Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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FORLORN ISLAND By Edison Marshall Copyright by Edison Marshall WNU 8?rvlc? SYNOPSIS With hts yacht, the Intrepid, aban doned by its crew, 'Felix Horton, mil lionaire, with his mother, his daugh ter Nan, and Roy Stuart, puts Into Squaw Harbor. Alaska, to recruit. Falling to secure sailors, he engages * bunch of nondescripts stranded there. A gigantic Pole, Sandomar, Is their leader. Captain Waymlre, the Intrepld's skipper. Is an old friend of Erie Ericsson, unemployed sailor, and he engages to sail as chief officer. Nan and Eric Indulge in a moonlight flirtation, which brings them both to the threshold of love. Tho Intrepid is wrecked by one of Sandomar's crowd. Eric takes command of a small boat, with Horton and his party. Unable to help, they watch Sandomar kill Cap tain Wayinlre and leave the ship with his crowd. Waymlre has thrown Eric a revolver. On landing, Eric learns there 1b no communication with the outside world. Flreheart, priestess of the island, descended from a white man in the remote past, knowing a little English, welcomes the cast away*. Sandomar declares there shall b* no law on the Island, but Eric, having the only gun, cows him for the tlmq, declaring ho Is the law. He lays out work for all, whites and Indians alike. Nan faces the situation brave ly. Eric's love for her swolls, and he tells her he means to win her for his mate, despite all obstacles. She Is not unwilling. CHAPTER V ? Continued "You've already antagonized 'om. Certainly you don't Imagine that they've taken kindly to this little monarchy you've set up. They'll rise against you, against your friends, too, the first chance they get. If Sando mar uses his head ? and you know he has a good one ? he can lead theni In a revolt that will sweep us all Into the sea. The* only sensible thing now Is to go the whole hog, rule 'em with nn Iron hand, regard the island not ns their property but ours, and make It so tough for them that they'll glad ly break their taboo to help us find our way hack to civilization." Roy went on. "We'll let that go for now. Hut there's another matter we won't let go. I refer to what you told Sandomar the first night on the Island." Eric turned gravely. "That I want ed one of the girls?" "Yes. I thought at first you must refer to Marie, or that possibly It was I Just part of your bluff. Since then I've I noticed ,your attitude toward Nan, and I heard your voice, though I couldn't hear what you said, when you ac costed her this morning. I've been forced to the conclusion that you meant Nan, and meant It seriously." Eric's eyes turned gray. '1 did mean Nan. Atul I did mean It serl. ?usly." "Then I'm obliged to tell you ? lay off! That's simple and plain, Isn't It? I'll tolerate your seizing the reins here, but I won't stand to see you paying court to my prospective wife," Eric's anger had been rising like the tide before a gale, but suddenly It ran out and left him struggling with a smile. "Isn't she the one to decide ?bout this?" "Unfortunately, not. As dictator here, you feel that you have the right to -protect the Aleuts against an In vader's ruthlessness. As Nan's friend, I have to protect her against her own folly. I concede that you are a gen tleman; still In any normal state of affairs you wouldn't have a dog's chance with Nan. You could glvo her nothing, she would" have to give you everything. You could never fit Into her life, or she In yours. Rut out here, when every old standard Is wiped away, she- Is likely to loso her head. You may make a primitive ap peal to her, I can understand that very well, and sweep her off her feet: then there'd be another shipwreck when we get back to civilization. I mean to protect her against that ? and pro tect you, too." Eric's smile was now open and broad. "You needn't worry about me." "Does that mean you'll confine your energies to running the Island?" "It means I can look out for myself. Moreover. I think Nan can, too." Eric's smile faded, and he faced Roy strnight. "Anyway, my attentions to Nan are nobody's business but hers and mine, and If I can possibly get her, I'm going to do It." Roy did not answer for a long time. At Inst his lips curled. "I see that jrour Idealism Is only for outside con sumption ; tho welfnre