The Wateree messenger. (Camden, S.C.) 1884-1942, July 26, 1933, Image 3
FORLORN ISLAND
> Vlti' \.?V. ? t* ?.? ? ? I ?'
By Edison Marshall
Coprrtfht by Kdlxon ViniMfl '
WNU SerVlOS
SYNOPSIS
With his yacht, the Intrepid, prac
tical ly abandoned by Its crew, Felix
Horton, millionaire, with his mother,
his daughter Nan, and Hoy Stuart, puts
Into' Squaw Harbor, Alaska, to recruit.
Vailing to secure sailors, Horton en*
Sages a bunch of nondescripts strand
ad there. A vl van tic Pole called San
donar, deaf but not dumb, to their
leader. Captain Waymlre, the Intrepld's
skipper, Is an old friend of Eric Erlcs
?en, unemployed, but holding master's
papers, and he engages to sail as chief
officer. Horton Is seeking uncharted
Islands of which he has heard. Nan
and Eric indulge In a moonlight fllrta
tlon, which brings them both to the
threshold of Interest In each other, If
not of love. The Intrepid ts deliberate
ly wrecked by one of Sandomar's
crowd. Eric takes command of a small
boat, in which are Horton, his mother
and daughter, Nan's maid, Marie, and
Roy Stuart. Unable to help, they watch
Sandomar kill Captain Waymlre and
leave the ship with his crowd. Way
mlre has thrown Eric a revolver. Aleut
Indians help the party ashore. From
one of them, speaking a little English,
Brio learns there is no communication
with the outside world.
CHAPTER IV ? Continued
"Name, she Aleut word mean 'Place
Where-Everythlng-Gone-Away.' Che
chaquo no say'm."
"Forlorn Island." Eric spoke quietly.
"Fits It pretty well, I should say,"
Roy said. "Chechaquo, how do near-*
ly sixty people manage to live here?"
"We catch salmon, sea-lion sometimes,
roots, berries, birds, in sea we catch
seals, halibut, codfish. But we no dare
Co out very far from harbor, bad cur
rents take bldarka Into rocks. So fish,
halibut, codfish mighty scarce. Sixty
people get along ; more than sixty,
everybody go hungry. So we no have
more than sixty."
He spoke calmly, casually, and Eric
Watched him with steely, narrowed
eyes. "How do you manage it ? not
to have more than sixty?"
"We keep count. When one baby
more than sixty born, he die. Mother,
she cry sometime, but she know do
no good. Other women, they pilt baby
out on beach, wind she blow, baby no
live long."
"Rather like an exclusive club," Roy
said grimly. "Someone has to die off
before another can get In. But don't
look so shocked, Erlcssen, Plenty of
primitive people practice Infanticide ?
some of the Eskimos, for instance ?
but it's usually haphazard. This is
very new and interesting, keeping an
exact count."
"It's horrible! When the popula
tion gets too large, why can't some of
the men defy the danger and strike
out for new lands? That's the way
real men do."
"And get themselves drowned?
That's romanticism? in contrast with
good horse sense. The only thing that
Is troubling me is that now the popu
lation is seventy-six."
Presently Chechaquo led them to
the church. Of the light that some
far-sailing Russian zealot had brought
to Forlorn island nearly two centuries
before, only a dim glimmer remained.
In the front half of a two-room turf
house wap a crude stone altar, a sliver
ikon in the repousse work of old Mos
cow, and one gold candlestick. Here
the Aleuts came to chant the prayers
they did not understand, to the white
man's God on whom they had grafted
their own animal gods and their
devils of sea and storm. In the rear
room lived Fireheart, direct descend
ant of the priest, and custodian of
the magic he passed down.
She came out at once, a slender
jfirl with slanted black eyes, her tawny
skin scarcely darker than Nan's
golden tan. Only a drop of white
blood flowed in her veins, but Jt had
refined her features and quickened
her mind. She gazed at the two white
men half In owe, half In exultation.
"Fireheart make prayer for you to
come," she told them fn soft, throaty
tones. "Prayer, him answered. God,
he big, strong god, give Fireheart what
she want."
"But why, Flr.eheart?" Roy asked.
