Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 28, Number 196, Decatur, Adams County, 19 August 1930 — Page 3

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Tn dine on the veranda of the Marin* Hot*l the one deilghtfu surprise which 1 Charlotte afford, the adventurer who ha. broken tro m _ th ® curtomary paths of . h . South Sena. On an trnv-1 in <h* ® . town , solitary a monastery. and »''' '.Tits Rarden of lemon trees. ln . . w t(te prospect of sea • day the " a 1 ! " iy .-h of blue, flat like a ' ‘ ' ’,Tth a blur of distant Island, horizon -chief among them *" ' h ' h nh Its single volcanic cone ‘ 2<" to the sky At night. ’ ' Llthv of Vulcan becomes a ’ , red throbbing faintly P .the darkness, a caprlclou. , s,|ien beacon Immeasurably "■ „;.'l From the path of! mem V„ed from the veranda of the , J Hotel its vast flare on the seems hardly more than , n insignificant spark. Hk* the "Jne ofcnr-end of some guest T, ||i n g in the garden after dinner. ' , mav very likely have been my Heht d cigar that guided Eleanor Stanle'gh to where I was sitting •n the shadows. Her uncle. Major gtnnleigh. had left me a few minutrs before, and I was glad of the rssnite from the queer business he tad involved me in. The two of hail returned thnt afternoon from Muloa- where 1 hnd taken h'm in mv schooner, the Sylph, to terk out Leavitt nnd make some Inquiries verv important inquiries. 1t wemed. in Miss Stanleigh'* behrlf Three days in .Mu'oa,. und«r the shadow of the grim and flamethroated mountain, while 1 was forced to listen to Major Stanklgh's persistant questionnaire and J/>avltt's erratic and garrulous rejponses—all this as I was to discover Inter, at the instigation of the Major’s niece—had made me frankly curious about the girl I had seen her only once, and then at a distance across the veranda one night when I had been dining there with a friend- but that single vision of her remained vivid and unforgettable—a tai’ girl of a slender shapeliness, crowned bv a mass of reddish-cold hair that smoldered al>nve the clear olive pallor of her skin With that flawless and brilliant coloring she was marked for obser-vation-had doubtless been schooled to a perfect Indifference to It. for the slow, almost Indolent, grace of her movements was that of a woman coldly unmindful at the gazes lingering upon her. She could not have been more than twenty-six or -seven, but I got an unmistakable Impression of weariness or balked purpose emanating from her in spite of her youth and glorious physique. I looked up to •ee her crossing the veranda to join her uncle and aunt—correct Well-to-do English people that ore placed Instantly—and mv stare was only one of many that followed her as she took her seat and threw aside the light scarf that swathed her bare and gleaming shoulders •My companion, who happened to be the editor of the local paper promptly Informed me regarding her name and previous residence —the gist of some “social item" Which he had already p-it Into print: but these meant nothing, and I could only wonder what had brought her to such nn out-of-the-way part of the world as Port Charlotte. She did not seem like a girl who was traveling with bar uncle and aunt: one got rather the impression that she was bent on a mission of h“r own nnd was dragging her relatives along because the conventions demanded It. I hazarded to my companion the notion that a woman like Miss Stanleigh could have but one of two nurposes in this lonely part of the world—she was fleeing from a lover or seeking one. In that case," re.loln'-d my friend, with the cynlenl shrug of the newspnrar man. “she has verv promptly succeeded. It's whispered that she is going to marry Joyce—of Malduna Island, you know. Only met him a fortnight ago. Quite a romance, r m told." She was endeavoring to get trace o f a man namP( ] Farquhar*°n. as I was permitted to learn n mw davs later. Ostensibly. It was Malnr StanVigh who wan b°nt on locating this young Englishman— Miss Stanlelgh’s Interest In the quest was guardedly withheld— Hbd the trail hod led thorn a pretty chase around the world until some clup which T n*v#»r clprHv atood, brought tn port Chnrlotto. The Major’s fmTYir'rt’nte ohJertfye was an er PP ntrlc ch°n named Leavitt .who had m"roonod himself t n Muloa. Th» Island offered nn id,, a ] retreat for one bent *0 shunning his own kind. If he did nnt nhlecf f O gho rinse nray. Imltv of n restive volcano cio- r | v »in aV '* f Ho ’’’’ff " R denfle Interest in the Phenomena ovhlbited by volcanic regions and Was v-rsed In gwfln-tani | nrn put the rumors about roticaily no one ever visit’d Muloa—did not ston at thnt And. as Ma’nr Stan'e’gh and T Wp re to discover, the f-’tan- seemed to have developed a genuine affection fo r Lakalatcha. as the smoking core was called bv the stives of the adjoining Islands, rrorn long association he had come to know its whims and moods as fl n * < '°mes to know those of a pc ulant woman one lives with .eavltt as a source of infnrmnn the m | as ] n j f Farquon ann <. Sf ' ernp< i preposterous when the how 0,,t of ,ouch with world he had been: to my as-

