Evening star., 1936-09-27

into the fiery pit.
Get backr Clegg shouted. Your
cotton clothes will go like tinder. I've
seen these exhibitions before" He
dragged Lynn back from the intense
heat.
Browning, his face dark and for
bidding, strobe back toward the jab-
bering spectators.
At that moment. the chief of the
fire-walkers furnished a distraction.
He called his followers, and, chanting,
started to walk toward the pit.
In the suddenly silent amphitheatre.
only one sound made itself manifest.
the steady hump, thn,nb, hump of the
bare feet of the fire-walkers as they
approached the fiery pit with swift.
steady strides.
The leader reached the edge. For
moment the reddish light reflected the
moist smoothness of his perspiring
skin. Then he took another forward
step. placed his naked foot down on
the surface of one Of the hot rocks. A
gasp went up from the spectators.
Without hesitating. without chang
ing the tempo of his stride. the chief of
the fire-walkers marched across the
rocks which covered the red pit. and
behind him, in a steady procession,
came the half-dozen fire-walkers. their
heads up. faces as expressionless as
though they. themselves, were in a
hypnotic trance.
A matter Of silent seconds, and the
last of the little string of men had
marched their unhurried way across
the pit of fire: A murmur of sound
welled upward. The skeptic who had
been watching with powerful binocu-
lars. and who had dropped them as the
little file of natives marched across the
pit. groped for them with nerveless
fingers. The man who had prodded the
rocks with the long stick held to the
charred rod with grip so intense that
the bones of his knucl<les seemed about
to burst through the skin.
The head of the fire-walkers swung
his followers in quick circle, marched
steadily back to the pit, and dropped
to all fours. Somewhere among the
spectators, a woman screamed. The
natives crawled on hands and knees
steadily across the glowing red surface
of the rocks. The crossing completed,
they stood mute.
The chief made short statement in
the native language. which was trans
lated for the benefit Of those who did
not understand Tahitian. He was, he
explained, willing to take any person
across the pit. He would guarantee
that this person would be unharmed,
if implicit obedience were given to his
instructions, and if that person sin
cerely believed that what he had seen
was the manifestation OF faith in the
Fire God.
There were no volunteers. Slowly,
the group dispersed.
Tracy Burke slipped his hand under
Lynn's elbow. why didn't you tell
me about that paper?" he asked.
-. Her tawny eyes met his calmly.
There was nothing to tell"
But you had it all the time"
She said slowly, Really, Mr..
Burke, have always prided myself
upon being accountable to no one for
my actions, and I don't care to make
an exception in your case"
Stunned by her cold formality.
Tracy bowed, and said. Good night"
He returned to his hotel, packed
and was soon on board the ship which
was to take him back to San Francisco.
When he awakened, the next morn
ing. a fresh, salty breeze was whipping
through his portfolio. He jumped out
of bed, showered, dressed and went on
deck. The ship was churning its way
through tranquil purple sea toward
the equator. On the starboard side
uere crattered matches of clouds