Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-06
\ 4 One fMe O. Henry Memorial Stories

LIE lifted his glass and drank it off, then
thrust it GU to be refilled. Life as the world
lives it-bah" he dismissed 1t with the scorn
of one who counts himself Invested of all IL
lusions. Life would be an internal bore If
it were not for its paradoxes. Now you, Capt.
Barnaby, would never dream that in becoming
dead to the world-in other peoples belief
have become intensely alive. There are opened
up infinite possibilities"
I'm a plain man of the sea-" rejoined,
bluntly. Il take life as it comes"
He smiled deriSvely drained his glass, and
held it out again. But you have your secrets,
rather clumsily guarded, to be sure"
What secrets?" I cried out, goaded almost
beyond endurance.
There is no reason why we should quarrel"
he went on. "But there are times which call
for plain sps akng Maj. Stanleigh is probably
hardly aware of just what he said to me under
a little artful questioning. 1t seems that lady
who-shal we say. whom we both have the
honor of knCwing?-is in love. Love, mark
you. 1t is always interesting to see that flower
bud twice from the same stalk. However, one
naturally defers to q lady, especially when one
is very much in her way. Place aux DANES, Ell?
Exit poor Farluhars You must admit that
his was an altruistic soul. Well, she has her
freedom-if only to barter it for a new bondage.
Shall we drink to the happy future CT that
romance?"
feeling of utter loathing went over me-
set my glass down. 1T would be more serv-
iceable compliment to the lady in question If
strangled you on the spot" muttered boldly.
But you are forgetting that am already
dead" He threw his head back as if vastly
amused, then lurched forward and held out his
glass little unsteadily to be ref1lled.
He gave me quick, evil look. Besides, the
noise might disturb your passengers"
He drained his glass and sat staring into it,
his head dropping little forward. The heavy
wine was beginning to have its effect upon him.
"You seem very much distressed" he OBJ
served, with ironc concern. "One might think
you were actually sllelering these precious love-
birds. Love-birds-" I caught the word
feebly from his lips, spoken as if in daze.
The glass hung dripping from his relaxed grasp.
It was a crucial moment in which his pur-
pose seemed to WAIVER and die in his clouded
brain.
leaned forward to take the glass which was
all but slipping from his hand, when Lakalatcha
famed with redoubled fury. It was as if the
mountain had suddenly barred its fiery heart to
the heavens and a muffled defamation reached
my ears.
Farquharson Strengthened up with jerk and
scanned the smoking peak. He watched its
graceful play as If hypnotized, and began bah
bling to himself in an incoherent prattle. All
. his faculties seemed suddenly awake but riveted
solely upon the heavy laborlng OF the mountain.
When I ventured to urge him back to shore
he made no protest, but followed me into the
boat AS pushed off and took up the oars he
had eyes for nothing but the flaming cone.
1.-THE fire upon the altar is it," he addressed
me, oracularly, while the fanatic light of a dew
otee burned in his eyes. Shall we ascend and
prepare the sacrifice?"
leaned over the cars, painting from my ex-
ertions Indifferent to his rhapsody.
IJo tho OlInwalp and strobe
the beach. Again he struck his priest-like
attitude and invoked me to follow.
1.-THE fire upon the altar waits" he repeated,
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