"What did you want of white people?"
"Fireheart, she hear stories pass
down from priest. She think, dream,
wonder about white man's country;
think, pray maybe sometime white
people come here. So she make Che
chaquo talk white man's talk, so she
ready when they come. She heap
lonely; tired of little Island; think
maybe white man come, take her
away."
Turning from Roy, she caressed
Eric's bare arm. "Fireheart think
your skin heap pretty, heap smooth,
too, like otter fur." What might be a
jealous gleam came Into her slanted
black eyes. "Fireheart see two whlto
girls come in boat, with old woman.
Maybe one your wife?"
Roy broke in quickly "Neither is
bts wife, but the girl with the curly
dark hair will be my wife soon."
"Fireheart no care about you. I no
see yoti come In dream, I see tall man,
with eyes like sea, with skin like
snow." She reached a brown hand
and stroked Eric's cheek. "Yoti no
marry other girl. By'm'by maybe you
marry me? Fireheart, priestess of lost
people? and we have baby with skin
like snow, too." ,
Fireheart 's black eyes were brim
ming, and Eric must answer them
Straight. "A white man does not
imarry until he Is in love," ho told her
"Love comes to him when it
4NMBM ; he has no power to seise it, or
to make It go.H
"Then you no see fireheart In
dream, like I see you? But you see
her now, maybe you catch love .soon.
Her arms, they strong ? they hold you
tight. She young, and she white girl,
like you. And she no say th'ls to any
man before."
When Eric and Roy were out of
hearing, each got the first real glimpse
of the other's soul. They respected
each other deeply, they could work
together toward certain ends, yet they
were as remote as pine and palm.
Eric had Inherited the Idealism of the
North. The basis of his strength
was character. But Roy's guiding
light was logic. He was ruled and
guided by his brain, never his heart.
His superior Intellect ran cold as an
electric dynamo. He could be kindly,
brave where bravery was something
more than a tradition, biJt he took life
as he found it, made the best of It,
and never gazed beyond.
Which of these two types have con
tributed most to civilization ? the In
tellectual or the emotional, the realist
or the dreamer? Which Is most Im
portant In the ultimate destiny of
mankind? Which would triumph In
this Island adventure ? a re-enactment,
on a small scale, of man's long war
with savagery and the raw powers of
nature? Only time could tell.
"Erlcssen, this girl Is our one hope,**
Roy said. "If you'll play your part,
we can be free In two months. She's
fallen In love with you at first sight
whatever that means ? and as priestess,
she controls the Island. If the young
men of the tribe would go with us,
we could reach civilization. You know
that, as well as I. They could feel
their way In a dozen covered kayaks;
a good many would -be lost, but some
would be sure to find the strait."
"Throw their lives away to save our
own skins? That's what it amounts
to."
"What of it? An Inbred, hopeless
handful of savages. Eric, we must
look after ourselves first ? and our
women ? that's the first law of life."
"But I'd have to play square with
Flreheart. She's no common squaw ?
to these people she's a semi-sacred be
ing, whose virginity Is closely guarded
? and the only way I could Induce her
to raise the taboo would be to marry
her In her own church, and take her
with me to the outside world."
"Oh, you'd have to pretend It was
the real thing. But for you the cere
mony would be an empty form ; when
we reached the first settled Island,
we could buy her a lot of new dresses,
a phonograph If she wanted It, and
leave her happy. . . . And really,
she's not a bad looking girl. She'd
make your stay here very pleasant."
Eric's blue eyes had a cold shine.
"You can drop that, Stuart. I wouldn't
break trust with Flreheart even If
we don't leave here for the rest of
our natural lives. If I married her
here In her church, I'd stand by It, but
I'm not going to cross my blood with
Aleuts to save you or anyone else."
A cynical gleam came Into Roy's
cold eyes. "It's plain that Horton
and I will have to take matters Into
our own hands. We can't rely on you ;
you're too d ? d gallant. And I warn
you that our methods may be a lot
tougher on your Aleut friends than a
little romance with a squaw."