tonishment. Major Stanlelgh’s clue was right, for he had at last stumbled upon a man who hail know Farquharson well. He spoke with precision and authority, for he hnd shared with Farquharson l-’s bungalow there In Muloa—a period of about six months, it seemed--and there Farquharson had contracted a tropic fever nnd died. "Well, nt last we have got all the facts," Major Stanleigh sighed with satisfaction when the Sylph was heading back to Port Charlotte. "The evidence is conclusive, don’t vou think?—the grave. Farqu haraon’s p rsooa! effor ts. those (rages of the poor devil’s diary ” 1 nodded assent. In my capncltx ns owner of the Sylph I had merely undertaken to furnish Major Stan 1 dgh with passage to Muloa nnd back, but the events of the Inst three days bad made mo a party to the many conferences, end I wns now on terms of something like Intimacy with the rather stiff and pompous English gentleman How far I wns from sharing his r<-nl confidence I was to discover when Eleanor Stanleigh gave mo hers that cven’ng while I sat smoking In the shadowy garden of the Marine Hotel. I was startled to hear her addressing me bv nar e. and then calmlv hoggin" me to resume my sent on the bench under the orbra She was the soul of directness nn-’ candor, and after a thought*"’ searching look Into mv face s’’ came to the point at once «h (wanted to hear about Firqrbnra'• _ —from mo "Os course my un-le hns given me a verv full ac<oi nt of what ho learned from Mr. Leavitt. nnd vet manv things puzzle me— this M» Ix>avltt most of "A queer chap.” I epitomised hm "Why does he stay there?" I explained about the volcano “You can have no idea what an obsession it is with him There isn’t a square foot of Its steaming treacherous surface that ho hasn’t been over, mapping now fissures poking into old lava-beds, delving ’nto the crater itself on favorabta days—" "Isn't it dangerous?" ”Jn away. yes. < The volcano itself Is harmless enough. He goes poking Into the very crater, half strangling himself In Its poisonous fumes, scorching the shoos off his feet, and once, I believe ho Inst most of his hair and eyebrows—n narrow squeak. He throws his head hack and laughs at anv word of caution. To my notion. It’s foolhardy to push a scientific curiosity to that extreme.” "Is It. then Just scientific curiostty?" mused Miss Stanleigh. .'Something in her tone mad" me »top short Her eves had lifted to mine—almost anipfalingly. I fancied. I felt Impelled to a sudden burst cf confidence “At times I wonder. I’ve caught a look in his eyes he’s been down on his hands ’and knees staring into some Infoenal venthole—a look that is—well, uncannv. as if he were peering into the bowels of the earth for something quite outside the conceptions of science." "Did you get the impression that the »wo men had very much in common?" “Quite the contrary." I answered "But Major Stanleigh should know—" “Mv uncle never met Mr. Farquharson.” Ml«s Stanleigh remained lost In thought while her fingers toyed with the pendant of the chain that she wore. In the darkness I caught th? glitter of a small gold cross “Mr. Barnaby.” she Anally broke the silence, and paused “I have decided to tell you something This Mr. Farquharson was my husband “I did not see him for four years -—did not wish t<b . . . And he vanished completely. . . Four years!—just a welcome blank!" Her shoulders lifted and a little shiver went over her “Yes. and during the past month I have actually prayed thnt he might be dead. ... I shall be punished for it." I ventured no rejoinder to these words of self-condemnation Jovce. I reflected, mundanely, had clrarlv swept her off her feet In the ardor of their first meeting and Instant love “It must be a great relief to you." I murmured nt length, “to have It all definitely settled at last" “I* I could only feel that It was! ” "Why, su'clv. M’ss Rtanlelgh.” I hurst forth, "there can’t be any reasonable doubt. Ix’avltt’s mind mav be a little fiightv—he mav have embroidered bls storv with n taw gratuitous details: but Farquharson’s books and things—the material evidence of bls having lived there— ’’ “And having died there?” “Su-elv Leavitt wouldn't have fabricated that! If you had talked with him—" “I should not care to talk with Mr. Leavitt," Miss Stanleigh cut me short. "I want onlv to go and see—if he Is Mr. Leavitt." "If he Is Mr. Leavitt!" For a moment I was mvstified. and then in a sudden flash I understood ”1 am determined to go to Muloa. Mr Barnaby.” she announced. with decision. “1 want you to make the arrangements, and with as much secrecy as possible. I shall ask my aunt to go with mo.” I assured Mjss Stanleigh that the Sylph was at her service.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