of your ship mates doesn't cut much Ice when your own desires are Involved. True, I respect you for that? It's fact, not notion? -but in secret you can remem ber that I'm your enemy." Eric was ringed about with ene mies. On all tho Island, he had only one staunch nnd unfailing ally ? Mother Horton. Felix Horton leaned on him against his will. Wilcox looked to Roy an his chief, and would lake his side In nny break with Eric; Marie adored her mistress, blew hot ?nd cold with her, and Nan herself was half-pal, half-foe. Sandomar and his men secretly plotted his death. Where did the Aleuts stand? With out their friendship, Eric could not win. But they, too, resented his law. Rric could control the natives only 00 far as he could sway their priestess; ?nd he could as well stake his life ?n tomorrow's weather 1 frlreheart was her rightful name ? she was as one of the elements- and she obeyed hor own law. When he passed by the shrine on fourth evening, she called him In throaty, throbbing tones. "White Chief!" He paused, and she came to the doorway. In her slanted eyes was a gleam that stirred his palse, calling to the brute that slept In some black cellar of his brain, but her dark skin repelled him. "You no come see Flreheart heap much," she chlded gently. "I've been working hard, to get food for the people." "But you no get Flreheart food she want. She mighty hungry, mighty thirsty." She smiled wistfully. "You no catch'm love yet?" "Not yet, Flreheart. But I want you to be my friend." "Your skin like snow. Maybe your heart like Ice. Flreheart, she no want be your friend, she be your girl! May be you think Flreheart no so pretty as girl who come In boat. Maybe you think no white man want her. But fine, big white man come to her last night, say he take her, say he want I her heap." She did not fall to see that this shot went home. "Who was It?" Eric asked quickly. "Man whose skin like milk, hair like dry grass. He say his name Swede." She smUort and nodded. "He promise take Flreheart to white man's coun try, treat her fine. Flreheart no give to him yet, but maybe she will If White Chief no catch love pretty quick." Erie's flesh crawled at the pros pect ? the virgin priestess of the lost Isle In the arms of the worst cut "You No Come See Fireheart Heap Much," She Chlded Gently. throat In Sandomnr's crew ? but when he opened his lips to protest, the ring ing words would not come. How little and futile was one man's power 1 "I'd rather you married one of your own tribe," he told her at last. "I no mnrry Aleut I white girl." He saw her dusky skin, her straight coarse hair, her slanted eyes. "Then if you want Swede, take him. He won't carry you away with him ? if he does, he'll not stay with you ? but if you're determined to have n white man, I suppose lie's as good as any." The eager light died In her eyes. "I no want him! I tell you big lie. Fire heart she feel cold, sick, when Swede touch her, put arm nround her. I want you, man I see In dream." Her voice gathered power. "When you touch hand, Fireheart she no cold, she warm like when sun comes through cloud. She no sick, she feel like she fly In air like pouchkie. If you no catch love soon, Fireheart think maybe she die." But Eric could only turn aside. "If Swede makes trouble for you, come nnd tell me. And remember what I said ? that love comes when it comes, and no man can catch It. Now let you and mo be friends." The girl gazed dreamily awny. "Maybe you never catch love for Fire heart," she murmured at last. "May be you want girl who come In boat. I hear you say so first nl^ht you come, but Fireheart make prayer she no hear right. Rut maybe she did hoar right." And now Eric must deal In half lies. The safety of his whole party was at stake. "I think the girl yon mean Intends to marry Hoy. I don't suppose I could get her, no matter how much I want her." "Fireheart make prayer he get her quick, so you no think of her no more. Then maybe you want Fireheart." A low red flame shone through the black Iris of her eyes. "Rut she tell you, she no common squaw, she priestess of lost people. She no wait till she old wnmnn for you come take her. She lovo hard ? like big tide In full moon ? but she no-love like devil-wave sweep over rocks." ******* In the meantime, Snndomar's gang had kept tho law. Although their looks were sullen, they worked stead ily nnd well. Rut Eric knew that this was only tlio calm before tho storm. His guard did not relax, but tight ened with the passing days. Darkened by fears, plagued by evil dreams, his nerves constantly on edge, he longed for the blow to fall, so tho war could end either in definite victory ?