They returned to the barabnra to
find their comrades rolled In blan
kets, asleep. Sandomar's gang were
roaming about the Island, fraternizing
with the natives, saving their strength
for trials certain to come. Eric Rnd
Roy flung themselves down on the fur
robes and rested, too.
It was mid-afternoon 1 before they
had all wakened, rubbed their eyes,
and definitely crossed the border be
tween life-like dreams and fantastic
reality. Nan now demanded that she
know the worst. "I'm grown up, and
able to stand It. Are we going to
spend a week at this charming winter
resort ?"
Roy hesitated, but Mother Horton
thrust her lean elbows Into his ribs.
"Tell her!" the clear old voice urged.
"If she'd use her head, she'd figure
It out for herself."
"A week from now, our salmon Ash
ing: should be well under way." Krlc
said gravely. "In three months the
summer will he gone, and the fur
seal herd heading south. A little more
bad luck, carelessness, or overconfi
dence, and we'll be gone, too, not res
cued, but dead. Tlio most we ran
hope for this winter Is Just to live ?
to hang on. Then, If we can keep upx
our strength and our numbers, to plan
some way to freedom."
The girl looked at him straight.
"And If we survWe at all, we may be
here three years? Is that It?"
"I should guess that wo'll either
win ? or definitely losf* ? within one
yenr."
She gazed a long time Info the hiss
lng Are. "I suppose we'd all be lucky
to have gone down with the ship."
"You might suppose so ? I don't."
Eric's tone was deep and rough. "I
thank flod I'm here, still able to flght.
I'm going to make the best of It and,
as soon as you get your bearings, I
know you will. too. And there's a way
out, If we can Just find It."
"And we'll get along," Mother Hor
ton chirped. "Thank heaven I've still
got two good teeth to chew those
tough little birds."
Marie put two leather handbags
saved from the wreck in the middle
of the floor. "Here are our earthly
possessions," Nan said gravely. "I
think we'd better see what we have
now and dlvldo up."
She dumped the contents of the
bags on the floor. On top, more pre
cious than rubles lay half a dozen
cakes of soep whlcb the old house
I
keeper hat} put In with her own skinny
hands. "When they're gone, In about
two weeks, we'll hare to make soft
aoap with fat and ashes," Mother Hor
ton explained. "And by crackle, fifty
year* of luxury hasn't made me forget
how I"
There were two Identical safety
razors, two packages of blades, and
a stropping device. Sharing these,
each of the four men could make some
sort of a decent toilet, a considerable
factor In their morale. There were
three brushes, plenty of. combs, and
scissors; a pound of tob&cco (When It
was gone the pipe-smokers could use
the little willow bark) ; and again
Mother Horton's contribution, some
needles and thread, a carton of clga-'
rettes, and a Bible.
There was simple jewelry? the best
had been left behind In a bank-vault;
articles of apparel; and for toilet use
peculiarly feminine, towels; a carton
of matches, this was Roy's Inspira
tion; a wicked-looking hunting knife
that Wilcox had bought In Seattle;
Roy's ethnological notes; some men's
sleeping and under garments; and ap
proximately a thousand dollars in cur
rency.
The division of the spoil passed
gaily what might have been a dark
hour. Now they could understand the
Joy of an Eskimo squaw at the gift
of a yard of cloth, or a butcher knife.
Roy called Horton aside to advise
an immediate truce with Sandomar's
gang. It would be hard to Ignore
and forget the shame in the dawn but
policy demanded no less. Combined,
they made a formidable party of thir
teen men. They could dominate the
timid Aleuts, possibly force them to
break their taboo. Moreover, If the
whites must make tne Journey alone,
granted an almost Impossible feat, the
bloodstained hands would be needed i
to work the boat.
"And it soon may be a question of
life and death," Roy said. "The food
supplies on this island are decidedly
limited. Eric thinks hard work and
more efficient methods will feed the
whole population, but" I doubt It. We
have no rifles, and we can't do much
more with native Rear than they
themselves."
"You think we may have to ration
the natives?" Horton asked.
"Possibly, for a few months. And
we can't do it without Sandomar's
support. I admit It's a bit raw ? to
come to their island and then half
starve them ? but the fittest must sur
vive. After all, they're Just a hand
ful of Inbred savages, of not the
slightest value to the world."