I li IWh ; rvaISSSB

We reached Muloa just before nightfall, letting go the anchor in placid water under the lee of the shore while the Sylph swung to and the sails fluttered and fell In the brief twilight the shore vanished into dim obscurity Miss Stanleigh, who for the last hour had been standing by the rail, silently watching the island, at last spoke to me over her shoulder: "Is it far Inland—the place. Will it be difficult to find in the dark?” Her question staggered me. for she was clearly bent on seeking out Leavitt at once. A strange calmness overlay her I acceded to her wish without protest. Leavitt’s bungalow lay a quarter of a mile distant. There would be no difficulty in following •the path. 1 would have a boat put over at once, I announced in a casual way, which belied my real feelings, for I was beginning to share some of her own secret tension "at this night invasion of Leavitt’s haunts. With Williams, the boatswain, carrying a lantern, wo pushed Into the brush, following the choked trail that led to Leavitt's abode. But the bungalow, when we had reached the clearing and could discern the outlines of the building against the masses of the forest, was dark and deserted The lantern, lifted high in the boatswain's hand, cleft at a stroke the darkness within On the writing- table, cluttered with papers and bits of volcanic rock, stood a bottle nnd half-empty glass. Things lay about in lugubrious disorder, as if the place had been ransacked by a thief For a long moment the three of us faced the silent, disordered room. Suddenly Miss Stanleigh made toward the photographs above the bookshelves. “This Is he," she said, taking up one of the faded prints. “Yes—Leavlt.” I answered. “Leavitt?” Her fingers tightened upon the photograph. Then, abruptly, it fell to the floor "Yes. y ea —of course." Her eyes closed

sensed her mad impu se which the dark water suggested. “Mrs. Joyce,” I remonstrated sharply.

very slowly, as If an extreme weakness had seized her. In the shock of that moment 1 reached out to support her. but she checked my hand. Her gray eyes opened again A shudder visibly went over her, as if the night air had suddenly become chill. "Where is he? I must speak to him.” said Miss Stanleigh. “One might think he were deliberately hiding." I muttered "Then find him.” the girl commanded. I cut short my speculations to direct Williams to search the hut in the rear of the bungalow. where, behind bamboo palings. Leavitt's Malay servant maintained an aloof and mysterious existence I sat down beside Miss Stanleigh on the veranda steps The light of Williams’s lantern emerging from behind the bamboo palings, disclosed the burlv form of the boatswain with a shrinking Malay in tow He was jabbering in his native tongue, with much gesticulation of Ils thin arms Williams urged him along unceremoniously to the steps of the veranda The poor follow socm-’d Indeed In a state of complete funk With his thin logs quaking under h'm he poured forth in Malay a <r,-i”sl distorted tale According to W“dotimba, Leavitt —or Fkrquharson. to give him his real name—had awakened the high displeasure of the flame-devil within the mountain. Had we not observe! that th" cone wnS smoking furiously? And the dust and hoavv taint of sulphur In the air? Surely we could feel the very tremor of the ground under our feet. All thot day the enraged monster hod been spouting mud and lava down upon the white tunn who hnd remained In the bungalow. drJnMo*- heavilv t nd bawling out maledk tlons upon his enemy. At length. In sn't" of Wadakimba's efforts to d’ssuade him. he had set out to climb to the crater, vowing to show the flame-devil who was master. He had compelled the terrified VVadaklmUa to