>r hope less defeat. When the knife cuts on hln ridge pole recorded seven dnya? when seven eternities had come and gone since his exile on Forlorn Islnnd ? Eric hnd gone to n lonely rench of bench to scout gnrne. Snndomnr's men were working quietly nt the nets nnd traps. The Alouts seemed cheerful, nnd tho wenther wns worth recording In ote tare writing lb the archive* df the tribe. ror the first time since the ship wreck, he could take down his guard. His muscles need not be cocked like the hammer of a pistol, and his eyes could wander dreamily, with no care for flicking shadows Just past their corners. But suddenly the truce ended. It had been only an illusion ? false dawn. Over the dunes and down the beach came two dark figures. One was a little man, with a quick, short step. The other, barrel-chested and long of arm, had a hobbling, un steady gait. Like most men who dwell close to the sources of life, Eric had a strong Intuitive power. A sense of grave peril hung over him. ? Somehow he knew that this open strand was to be the scene of one of the great crises of the Island adventure. Still the two nearlng figures made no suspicious movements. Sandomor talked idly, Eric could see his head turn, and frequently Garge's little hand lifted to reply. To a casual view neither man was armed. The heavy ten-foot pole on Sandomar's shoulder was merely a piece of driftwood he had dug out of the sand and could well be carrying home for the supper fire. Garge had a stone the "size and shape of a big potato In plain sight In his hand. But Eric's alarm grew. In Sando mar's simian arm that young tree- j trunk was a mere club. And there wfti something ominous about Garge's ; stone, carried openly though It was, < that Eric could feel but at first could , ?not quite Interpret. Suddenly the truth dawned ? the stone was in Gorge's right band What deed did he anticipate, that he ***uld he em , ploying his untrained left hintf to sig nal to his master? Eric's own right hand fell t# Ills side, in quick reach of his revolver, as his foes trudged near. "I found this 'ere stone .on the beach," Garge began when he was ten pnces off. But he did not stop ? still talking, he followed Sandomnr until both men stood within six feet of ! their prey. "The old lady said she ! wanted n pestle for mashing up bread- j root, and I thought this 'ere might do." j Eric hardly heard him. Ills thoughts J were fairly flying, seeking deliver ance. That these two foes had come deliberately to kill him he hod not the least doubt. To lose his head niennt to lose his life. . . . llut that danger was passed now. Suddenly his fears scuttled away like coyote cubs, and he was cold and deadly as a she-wolf. If this pair wanted a finish-fight, by G ? d, they would get It I He would not wait for the trap to spring, but would strike first and hard. He could spare the two cartridges. The only question was the best and safest way to carry out his Iron re solve. In his present stand, he could not reach for his pistol. Both men .would attack at once, and though he might down one of them, the other would be almost certain to get in a fatal blow. "I saw a better stone for the pur pose just a few seconds ago," he said thoughtfully. He backed a few feet, his eyes on the ground. Apparently he had dropped his guard. Actually It was as strict as ever. lie was not searching for stones, but watching the long shadows of his enemies, cast by the low sun. The shorter shadow never wavered. Gorge's eyes were quick as a rot's: perhaps he sow through Eric's trick. Anyway, it was not In his make-up to attack from the front, even though the hated stern eyes were lowered. He mode the first move to worn his com rade. But before the fingers of his un trained left bond could waggle their message, Sandomar's funy and hatred broke from Its leash. He did not whirl to strike sideways with the pole. Eric was already out of reach of such a blow. Instead he Jerked the short end of the pole strnfght down, with nil the superhuman strength of his