But could Sandomar's human wolves
be controlled? It looked reasonable
to Roy. Their pack probably lacked
cohesion ; three of them had no hand
In the killings and would want peace.
As for women, they could have their
pick of the squaws ? this would keep
them, satisfied ? and Sandomar himself
could take Flreheart, now that Eric
had rejected her.
The grim-faced crew still hung back
when Eric's crowd sought the Comfort
of the beach-fire. Only when the
seal-meat was boiled, the birds slzgllng,
and the root-bread baked on the rocks,
did they push sullenly near. Horton
spoke to them casually and made
room In the circle, hut only "Garge,"
the little cockney, showed any socia
bility.
Nan would never forget this picture
? the low red fire In the fading light,
a fretful sea under blowing gray
clouds, and the Island populace gath
ered here In the truce of the bread
and meat. It was hard to know
whether she was sleeping In her own
canopied bed in a glittering city and
this was no more than a dream in the
night, or whether she had died and
was born again on this hopeless Isle,
and the distant lights, beauty, and
warmth were no more than a vision
In a white squaw's soul.
"Let's come to an understanding,
all of us from the Intrepid," Horton
began with every show of confidence.
"We're In a bad predicament, to say
the least, hut It won't last long, and
I think we should co-operate J.ist ^s
though we were still on the ship. And
since I'll pay all the bills In the end, I
think I may as well remain In chnrge."
He glanced toward Sandomar, but
the deaf man's eyes were on the
winking fingers of his cockney Inter
preter, and he did not glance up. The
rest of the pack stood ullent, In odd
fixed postures.
"You must all stand and work to
gether, nnd I'll lead you the best I
can." Horton went on. "Now for to
night. Myself, my daughter and her
maid, and Mrs. Horton will occupy
one room of our two room turf-house
-Roy, Eric, Wilcox, and DoValera the
other room. Tho Aleut couple who
own tho house hnve kindly agreed to
move In with their neighbors. Yon
other fellows seem to like one an
other's company, so suppose you tako
the large kasliga (meeting house) at
the end of the village row. Chechaquo
tells me that ho can furnish you with
plenty of extra robes."
There was a tense sllouce, then
ftargo stepped forward. His little
weasel face was drawn In an odd
grimace, half anger, half-scorn. "Who
you speaking to? us?" he asked, In
his high, rasping voice.
"Why, yes. I'm Just suggesting -"
"We don't need you to tell us where
to sleep. We'll sleep where we please
and with 'oo we please, and we don't
want no lip from you. You 'ear me,
don't you?"
Horton chftnged color, but kept his
head. Eric and his friends watched
and waited In dead silence.
"I don't think you need take that
tone," Horton replied. "There's no
reason we should he enemies. Wo're
all going out together, one of these
days, and thero'll be plenty of reward
for good work and decent behavior."
(TO nn OONTINURD.)
Party Frocks for the Younger Set
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
COMKS now the seuson which calls
youth to go partying In frocks
which tune to (lowers and birds and
sunshine and twinkling stars set in
skys of blue and all such beauteous
things which go to make a summer.
Well, here they are In the picture,
threfc charming frocks. Just such as
are sure to win their way Into the
heart of every young girl who sees
them.
Airy-fairy creations are they, made
of chiffon, of taffeta and of net,
these being materials which fashion
stresses with emphasis this summer,
when it comes to favorite media for
the younger set's party frocks.
It Is said In regard to favorite
colors that this is a "pastel season"
and the trio of lovely dresses Illus
trated goes far to prove It so. Togeth
er, they look as If a bit of a rainbow
must have been coaxed to lend some
of Its coloring to the scene. In that
the first gown, on the cunning little
dancing figure. Is of chiffon In u dell
cate blue, while pale pink taffeta is
the choice of the smiling maiden cen
tered in the group, the tall girl to the
right wearing a love-of-a-gown of
green silk net In a delicious cool
green.
A significant feature' about two of
these models Is the fact that the skirts
are formed of tiers of ruffles. This
styling Is very popular this season,
so much so that even dresses (or
grown ups are fashioned In this wise,
with this difference, however, that for
adults the skirts are fitted decidedly
snug, the ruffle-upon-ruffle movement
beginning Just above the knees.
