed
How stupid he had been to confuse tina
sr she hadn't gone down with the cutter
Z He took an involuntary step forward, hi
eyes fixed on hers, both their eyes recoe
= nizing and understanding. it seemed. b
m could see her hand working In agitatio
w at her breast. She choked, cried husk
- lily:
"Johnl-Johnnyl"
:. "Was that my name?" he said simpE
Y She gave sob, cried out: 1T can
Il He went toward her. sIt Is" be sal