Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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FORLORN ISLAND By EDISON MARSHALL WNU Service ' Copyright by Edison Marshall CHAPTER XI ? Continued ?18? "Not yet Let things quiet down first. 1 don't want to give any alarm until I can slip oft and get back safe." She drew a deep breath. "What are you going to do?" "Find FIreheart, and ask her to help us." "Do you think," Nan's throat filled, but she went on bravely, "that It's worth the risk? They may be laying for you," "I'll be careful. Anyway,' It's our or^ly chance for complete victory." He listened and watched a moment more. "Nan, hold up one of the robes between me and the lamp. I'm going to make a hole and sneak away." She ^beyed wlthoyt protest: soon Ihe aperture would admit his body. "Put the clods back when I get out so they won't see the light," he di rected. "If they find the hole any way, and learn that I'm not here, let some light through. That will be a signal of danger." Apparently he meant to go on his perilous errand without a word of farewell, and she made no move to stay him. But at last, when his spear was ready In his hand, lie swayed toward her with hungry lifts. "Good luck, Eric," she whispered, her mouth moving against his. "Good luck, sweetheart. Don't worry about me, Just sit tight till I get back, and If you need me, yell at the top of your lungs. I'll keep an eye out anyway, and if I see they're about to attack, I'll come-a-runnlng." At once he slipped through the aperture. Hovering close to the turf wall, he surveyed the ground." Luck seemed to be with him. Two of San domar's gang stood on guard, but they were in front of the hut door, and by ducking Into the shadow of th$ next house he thought he could steal away unseen. Not a pebble rattled under his feet as he crept down the village tow to the chapel. Bright moonlight spread before the entrance, hut Eric crossed It boldly. He found FIreheart kneeling before Ihe ikon, lost In some old service passed down by a long-dead priest She sprang to her feet, trembling. "Why you no with white girl, In new Mouse?" she demanded. I m In trouble," Eric answered gravely. "I've come to you for help." The squaw's Hp curled. "You come to FIreheart? She Just ugly squaw. Why you no go to white girl? She your wife, she help you plenty." "I want you to help her, too. The trouble has come to us all." "Me ? help white girl?" Her voice had a metallic rattle. ^"FIreheart no love her? no-love you, too. You get out trouble best you can." < Eric turned to go. "I'd hoped you'd be a friend to me, as I've been a friend to all your people." The squaw's hand leaped out, like a salmon striking, nnd clutched his wrist. "What trouble come? FIre heart feel good to know. Sandomnr maybe steal wife?" "Sandomar has found out the little gun won't shoot." "Little gun no shoot?" Her slim brrast swelled. "It hasn't been any good since tho night I shot Swede." "And you boss whole Island -Sando mar ? Aleut ? everybody ? with pre tend?" "Yes, but they've found mo out Sandomnr means to kill me nnd take Nan." Briefly, grimly, he explained the wholo situation. Her somber gaze stole ngaln and again to his face. The tendons stood out on her dark, unlovely hands. "You go back Horton's hut?" "Right now." "Then I go, and cnll hunters here I tell 'em nbout. little gun? they be Plenty mad. They no like you ? yoti make 'em work? boss 'em hard? they glad you get In trouble. Ones* may be they like go see Sandomnr kill you." Eric moved to mnke a Inst appeal but the squaw's drawn fnce nnd smol-' fieri ng eyes repelled him. His hope flickered and died. Turning to the door, he made a brief survey of the moonlit ridge, then crept away. All thnt remained now was to cnrry the 111 news to bis friends, rally them the best he could, nnd lead them to some more advantageous battleground for a Inst, desperate stand. Disheartened, he moved less furtive ly, pausing but briefly to reconnolter ?long, tho village row. His fighting edge seemed dulled. His brain felt like a elod Inside his skull, he could ?ot remember tho rattling pebbles un der his feet. Anyway, the coast ap peared clear. If his enemies had dls covered his errand, they would he Waiting for him In the shadow of Ifor ton'a hut, not here. He stole on, hln guard lowered ?' i*;vV . But he had not Reckoned on Sando raar's weird Intelligence, Garge's cun ning. They had foreseen that he might try to enlist Flreheart ? Just too late to stop him ? and had guessed by what route he would return. As he dipped through the N Inky shadow of a mid* way turf-house, a vengeful patient foe came Into his own. Eric had walked