TUESDAY, AUGGST 19, 1930.

go with him a part of the way. The white tuan —was he really a god, as he declared himself to be? —had gone alone up the tortuous, fissured slopes, at times lost to sight in yellowish clouds of gas and rteam. while his screams and I threats of vengeance came back to \\ adakimba’s ears Farquharson must Ind *ed have part d with his reason to have attempted that grotesque sally. Lis!t ning to VVadakimba’s tale. I pictured the crazed man. scorched to tatters, heedless of bruises and burns. scrambling up that difficult and perilous ascent, and hurling his ridiculous blasphemy into the flares of smoke and steam that issued from that vast cal Iron lit >y subterranean fires At its simmering the whole island trembled. A mere whiff of the monster’s Ibrenth and he would have been snuff'd out According to Wadatimba the end had indeed come in that fashion It was as if the mountain lad given a deep sfeh The blnrt had carried away solid rock A sheet of flame had licked the s|>ot Wh'ie Farquharson had be"n hurled headlong, and he was not Wadakimha. viewing all this r„om afar had ven’ured to the scene of the tragedy He had picked un Farqnharson’s scorched helmet which had been blown off tn some distance, and he also exhibited’a pair of binoculars washed down by the tide of lava, scarred rnd twisted bv the heat, from which the lenses had melted away. • • * Major Stanleigh and hfs wife deferred their departure for England until their niece should be properly married to Joyce At Eleanor’s wish, it was a verv simple affair, and as Joyce’s bride she was as eager to be off to his rubber-plan-tation In Malduna as he was to set her up there as mistress of his household I had agreed to give them passage on the Sylph, since the next sailing of the mail-boat would have necessitated a further fortnight’s delay. In the cabin that evening at

dinner, when the two of them deigned to take polite cognizance of my existence, I announced to Joyce that 1 proposed to hug the Island pretty close during the night. It would save considerable time. Evening had fallen when we came up on deck. Joyce bethought himself of some cigars In his stateroom and went back For the moment I was alone with his wife by the rail, watching the stars beginning to prick through the darkening sky. “You may think it unfeeling of me." she began, quite abruptly, “but all this post trouble of mine. I now that it is ended. 1 have eompleti ly ditanissed Already it begins to seem like a horrid dream "Perhaps you understand." she went on, after a pause, "that I have not to’d my husband. But I have not deceived him. He knows that I was once married, and that the man is no longer living He does not wish to know more." u • • • It was after midnight The Sylph came about, with' sails trembling. nnd lost headway. Suddenly she vibrated from stem to stern, and with a soft grating sound that was unmistakable came to rest We were aground In what should have been clear water, with the forest-clad shore of Muloa lying close off tn port The helmsman turned to me with a look of silly fright on his face, as the wheel revolved useless tn his hands. We h“d shelved with scarcely a jar sufficient to disturb those sleeping below, but in a twinkling Jackson, the mate, appeared on deck in his pajamas “What do you make of this?" he exclaimed, as I called for the lead. "It’s the volcano we have to thank for this." was my conjecture "Its recent activity has caused some displacement of the sea bottom.” There was nothing to do but to wait for the tide to make and lift !the vessel clear It would be a matter of three or four hours. I (dismissed the helmsman: and the

