Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07

obsessed, by the conviction that somebody was
near the hut.
He had not heard a sound, save indefinite
ruStlings. He had looked out, and seen nothing.
twice Now he took his lantern and went to
the door q third time
He swung the lantern high over his head.
He had half-expected to catch sight of the
fugitive. Not knowing whether the fellow
might not double back-hares, human or
animal, often did. But what he saw-if ne did
see twas much more amazing.
1t was the face Of q native girl high up in q
tree. She seemed to start, frozen, in the light
of the lantern.
Her eyes were huge and black and very
shining. like the eyes of soft night-wanderinR
observation-disclosures opossums. She had the ma
tive hair full and outstanding in a halo above
her face, but 1t seemed extraordinarily soft.
For a moment the two looked at each other,
mOtionleSs. The sea breathed a long way on.
In the forest a white cockatoo suddenly walked
up and screamed.
Something moving about" thought one
half of Blades mind; the other half was fixed
en- the girl.
He saw her stretch one arm out and point
with it twice-once to the forest, and once to
Blades own hut. Then the cockatoo screeched
again. and Blades turned his head TO look.
When he turned It back again, there was no
girl.
Not at all certain that he had not dreamed
her-for Richard Blades knew well the visions
that come to lonely mamie lowered the
lantern and closed his door.
Rain came thrashing the roof of his hut,
drowning thought and sensation in one cataclys.
NAL roar. Battered into insensbilty, he slept.
Yet through his sleep. the certainty of an
alien presence persisted, and walked him up
at last.
Light had come. family. There was little
noise outside faint whining, like that Of q
dog that has been left out and forgotten But
Richard Blades had no dog.
He went to the back door. Through a hole
in the boards he looked out. Something was
crouched on the ground. He had to look again
before he saw 1t man.
In the forest the cockatoos began to scream.
"Ah, ah!" they went. "Some one coming All,
ali. all, ah-many people coming!'
You can trust the cockatooS; Richard knew
that. He wasted no more time. The hare
had doubled: the hounds were after it. During
the dark it had lain hidden Now daylight was
betraying it. and the hunt was up once more.
One swift step took him out of the house;
two slow, laboring steps, with a lift and q
heave. brought him back. He laid the wretched
islander upon the floor This had been a man.
and fine one, yesterday. Today his all but
naked body was clotted with black mud and
red clay. He was bleeding from thorns.
scratches and cut by stones. burrows marred
brown cheeks that had been round and young
last night. The mans pulse, faint and fast,
fiuttered like bird escaping-nearly escaped
Blades forced whisky and water into the
creatures mouth, and saw him revive choking
a little. He said something in the snarling
Yela tongue.
II understand old man." soothingly replied
the trader. "I'n save you" But he was not
at all sure he could
1t was full dawn now. The Shrek Of the
cockatoos was growing frantic. The hunted
man heard. He began to stare about the hut.
wildly seeking covert.
They're comingl" he painted.
Blades did not know the impossible YeaN