The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-08-16

low wall. Twinkling fires gleam
 odors rose from the miasma-like
 husging the road.
 Saves for the night noises, the highway was strangely quiet. Tn the distance dog howied dismally. Overhead a vulture sailed scream ing toward the hills. A pale, wan moon slirbed into a silvery slot blanketing the Caribbean shore in darkness.
 Inside the carriage, Madeline drew her cloak closer around her. around her protectingly.
 Not frightened. are you, honey?" he asked tenderly.
 "No--yes-I don't knowf' she answered as though uncertain. "It'e | all 50 strange" Then, as she nestled against his shoulder. T wish now we had been married in Port-au- Prince"
 "Well, 1t isn't too late. We can turn back If you wish" he assured her. "It's all the same to me. Just so we are married. I don't care where 1t takes place. What do you. say?"
 "No--we can't do that" she ex- | plained. Beaumont Is so set on having the marriage take place at his place. He is expecting us. And we do owe him something after promising to make you his man. ager. This horrible drive can't | last much longer"
 "All right. Just as you say, darling. Why--what's that?"
 He suddenly sat up and peered outside. Madeline pressed close to him.
 Engrossed in each other, neither had noticed the carriage make a sudden. sharp turn in the road. Fifty yards away around the bend, shrouded figures stood along the jungle. Tn the dancing light of fires blazing along the path, and in the glare of pine torches, black men and women were stamping the dirt in the middle of the road. Some carried shovels with which they patted the ground.
 A tom-tom started beating and as Polig, the black driver, pulled the horse back on their. launches. the crowd of blacks broke into a chant: Zombie, there is Voodoo. Zombie, there Is a Voodoo. I see you here,
 say to you. feel you near, You've come,
 You're here.
 Zombie!
 Madeline leaned out of the win- dow and spoke to Polig:
 'Driver, what is 1t--why don't you go on?"
 The old black glanced down at her from his seat on the box. but made no move. It was plain that he was not anxious to proceed. Neil leaned out, and issued a command.
 "Go on, driver--get us out of this, whatever 1t is."
 POlig reluctantly cracked his whip, and the horses plunged to- ward the crowd of swaying blacks and the fires. The chant broke off in q wild wall, and the drum ceased with a long booming as the negroes scattered to escape the hoofs of the horses.
 For fully a mile the carriage rocked behind the galloping animals. Inside. Nell Hamilton held Madeline Warren tight in his arms. Behind them the wailing blacks took up their chant again. and the drum started anew it's measured and funeral beat. II still faintly pursued them at Polig brought the horses to standstill. Madeline eluded- Neil's restrain ing hand and again leaned out into the black night to address the driver.
 "That looked like burial in the road. Just what were those folks doing?" she asked. "That's right, Madamoiselle. It was a funeral" Polig told her. T didn't jus like to pass thataway. It ain't goin' to bring no good luck stridin' through a funeral" What do you mean, driver?" Neil inquired as Madeline turned to him white of face. Its jus as Madamoiselle said," Polig replied, wiping the dampness from his forehead. "Those peoples was buryin' their dead in the road to fool the men who steal bodies. They. dug grave in the highway and put the body in 1t where peo- ples pass all the time. so the ghouls can't get It." u "Neilv'
 There was real terror in Made- lines voice as she drew back from the window and reached for him. There. there, honey. Not q very cheerful introduction for you to our West Indies, I'll admit" he said soothingly. But don't let these tropical nights get you. Strange things happen in Haiti" "It--it isn't that" she replied with trembling lips. Then, what Is it?" "I don't just know" she told - feel" she continued hesitating- | iy, T feel as though there were something horribly close to ue-= something dead---nearby."
 Nonsense, darling. You're just nervous" he treasured her. "Haiti does that to some people to first.
 But he stopped as the moon came suddenly from behind q cloud. and flooded the highway and the barrens leading up to the hills. From pitch darkness. it had sud- denly become bright moonlight ae though an unseen hand had set the stage for . drama, and was now | lighting the scene. And standing | In the road by the carriage window was the figure of man gazing with piercing eyes at the two in. side.
 Aware Of NeiI's intent saze, Madeline followed his glance. and stiiIed q shriek as the strangers eyee---twin balls of gIoaminR light