Into a trap. Nor could he break free again ; heavy shoulders smote his side, and strong artns encircled his thighs. Before he could turn to fight, a second assailant leaped on his back and caught him around the neck ; and a third, on the opposite side, wrenched the spear from his hand. Their combined weight hurled him headlong: the darkness was streuked with (Ire. It was a savage, silent attack; but some cool mind far within his reel ing head was astonished at its re pressed power. Why didn't these foes Impale him quickly on their spears, while they ? had the chance? Why were they so careful with him, not striking him with their fists, anxious not to knock him senseless, nicely measuring their violence to hold%hlm f^st but not to breifk his bones? If this was mercy, It was a strange kind. It was as though they wished to keep him fresh for some revelry to follow. Yet he thanked them In his heart. When his break came, he would need every ounce of strength they would spare him. When two of tlTem held him while the third lashed his wrists, he made no futile struggle. They hauled him to his feet, and In grim haste led him toward the beach. Only when they emerged full under moonlight did he recognize his cap tors ? Sydney Bill and the two Smiths. They were breathing hard, through set teeth ? a sign Eric feared. Ills vitals cold, his head swimming, his temples dripping sweat, Eric could not at once credit the scene on the beach. It had the uncanny quality of a dream: silence, grayness, timeless ness, and th? difficulty of telling what was alive, what was dead. The rocks, the sleepy sea, and the moonlit strand seemed to - share the same repressed, sinister animation abiding In Sando mar'8 impassive frame. Sandomar sat on a boulder, his paws In his lnp, the moonlight In his brutish eyes. Back of him stood Garge, and for a long time neither made a move, said a word. Cooky and Petroflf were dark shapes squatting on the sand, somehow grotesque, ominous. There was n silvery glint on the crags, a wltchllght over the sea. The waves rolled up dreamily and lapped the pebbled strand; the wind whispered, sobbed softly, died away. Fabulous | rubies glowed In the ashes of the supper fire. At last Sandomar's monotone streamed Into the silence. "I see you caught him." "Just where you said he'd be," Syd ney Bill answered, In hushed tones. "So I'll try him," Sandomar went on, ! unaware that Sydney Bill had spoken. "Garge ? get him ready." The little cockney came weaving across the sand. There was something horribly exultant In the lightness of his step, the position of his hands. He held a spear-thong tied In a noose, which he dropped loosely over the prisoner's head. Holding the end, he slashed with his knife the ropes bind ing Eric's wrists. At the same time, Little Smith raked up the coals of the supper fire and threw on fresh fuel. Eric's brnln was clearing, now. Ills eyes moved In their sockets as he sized up the ground. But there was no chance or shadow of chance for es cape. At his first move, the nooae about his throat would Jerk tight, and ?.Big Smith's ready spear would whiz down. He waited quietly. "You showed us how to hold court, so don't blame us If wo learned the lesson well," Sandomar went on, with somber dignity. "You're charged with the killing of Swede. You'll remem ber that Swede lny Just about where you're stnnding now. Garge, you speflk for the prisoner." Gnrgo took n Rtep forward; In the spreading firelight his face looked shnrp and pinched as a starved rat's. "I don't think we ought to be too 'ard on this 'ere prisoner." he began, his tone dripping with malice. "I think all we ought to do to '1m Is cool 'im off." There was a long breathless pause. "How you goln' about to do that. Garge?" Cooky asked. Plainly this wns part of a mork trial rehearsed be forehand. "We'll Just tie 'Im 'and and foot, and lay him down on the tide flat. The tide's Just turning In. and it will cool 'im off proper In the next six hours." "Your plea for mercy for the prln oner Is granted," Sandomar said, Just as though fSarge'a venom had entered his dead ears. "Ericsson, you've given us some cold nights, but It's your turn now." "He'll flop around enough to keep warm, when the water cots up to 'Is mouth," Garge rasped. "Smith, get him ready. Then you and Sydney J', 111 carry him down." This was no Jest. The two execu tioners moved toward the condemned, a pitiless shine In their eyes. In twen ty seconds more he would be help less, his doom written, his cause lost, the girl he loved slated for suicide or worse. Now, In this swift Interval of time, lay his only fighting chance. Hla mind surged free from