watch forward, taking advantage of the respite from d.ity, \r -, r« soon recumbent in attitudes of heavy sleep. Alone, 1 paced bark and forth countless soft-footed miles, ft seemed, »h rou| h interminable hours. Suddenly a soft thump against the side of the schooner, followed by a scrambling noise, made me turn round. The dripping, bedraggled figure of a man In a sleeping suit mornted a rope ladder that hung over the side, and paused, grasping the rail. Just then the socty vapors above the edged maw of the volcano were rent by a flare of crimson, and In the fleeting Instant of unnatural daylight I beheld Farquharson. barefooted, and dripping with seawater. confronting m<- with a sardonic, triumphant smile. "It was not your Intention to stop at Muloa," he observed, dryly, for the plight of the schooner was obvious. "We’ll float clear with the tide," I muttered. "But in the meantime"—there was something almost menacing in his deliberate pause—“l have the pleasure of this little call ui»n you.” To get rid of him, to obliterate the horrible fact that ha still existed In the flesh, was the instinctive impulse of m v staggered brain. But the peril of discovery, the chance that those sleeping below might waken and bear us. held me in a vise of indecision. "If I could bring myself to reproach you. Captifn." he went on. ’ronically polite, "I might protest that your last visit to this Island savored of a - ntrusion. You’ll pardon my frankness I had convinced you and Major Stanleigh that Farquharson was dead To the world at large that should have sufficed. That I choose to remain alive is my own affair. Your sudden return to Muloa—with a lady—would have upset everything, if Fate and that Inspired fool of a Malay had not happily Intervened. But now. surely, there can be no doubt that I am dead?”

“I car. promise you that." I attempted to assure him In weak. I sepulchral tones. “And now. if you like. I’ll put you ashore In the Ismail boat. Yon must be getting (chilly in that wet sleeping-suit." “As a matter of fact I am. and 1 was wondering if yon would not I offer me something to drink." “You shall have a bottle to take ! along." I promised, with alacrity, but he demurred "There is no sociability In thnt. And you seem very lonesome hero —stuck for two more hours at least. Come, Captain, fetch your bottle and we will share it together." I contemplated him helplessly There was no alternative but to fall in with whatever mad caprice ml'.ht seize his brain. If I opposed him. it would taail to high and querulous word’: and the hideous fact of his presence there—of his mere existence —I was bound to conceal at all hazards. I went stealthily down Into the cab’n. where I secured a box of cigars and the flrat couple of ibottles that my hands laid hold of i n the locker. "Now this is something like.” ho nurred. watching like a cat my every motion as I sot the glasses forth and guardedly draw the cork His disengaged hand had fallen tn the side of tho chair, and I now nbs rved in d'smnv that a scarf beta„<r|ng to Jovce’s wife had boon |1 ft lying 'n the chair, and that his fingers wore absently twisting the silken fringe He lifted his glass nnd drank It off. then thrust it out to be refilled “Life as the world lives it —boh!" he dismissed It with th" s“orn of one who counts himself dp-octod of nil illusions “Life would bo an infernal boro if ft wore not for fra naradoxos. Now von. Captain Barnnbv. would never dronrn that in becoming dead to th" world—tn other P“on'o’s be’lef —I have become intensely alive. There are opened up infinite possibilities—" "I'm a ris'n man of tho sea.” I rajo'ned bluntly "I take life as il comes.” Ho smpofl dorisfvo’v. drained his class, nnd held it out again "But you have vonr soerots. rather clumsily guarded, to be sure—” "What <“wrets?" I cried out, gond"d almost bevond endurance. "There is no reason why wo should onarrel.” he wont on “But there are times which call for plain spooking. Mnior Stanleigh lis probaljv kn-d'v aware of fust what ho said to me under a ’lttle (artful questioning It seems that j a ladv who—shell we saw whom wo both have the honor of knowing?—ls In love. Love, mark vou It is always interesting to see that flower bud twice from the same stalk However, one naturally defers to a lady, especially when one Is very much In her way Place aux domes eh? Exit noor Faro'iharson! Yon m'tat admit thnt his wi-s an altruistic sou! Well, she has her freedom —if only tn baster it for a new bondage. Shall we drink to the happy future of that romance?” A feeling of utter loathing wont over me I set my g'nss down. "It would boa more serviceable compliment to the lady In question If I strangled vou on the spot,” I muttered, boldly. "But you are forgetting that I am already dead ” He throw his head back as if vastly amused, then lurched torwar’u and held out