long biceps. As the long end flew up ho mennt to change hands, his left at the pole-end and his right far enough back to give him leverage, then strike down as with o club. Sandomar's feet were unsteady, but his hands were known to ho quirk nnd c lev or. (Jorge knew that they would not fumble; that tho glont's club would sweep up and down In a smooth and terrible nrc, steadily goth erlng momentum until the air hummed, a blow to shatter the back of o wolrus. If It struck fair ? and Sandomar's blows usually did strike fnlr? the tough salt laden trunk would break off on Erie's skull before It crushed through to his collar-bone. Erie was only ton feet distant, In easy reach. Unless nil signs failed the mighty bludgeon would be hang ing heavy over his head before ho looked up. Sandomar's brute heart wos swelling, Inrgo ond larger, with a horrible sadist eestasy. It was ful fillment . . . victory . . . re venge. . . But ns the Islond priestess had often fold In the kashgo on winter nights, chnntlng the ancient legends of the Aleuts, no man can escopo his shndow. At Sandomar's first move, his black flattened Image hocked him on the sand. Eric saw Its first flicker. His hand leaped up and out fast as n striking salmon. Tho blue steel of his revolver gleamed In the sunlight. On his face was a look of doom. As the sweeping barrel came level with Sandomar's breast, Eric pulled the trigger. . . . But tho silence held. There wns onlya futile click of the hammer against the breach. The gun had misfired. (TO HIC OONTINUKD.) Scenes and Persons in the Current News 1 ? Machine gun unit of the Pennsylvania state troops called out to quell mine strike disorder near Grindstone. 2 ? President Roosevelt Issuing to Willinm K. Morris of Texas tiie llrst check of the hllllon dollars to be distributed among cotton growers. 3 ? MaJ. Gen. John F. O'ltyan. selected by fusion lenilers as the anti-Tammany candidate for mayor of New York. English Women Join Mosley Blackshirt Ranks Sir Oswald Mosley. Hrltuin's titled Fascist founder and leader, staged a lar^e parade through the stree. > of Lou don's west end section and surprised street spectators when a detachment of women in full blackshirt uniform made their appearance In t lie parade. GETS TREASURY POST Mrs. Marion Glass Banister *1' Lynchburg, Vn? sister of Senntor Car tor Class, who was appointed by Presi dent Roosevelt to the . position of as slstant secretary of ttie United States treasury. It is the first time that one of her sex has held such a high ofllce In t lie Treasury department. ACCUSED MAYOR "I'll run this city from n poller cell 1 If necrssnry," snld Mnyor Wllllnm J. Swobodn, Jnunty chief executive ?f I llnclne, Wis., who wns nrrested nnd chnrged with accepting n bribe to give I a gnmhlinK syndicate control of the city. lie Is nlso alleged to have al | tempted to bribe tho chief of police. Sftem* Logical "The umbrella I bought from you Is ? not much good." "Ifow Is that, sir?" "I left It In n restnurnnt yesterday, nnd It wns still there today. Gov. Pollard Weds His Secretary (Jov. John Garland I*ol In r<l of Virginia and his secret a ry, Violet Eliza beth McDougall who were married In Winnipeg, Manitoba. The governor's first wife died more than n year ago. Henry Ford on Seventieth Birthday Henry Ford photographed In Detroit In compnny of nomc of hla engineer* on tiln seventieth hlrthdny. Ho celebrated the dny l?y Riving Ida nsRorlntos pho togrnpliR of themselves In conference with him. ' International Air Mail Thore Is nlr mnll service to nVost countries of tho world from tho Unit ed Ktntos, the mnll holng forwnrded l?y nlr to the port of stenmshlp dopnr Hire, then by stonmshlp to London or to h'rnnce or the Nethorlnnds, then by nlr to dostlnntlon. The United Stntea Pont Office depnrtrnent mnlntnlns nlr mnll routes (o nil countries of Centrnl nnd South A morion nnd tho West In dies, ns woll ns Cnnndn nnd Mexico. National Song Popularized To make tho national anlhom more popular, King t.'oorgo requested that I ho mimic ho rearranged. The work haw hern completed hy ('apt. II. ID. Adklna of the Military Mimical acad emy, and la holng published. There la no alteration In the harmony. The principal change In in tho tempo, and there Ih a rearrangement of the Instru mental parts. Hotter playing of the national song Is expected to result.