The Bozeman courier., 1927-07-15

A party consisting of Prof Blount,
Roderick Blair, Victor Gabrielli, Madam
Duplessus of France and Alison Nor
row, secretary to Mr.. Blair. are max
ing a pilgrimage to Miles Straker, a
philosopher and glass blower, whose
home is on the wild western coast of
Florida. Alison Morrow feels something
familiar about the place and believes
that she has been there in some future
life. She confides this to her Uncle
Roderick Blair. He discourages her in
this belief and quiets her nervousness.
However, she is again startled when she
recognizes the mouth Of the blue river,
a very obscure inlet from the Gulf.
And now the story
III.
From the mouth of Blue River the
launch was propelled by polling, like a
gondola, the youth at the bow and the
deaf-mute engineer at the stern, through
a fascinating wilderness, exotic in sub
tropical life. AlligatOrs, snuggled in the
cozy comfort of warm mud banks, slid
reluctantly in to the water at their
stealthy approach; plumage birds took
graceful flight; coveyS OF quail and rice
birds disappeared with a whirr Of wings,
and a flock of wild turkeys, headed by a
dignified old cock, Stalked off majeStically
through the underbrush. Here and there
a magnolia tree, heavy with scented
DlOSSOIllS, DGnG 10 JIlG Ol JIlG III
tie winding stream, and everywhere from
every tree, brush, shrub, or tangle OF
wild grapevine hung the cloudy stream
ers Of Florida moss gray and curly
like an old mans beard.
The strangers sat as though enchant-
ed. Even Victor GabrielIi had ceased to
chatter, but he was very busy with his
camera.
As for Alison, she found it impossible
to reconcile anything in her life with
what was taking place now. She was
not in the least surprised for instance
when a bend Of the river brought them
into late whirlpool which taxed the
skill and strength Of the navigators to
get through without being completely
turned around. That merrily anxious
moment was familiar to Alison Morrow
and so-a little later on-waS the cloud
Of steam rising through the swampy for.
est some fifty yards or so to the right
which Angus Whirtie, the freckle faced
youth, told them came from hot spring
which had an underground outlet anc
of which no one knew the depth.
Victor Gabrielli tried to photograph
the steam cloud and nearly fell into the
river, being saved, angrily, by Prof
Blount's grabbing of his coat tails.
Another bend of the river brought
them into wide, smooth stretch like {
placid lake or lagoon, and this wa
"Straker's.'
| Here was a curious combination, a mix
ture of the wilderness with that specie
of art which occasionally intrigues pa
irons of the drama in small towns.
There was no pier, but a flight o
marble steps flanked by urns Of flower
| led UP from the lagoon, familiar object
in the richly painted scene of an ol'
fashioned drop curtain, flight Of step
that spread out gloriOusly fanwise, &C
companied on either side by curve'
marble rail.
Indeed, the scenery was a hopeles
mixture. A fine road Of powdered oyste
shell bordered by an imposing doubl
row of royal palms drew the eye towar
settlement Of unpainted, weathe
stained buildings resembling barns O
huge sheds camped on fiat, open spac
which might be described as a meadoV
of wire grass springing from a waste c
sand.
But along that road, at intervals be
tween the towering palms, were benche
of marble, the supports elaboratel
carved; and there were more flower Urn
on carved pillars, and here and there
hooded Shrinelike edidce which suggest
ed an inspiration from Italy or Greece.
A flock of white peacockS ruHed the.
snowy plumage in the sand under
dropping live oak, and on the edge
the pine forest herd of very small deS
raised alert and curious eyes.
It looked as though the visitors wei
to get no reception at all except frol
i the sun, whose warmth was cordial an
: unrestrained. They were thirsty tire
and even hungry.
At this crisis Freckled Face blew
whistle and Immediately the whole seer
! came to life.
; A group Of black boys sprang up fro
a palmetto grove to the right, diggir
midday sleep out of their eyes even
they raced barelegged through the whil
: ping wire grass to fall upon the traveller
: luggage.
And behind them strode tall viii
. man.
J, In another moment Miles Straker w
. amongst them, shaking hands, learnil
}, who was who, and explaining that
: had expected them nearly two hours ag
:. He had through they would have StartI
: from Fort Myers at seven.
: But now that they were here, it W
= good enough. He was delighted-al
= particularly delighted to meet PrC
D. Blount. 1t was great honor they pa
x him by coming such long journey.
:. hoped none Of them would be disa
= pointed.
= His fine gray eyes darted from one
another.
h It was such a relief, after the nome
u tary embarrassment of having nothi
It but the curiously mixed scenery to I
l. ceive them, that the little party owe
: flowed in delight Of their host.
= Gabrieli, who was built on slenC
% lines, noted the great muscular streng
- of this enigmatic genius Of the baC
woods and Roderick Blair caught
A. quick intelligence Of the gray ey
Madame Duplessus loved him instan
IS for the way he took possession Of
c. arm and informed her that all he
: ever learned about women which col
understand was through her translat
DT lectures. She had at least made her {