the murk of terror and pain. Instantly he was cold, steady, resourceful an never In hi* life. His strong Instinct of self preservation flashed like a shore light through the gloom, orienting him, lead Ing him on. He raised his hand In a command ing gesture. Some echo of hts lost power stopped Smith and Bill In their trncks. "You pack of cowards!" His vole* rumbled along: the Assorted strand. "I'll fight any ono of you for my life." His gaze moved slowly from face to face, but he found no manly pride, only thwarted hatred, mob fury. There was no hope here. The very cow ardice of those who heard him was his doom. The waves lapped the shore, and the moon cast her sinister spell, as ha waited for an nnswer ? In vain. Ru^ there was one of his enemies who had not heard the challenge. For him, sound did not exist ? and for rea sons of his own, Garge's nimble fingers still hung motionless. "Gnrge, tell Sandoraar that If he's not a coward, he'll fight me man to man." Eric said with stinging con tempt. The ratty face seemed to weazen. Eric's faculties were preternaturally keen, fighting for his life, or they I would have never taken warning from the Instant's paralysis of the little, delicate hand. Then he saw It rise 1 boldly up, the fingers wiggling like the legs of a water spider. With a suffocating heart, Eric watched Sandomar's face. All he asked now, flickering hope at best, I was one gleam of human anger in the ! deep-set eye's, an instant's baring of the simian fangs. But the dark visage stayed a brutish mask. The great limp hands never quivered. It was a cruelly effective answer. It Implied a whale's Indifference to the snarls of a polar bear, a supremacy of strength beyond need of test. His henchmen squared their shoulders. Their looks grow savagely exultant. They could work their will on their prisoner now, with many a grim Jest, and no flush of shame on their drawn cheeks. ... He was not the Person of the Law, but only a man! ? like themselves? not the island king by right of worth, but a cold bluffer, a cheat. . . . Eric's blood rippled cold as the moonlight on the tide. Rut suddenly it shot down his veins like liquid fire. . . . Even Sandomar could not be so Inhumanly strong. Eric remembered the strange deeps of Garge's love. He whirled on the little cockney with an oath. "You didn't tell him what I said I" "You're a liar 1" , Sandomar lean^Tl forward on his boulder, his dead ears pricking up in vain. "What's going on?" he demanded. It was more like a savage bark, than a man's voice. But Garge dared not tell him. Des perate, he pulled the thoag to throttle his enemy. Eric saw his wrist twitch Just in time. His right hand grasped the thong, holding It slack. Beside him, Big Smith flung back his spear, but Eric could not combat this, or even glance at It. Playing his luck, he stood motionless ? and the point slowly fell. "You let Sandy alone." Garge spoke In bitter anguish, his hand on his knlfe-hllt. "If you don't, I'll carve your heart ? " Ignoring him, Eric stooped and be gan to smooth off the sand between himself and Sandomar. Perhaps no act of his life demanded colder nerve thaq this, to take down his guard in the ring of the hungry pack. Then, with his right hand still grasping the thong, the fingers of his left forming n pencil, he wrote Immense letters In the sand : COWARD There was no sound but the wills perlng wind, the lapping waves. The sailors stared at the great Indictment, stretching ten feet across the beach, then looked furtively at their master. Sandomar rose slowly, with re pressed strength. The Jungle eye# lighted, the long arms hung bowed. "I didn't understand you before," he muttered. "I do not hear ? nnd Garge cheated me. You ask to fight me man to man?" Eric nodded. "I'll give you what you ask, but you'll wish you'd chosen the tide. With weapons, or empty hands?" Eric feared the terrible paws to the marrow of his bones, so he pointed to Smith's spear. Sandomar shook hln head. "I am not handy with n spear." Then, turn ing to Sydney Rill: "Get two toma hawks." Three of the men were armed with these stone age weapons, heavy, sharp Hints lashed to stout shafts, nnd Rill presented them quickly. "Let Ericsson take his choice," the dull voire ran on. "He'll need that little advantage." He stood Inert, a grotesque, forlorn, and tragic figure, while Eric welched the two weapons and chose the lighter. "Now tnke off his noose, and stand hack. No mat ter what happens? stand back. If that little monkey of mine tries to Interfere, break his Jaw." The tforllla lumbered forward; the monkey and the wolves drew back. With wings on his fret and cold rapture In hln