"EEL GRAY" TONE IS
LATEST SHOE COLOR
Schlaparelll's "eel gray" has been
adopted by the shoe world.
Fashion mongers believe that It
will be the high stylfc shoe gray of
fall and winter. It will make a shoe
that can be worn with all other light
er tones of gray, with navy, red and
even with black or brown. A prob
lem thus has been solved for the boot
maker.
Another important kid leather shoe
color Is to be "taupe" for fall. As
Its name Indicates It Is the shade of
the little field mole, a brown with
Just sufficient gray to conform to the
gray vogue.
Predictions for the future Include a
new "faun brown" as splendid for
combinations. ft should harmonl/.e
well with all the browns on the fash
Ion hill of fare, and It Is very smart
combined with black kid ? In the lat
est half and half type of shoe.
Permanent Wave or Curls
Now Attained in Comfort
Many n girl who started ll.'e as an
ugly duckling Is an attractive woman
today. Modern science has given her
many charms that nature failed to pro
vide. Take curly hair, for Instance.
Today It's as easy to transform
straight hnlr Into a mass of natural
looking curls as It Is to koep your
nails trim. With the new machine
less method of permanent waving, you
can sit back comfortably throughout
the waving process, and read a book
or go ahead with your knitting. You
aren't "attached" to any electricity. A
clean odorless vapor Is applied to your
hair, and In less time than you'd thtr.k
It possible, you have a lovely head of
curls.
Crocheted Fabric* Are
Being Employed on Hats
A new hat has come out on the
Paris boulevards, evidently to replace
nowdead Chechia. ft consists of
nothing more than a square piece .of
knitted or crocheted fabric ? or string
done In a fish net weavfr? the corners
of which are stitched In a rounded
manner so that when the en. elope, as
It were, Is opened and the iiesd In
serted, the hat fits like n cap and the
"ears" stand up stiffly nt each corner.
If you study the dressmaking detallt
closely you will notice that the ruf'
ties for the little ehllTon frock are
put together with wee shirred head
ings which accent the softness of the
material. The taffeta ruffles for the
other dress are put together with
cording covered with self-silk, so as
to accent the sprightly silhouette
which crisp taffeta Is supposed to
have.
Exquisite lace edging with countless
tiny rosebuds nestling among Its
frills, outlines the cap sleeveB and
wide pointed collar of the dainty
frock which the little dancer is wear
ing. I.onj: streamers of narrow
douhle-faced (pink on one side and
blue on the other) satin ribbon dandle
gracefully from the neckline down the
front of the frock.
The pink taffeta frock has perky
cap sleeves made of ruffled organza
In matching pink, finished with a
binding of the taffeta. A narrow pale
blue velvet ribbon Is tied about the
wrist.
For modish sub-debs there Is noth
ing prettier than the party fl'ock
made of either silk or cotton net. es
peclnlly now that net Is so smartly in
fashion. For the gown shown here
(to the right) the designer chooses
tine silk net In a lovely pale green.
Hows of satin folds In matching
green make an effective trimming. A
lovely rose shading from pink to deep
red posed at the waistline sounds Just
enough of a sophisticated note to sat
isfy the aspiring young modern who
Is wearing It.
?. 1913. Western Newspaper Union.
PARIS STYLES
l?y (II Kit IK NICHOLAS
Just off tho steamer nre these two j
Schlnpnrelll modftls. Their simple,
conservative styling give* thom (lis
Unction. Interest also editors about
tho materials of which Hioy nre fnsh
loned, for fabrics arenlwnys Important
in this vorsntlle coutourlor's colter
Hons. The evening gown Is made of
a bright blue lacquered net which Is
not only wonderfully good looking for
summer wenr, but Is Ideally cool. The
clever handling of a single hrond Rtrap
over one shoulder with a tiny cape
sleeve ovor tho other Is Intriguing.
The sports dress Is of white artificial
oanvfts, a new material which has
created a sensation. The belt Is of
brown and white lnstox ribbon.