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his glass a little unsteadily to b« refilled. He gave me a quick, evil look. "Ik'sldes, the nolso might disturb your passengers.” He drained his gloss and sat staring Into it. his head drooping a little forward. The heavy win* was beginning to have its effect upon him. "You seem very much distressed," he observed, with Ironic concern. "One might think you were actually sheltering these precious love-birds . , . Lovebirds—" I caught the word feebly from his lips, spoken as If In a daze. The glass hung dripping from his relaxed grasp. It was a crucial moment in which his purpose seemed to waver and die in his clouded brain. I leaned forward to take th* glass which was ail but slipping from his hand, when Ijikalateha flamed with redoubled fury. It was as if the mountain had suddenly bared its fiery heart to the heavens, and a muffled detonation reached my ears. » Farquharson straightened up wdth a jerk and scanned th* smoking peak. He watched Its graceful play as If hypnotized, and began babbling to himself In nn incoherent prattle. All his faculties seemed suddenly awake, hut riveted Solely upon the heavy laboring of the mountain. When I ventured to urge him hack to shore he made no protest, but followed me Into the boat. As I pushed off and took up the oars he had eyes for nothing but th* flaming cone. • "The fire upon the altar Is lit." he addressed me oracularly, while the fanatic light of a devote* burned in his eyes. "Shall we ascend and prepare the sacrifice?" I leaned over tne oars, panting from my exertions. Indifferent to his rhapsody. He leaped over the gunwhal* and strode up the beach. Again he struck his priest-like attitude and invoked me to follow “The fire upon the altar waits." he repeated, solemnly. Suddenly ho broke Into a shrill laugh and ran like a deer tn the direction of the forest that stretched up tho slopes of the mountain. • • * My first glance about the dock had been one of relief to note that Jovce and his wife were not there, although the commotion of getting under sail must have awakened them. A breeze had sprung up which would prove a fair wind as I soon as the Sylph stood clear of the point. The mate gave a grunt of satisfaction when at length the schooner began to dip her bow nnd lay over to the task. Leaving him , In charge, I started to go below, when suddenly Mrs. Joyce, fully . dressed, confronted me.

“You have been awake long?" I ventured to ask. « "Too long." she answered significantly with her face turned away, looking down into the wate®, She hnd taken mv arm and drawn (me toward the rail Now I felt her ! fingers tighten convulsively In | the droop of her head and the tons* curve of her nock I sensed her mad impulse which the dark water suggested. “Mrs. Joyce!" I remonstrated, sharply. "What other way out is there?" "Never that," I said, shortly. I urged her forward again. “Is your husband asleep?" “Thank God. yes!” “Then you have been awake—■■ “For over an hour," she con-f-ssod. nnd I detected the shudder that went over her body. “Tbp man Is mad—" "But I am married to him." "When we reach Malduna—” I began, but the words were only torture. “I cannot—cannot go on. Take mo book!—to that Island! T.ot m* j I've obnndnnod—o- rather dta—" For what seemed an intern imb’* j t’mo wo nooofl fb« deck together (while T.okalatcha flamed farther nnd farther nsforn. H"r words "ame In fitful snatches as If spok“n in a delirium, and at time sb* wool 1 nouso and grin the rail to stare back, wild-eyed, at ‘he receding Island • Suddenly she started and In a e ort of blinding, noon-dnv blaze I | saw her face hln"oh w'fh horaor. I ft was as if at thnt moment th* heavens hnd cracked nsundor nnd 'the night had fallen awav tn chaos. Turning. I snw tho cone of th* mountain lifting skywa-d in frag|nients —nnd snw no more, for th* (blinding vision remained senrad unon ’be retina of mv eves. Across the water, slower paced, came the dread concussion of sound. "Good God! It's carried ntvov | the whole Island!” I hoard th* mate’s voice bellowing above th* cries of the men. The Svlph scudded before the approaching s’orm of fire redescending from the skv. . . . The first gray of the dawn disclosed Mrs Joyce still standing bv the rail, her hand nestling within the arm of her husband. Ind’fferent to the heaw grayish dust thnt fell In benediction upon her like a silent shower of snow. • • • The Island of Muloa remains today a charred cinder lapped about bv the blue Pacific. At times gulls circle over its blackened and desolate surface devoid of every vestigo of life.. From the squat, truncated mass of Lakalatcha, shorn of halt its lordv height, a feeble wisp of rmoke still issues to the breeze, a* if Vulcan, tired of his forgo, had banked its fire before abandoning. it McClure Newspaper Syndicate.