heart, Eric rame weaving ? ? ? Mind and all It means versus Might, Law opposed to Chaos. Rrlffht faced Man, slim, young, erect, eagerly listening- -against the ancient Jungle, stooped of shoulder, dark nnd low of brow, deaf to the fur calls on the wind. <ro grc cONTi.vtiion.) StoneHeng* "Rtonehenge" Is a name that applies to the huge monoliths. About the half of the word "henge" there Is some dif ference of opinion. The Anglo Snxon word "henge" means something hang ing or supported in the air. ft In pos sible that In some prehistoric time these great monoliths supported som<? kind of a ladder. Another theory with reference to the word Is that Stone henge was erected to commemorate some act of Henglst, one of the early *"u1ers of a part of Rrltaln. Call for Hats With a Feather Accent By CHERIE NICHOLAS WHAT the new Uttlo feathers are doing for the new little hats this 6eason In the way ,of Riving them swank and charm, Is a trilling tale to be told. The milliner takes a wee I bright feather not much bigger than your thumb and with wondrous cun , nlng thrusts it through some little nook or crook In the crown of a soft '? rakish felt shape and voila ! you have a sports hat which is positively devas tating In Its debonair lines. Perhaps , it Is a clustor of diminutive ostrich j tips on a more formal velvet or satin chapeau which Is Just as captivating. It's the Tyrolean Influence which uprightly colorful feather accents on soft, folded and creased crowns Is re flecting, and the result Is as pictur esquely alpine as fancy may conceive. Tour town or sports hat is supposed to be Just like that ? of felt novelty woolen or of stitched velvet' or sntln. Just so it's properly tailored, with a frivolous little feather posing most I anywhere thot looks nonchalant. ! In the group Illustrated, the hats in ; set In the panels flaunt their saucy j feathers with a casualness which Is i exactly In step with the mood of the hour. The felt to the left savors of a man's soft fedora which Is charac teristic of the newer sports models. Its novel multi-colored whirligig of a feather poses at Just such a rakish angle as fashion demands. The draped woolen beret to the light which dips over one eye with a peak to Its crown which goes a la Chinese. ob the smartest hats have a way of doing these days, flourishes a teeney weeney quill which carries a most con 1 vlnclng style message. ! Of course, when you dress up for I I OLD TRUNKS HIDE "LATEST" FASHIONS Now tliat the spirit of the 00a hnB Returned in leg-o'-mutton sleeves, wide shouldered frocks nnd n return of some of thnt gny "fuss nnd fenthors" spirit, It mny he thnt n little rummng Inn among tlie family relics will bo more thnn repaid. Of course, most old clothes nre dls carded or given nwny, but the excop tlons nre nlwnys lovely things. The styles of the coming winter nre going to be more formnl, more grnce ful In some wnys thnn th?>y hnve been for yenrs. I'erhnps If you rummage through some of grandmother's pncked nwny belongings (If she'll let you), yon mny be rewarded by finding some ex quisite penrl embroidery, n priceless egret plume, or n bit of delicate vnlen clennes thnt will give distinction to your winter wnrdrobe. ' New Ribbed Fabrics Are Favored in Winter Mode From present Indlcntlons, ribbed fnbrlcs will hnve first plnce next win i ter, nnd very Interesting novelties In corduroy nnd ottomnp nre nnticlpnted. I There is n new wlde-wnlod corded ot toinnn In rnyon, which might he cnlled | corduroy ottomnn, nnd which In recom mended for suits, conts nnd drossps, nnd exists In severnl weights. It cnn nlrendy be foreseen thnt brondcloth will be prominent next win ! ter, pspeclnlly for nfternoon conts over crepe or sntln dresses. Spongy, some tlnips very slightly bouele mnterlnls nnd loose woven etnmlncs will dispute the supremncy of the morning mode with hnlry nngorn wools, ' djnrred kiisliemero nnd rnhhit-hnlr fnhrlrs. Slipper Satin St Iff shiny sntln, the kind they ninke slippers of, Is being used for the newest nnd smartest evening wrnps for fall. matinees nnd calling and more formal events, you will be wanting one of-the > perfectly fascinating ostrich-trimmed velvet chapeaux such as are making so glamorous a showing on autumn and millinery collections. There Is that note of elegance and the prettily feminine about them which goes l^ack to the gay SM)s for Inspiration. The coloring of the three velvet ..ats shown at the top In the picture, Is Just too delectable for words. The ravishing velvet sailor depicted to the left Is in that new blackberry tone which can scarcely be distinguished from black Itself. It seepis that In ; I'aris several of the