Whit# for Evening
White in tailored cut Is promoted
an usual for summer wear, and frothy
white styles for evening. One out
standing Is of organza with si* grad
uated ruffles which begin nt the kneel
and fall to the floor.
LEARN MUCH BY
WORD OF MOUTH
Education in Commingling
of Conversationalists.
In the school of life conversation
la headmaster. Reading may widen
the ambit of experience, but who
ever cares to know how large a part
of his knowledge con.es by word of
mouth can tlnd out by trying to write
down verbatim two or three hour's of
lively talk.
The $120,000 granted from the
Carnegie foundation to cultivate pub
11c conversation Is money well spent
Not that the project goes by an\
such name. It Is called a system o
forums for men atul women held It
34 public schools of Pes Moines, ar
Informal lecturer speaking for the
first half-hour to present fact mate
rial requisite for an Informal dis
cusslon, after which the audlencc
takes part. The aim Is educational
No attempt is made to convert. Top
les range from agricultural debts t<
the Japanese in Manchuria. Attend
I ance was large and discussions cour
teous. It is expected lids prnctloc
will spread? a school in which de
mocracy Instructs Itself by the art of
I conversation.
(Jood conversation is, like an hon
est Cod, the noblest work of man;
a fine art and a rarity. That ditll
cult art-form, the drama, is conver
ret. | on overheard ? difficult because
It must tell a story within time llm
its, which presupposes a unity In
I events which actual life seldom if
| ever has. This unity the artist must
invent. Then should conversation
likewise be steered? Too evident
steering spoils the sport. No, H
! should oe allowed to follow the ball
This requires a t licit connivancc
amongst thp players to take what
| comes, a kind of improvised orches
tration in which each Instrumental
j 1st Is content to play or be silent a?
desired. There Is of course, a spe
cles of "noninterventionist" cuidanc
which consists in keeping on<
thought ahead of the topic, as n
player or singer reading music al
first sight keeps eves a measure or
several measures ahead of his hand?
or voice; but even so he must rec
oncile himself to letting good topic?
go over the dam for the sake of
' maintaining the stream In flow, al
i though by keeping mental notes In
' can, if the talk thins, thicken it b\
' fishing up a phrase or an idea from
the back eddies.
How seldom it Is that, at a large
table or fireside, conversation doe?
1 not split into threes or twos. Tlif
roomful, or even the hearthshl<
group, which converses as a unit, 1'
this does not argue formal pre-ar
' rongement to discuss a given theim
J or else the presence of some power
! fully shared Intellectuol Interest
does argue a high degree of genera
j information and Is so unusual as t
| he something like a social triumph
] The conversational artist can b?
Identified by his willingness to sinl
his ego, like an actor, a musician oi
i n dancer. The personality is stil
there, but only as a vehicle for ideas
Croup conversation best thrive?
when impersonal. I>ispute Is peril
ous and heated dispute fatal. Wher
argument stalks in, truth stalks out
Instead of being a collaborative pro
duction of Ideas, the talk becomes a
mere wi angle between opposing
counsel. We might as well adjourn
j to a court of law and be done with
It. For argument attempts to bound
the universe by a slmrle intellect
but discussion Is an effort to free
the intellect for ranging the uni
verse. ? Boston (llobe.
Don't Scratch
INSECT BITES
Inscct bites bring discomfort, but if
you scratch them they may bring infec
tion and DANGER! Take no chances.
At the first sting or bite, spread on
cooling, Soothing Penctro, the mutton
suet salve. It's stainless and snow-white,
takes out the sting, soothes irritation,
stops itching and sterilizes the tiny
skin break to guard against infection.
Ask for Penctro, three economically
priced sizes, 25c, 50c and $1.00.
why pay m o n r. ?
PARKER'S
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Impart* Color anrl
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1b>M<h cKwi. frfcffftte1?lrl?'.N.T
FLORESTOK SHAMPOO ? Id?i1 for om In
?onn?<rt Ion with th?
h?lr Dot t ?n<l fluffy. 60 <*mUi i >y mail or nt rlriijr
arlata. IIUoox Chwml<uU Work*. Pftt?ho<r??. N.Y.
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