best designers are j preferring this glorified berry tone to deadly black. The trio of lovely os trich tips on this hat are in petunln shades. The coquettish little toque centered above Is one of the new fatigue types which, by the way, are considered n "last word" when It comes to up-and coming millinery. >Its success dg pends on tipping it at exactly the cor rect angle over the right eye, as you see In the picture. The model shown Is developed of gray velvet ribbon with two little ostrich tips emerging from along its center seam. Narrow velvet ribbon Is stitched to gether row-and-row for the ostrich bedecked hat to the right. This Is on? of the Renaissance beret types of which we are hearing M.fi are destined to hear mj much about this season The wee ostrich tips are In violet tones. The light blue draped felt toque cen tered In the Illustration Is trimmed with a novelty feather which has boon dyed a matching light blue. ?. 1933, Western Newspaper Uc.lon. CORD AND TASSEL fly ( lir.lt IK NICHOLAS fiver so ninny unique tilings are be log done In the wny of trimming this senson. One l? the use of ornnmentnl cord and tassel novelties. An Arnby red Jersey frock ns pictured has henvy red silk cord nnd tassels nt helt nnd neck. A red nnd beige check eont com plements this frock. The red felt hnt hns n perky fenther which poses erect nt the bnck. Wool M*k?i Appeal Lots of women who hnvo steered clenr of wool dresses been use of n dellcnte skin which ennnot stnnd tho slightest scrntchlm>ss hnd better look twice before they veto them this yenr. Never hnve wool materials been so soft nnd silky. Advantage in Shipping Bullion by Airplane When quantities of gold have to be sent long distances they are now I very frequently being dispatched by I air, or, If air services aren't avail able all the way, by air and sea. "It's cheaper by air," say the peo ple concerned. They have worked it out that the saving of interest alone, which results from the rapidity of air transport, is more than sufllclent to meet the express charges made for the service. The saving of time is certainly re markable. In one recent case, a par cel dispatched from I.os Angeles to Poona, In India, crossed America by air mall, and then, after t lie Atlantic voyage by liner, was sent by the Im perial Airways service to India. The whole Journey took eighteen days, a saving of over a fortnight as com pared with ordinary transport meth j ods. There Is a still greater saving In the case of packages to Hagdad. The time by air and sea from New York J Is only eleven days, as against thirty six to forty-two days by the older transport methods. ? London Tit Bits. Why the Sudden Change to Liquid Laxatives? Doctors have always recognized the value of the laxative whose dose can bo measured, and whose action can be controlled. The public, too, is fast returning to the use of liquid laxatives. People have learned* tnat a properly pre pared liquid laxative brings a perfect movement without any discomfort at the time, orafter. The dose of a liquid laxative can be varied to suit tlie needs of the individual. The action can thus be regulated. It forms no habit; you need not take a "double dose" a day or two later. Nor will a mild liquid laxative irritate the kidneys. The wrong cathartic wa\j keep you const i paled as long as you keep on using it. Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin is a prescription, and is perfectly safe. Its laxative action is based on senna ? a natural laxative. The bowels will not become dependent on this form of help. Dr. Caldwell's .Syrup Pepsin is at all druggists. Member N. R. A. STOPPED -UP NOSTRILS Open the wodrlh and free breathing fay lifting MenthoUtnm ?Hftht and morning. Take Warning When Bladder Irritations Break Rest F bothered with bladder irre^U* larities, getting up at night ana nagging backache clue to disordered kidney or bladder (unction, don't delay. U se Doan's Pills. Merit only can explain Doan's world wide use. Get Doan'j today. /\A all druggists, Doans PILLS you CAN AFFORD The*? Great Offers. Seven varieties fragrant Hed Iris, thirty cent* atamp*. Four ordern tt. Thirty varieties (ri*. wld? Hclection gotgeoua color* only II. Si* orders |5.00. All plants labeled and postpaid. (.anting beauty and memory lor ev?ry homi>. Fall planting Instruc tion* and Bargain collection llat FKKR. <L B. Kfttkamtor - Macftdon, N. Y. FORD MODEL A and AA Install our i*ftt?nt?4l Wntor I'nmo T10HTHNIN0 Hl/lTORT- Trlod nnrt I'roTon H?op? I<?tnk*, Knii I'lay nn<t Wvnr. Kolfl unrtor inonof-tiBfk gun ran i??, Hndllr ln*tftllo<1. I'rlrwWxi. Airnnta Wnntoil r. P.MAIWF SS CO.. 302 F VI i* St., K?l?m?/oo, MWh