Show O o I e FORLORN ISLAND o I o oo I o 0 Edison Marshall i. i By i e S I I. I S So j 0 I Copyright by Edison M Marshal w y service o e eo o Beeso oo e. e o o eo o ee eee e o e e oo CHAPTER VII VII Continued Continued 9 9 I I believe BO so Even en leaving out Roy Roy and hes he's always In my thoughts thoughts-Pd thoughts rd still fear that It was only shipwreck that brought us together together together to to- gether and shipwreck would surely surely surely sure sure- ly part us Our ways was are far apart d- d dI 1 I want to go back to my old life Ufe I wouldn't dare dart no matter how much ranch I am tempted erect a permanent permanent permanent per per- manent barrier to shut It out and Its It's a life liCe that you ou of all men could never share No o. o Ill I'll have to stay by the sea sta and the snow Well Wen In that case I suppose you and Roy Hoy might as well follow tollow Marie and Wilcox The same as Marie you'll be safer sater as liS some mans man's mate It will please and maybe I can forget a hopeless dream Ills His eyes were wee hard as blue diamonds Tho 1110 sooner sooner sooner soon soon- er you do It tho the better I dont don't think I love him yet But ut if you think best Ill best Ill I'll make a mar- mar riago of ot convenience It For or a long time there was no sound but the angry surge of ot the waves under the cliff and the shriek of the thc sea Eric was called caned to himself at last by the flick of a long shadow at atthe atthe the tho corner of ot his eye He ne was never to know why It 11 s startled him I EO so and could only thank some fome sixth i sense which his lifes life's war with the raw powers of ot the North had nurtured nurtured nurtured nur nur- In his brain His head never turned but his eyes moved mo In their sockets Along JUong the crest of ot the bluff forty fort feet teet up came stealing She was almost directly behind and andover andover over Nan Eric had caught only one glimpse of the priestess when hen she vanished behind the big boulders of the sum- sum mit rait With the sensation of or sudden bitter cold In his vitals he sprang to his feet and whirled lie He was not a split second too soon and quite possibly too late Destruction In the shape of ot a pound hundred-pound boulder started lunging down don the bluff Nan was as sitting In the trough of ot the slope In the certain track of the missile Even a glancing blow would hurl her off oft the ledge to the tIle churning water below Yet two factors fac- fac tors tom fought for or her one her one was Eric leaping toward her now his hand sweeping toward hers The other was the shape of ot the stone not round but angular so that It made toward her In angry bounds sometImes sometimes sometimes some some- times sU sliding Ung on the steep escarpment escarpment escarpment escarp escarp- ment rather than In an accelerating ing cannon-ball cannon roll Struggling up her hand band snatched his He seemed to Jerk her headlong headlong head bead long through the air into his arms Thunder rattled In her ear car a n passIng passIng passing pass- pass Ing whirlwind raised the hair on her head and the big rock splashed Impotently into the sea Erics Eric's arm clung about her shoulders shoulders shoulders ders pressing her close as though he be could never let her go Theres some one up there she gasped Its Did she do this thing Perhaps not Many of ot those boulders start at a touch But weve we've got to find out out He lIe turned and led the way my up the steep trail They found Fire- Fire heart on the summit her arms rigid at her sides her head thrown back a sharp agony on her face Quietly Eric Erie spoke her name I no roll the stone she mut mut- I 1 see him on brink just I. I over o white girl I touch him and evil spirit get in hand give big push I understand Nan said Dont worry about It any more no understand The slanted eyes were thin crescents of glittering gUttering Jet Why White Chief Jump up almost get hit himself Jerk you out of ot way Guess maybe he no catch love for because because be be- cause he love you Nan knew that she must answer straight This was neither the time nor the place for su subtleties All things had b been n reduced to their primal simplicity She and Fire Fire- heart were not now society gIrland girl girland girland and squaw but just two maidens ripe for mating and Eric completed ed the triangle le that Is the first form torm the eternal symbol of ot love- love selection that has has evolved mankind lie Ho doesn't love loye me Nan said taid quietly Ho He told me so How know Maybe you tell big lie Fiercely she whirled to Eric She Ea say you jou no love loe her Then you promise no try to get her let no Roy marry her quick I cant can't promise that It was Erics Eric's deep vibrant tone no less than his words that made mado Nan catch her tier breath I am going to try tr to Win Jn in tier her I 1 wanted her before beCore I ever came here you here you must inuit understand it now and be my friend I dont don't me mean n to let Roy have ha her nodded darkly then turned Imperiously to Nan You love White Chief Nan shook hook her head bead slowly He ne say he want you try get THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING With hU hLa yacht the Intrepid abandoned abandon by its It crew Felix Morton Horton millionaire tailing Balling with hi his hI mother his bis daughter daughter- Nan Nu and Roy Stuart puts pub Into Squaw Harbor Alaska to recruit Falling Failing to secure curo tailor sailors Horton Morton engages engage a bunch of A ir gigantic Pole I it I. their leader At the tho request of Cap Captain tAla the Intrepid Intrepid's skipper an en old friend Eric Ericssen holding boldinI master mast papers but unemployed engages engage to saU sail as chief officer Nan attracted by Eric indulges indulge In a moonlight flirtation which brings bring them Mm both to tho the threshold of 01 interest interact In each oth other r if U not of 01 love Jove The Intrepid IntrepidI d dU I U Is wrecked wreck by one of crowd crowd- Eric takes take command of a small boat with Morton Horton party Unable to help they watch kill kIn Captain and leave lave the ship with hi his hi crowd ha hen thrown Eric a revolver From one of the tha Aleut Indians Indian ashore more who s speaks a little English Eric learns learn there 1 is fa no communication with the tha outside world priestess of the tho Island laland descended from a white man In the remote put past also aIo o knowing some Born English welcomes welcome the castaways castaway declares declare there e shall be bo no law on the Island but Eric ha having ug the only run gun cows cow him for ferr the time declaring he h. I is I. tho the law bw and lay lays out work for alL aIL Nan face faces the situation bravely branly Erics Eric's love for her h first firt felt on the Intrepid awo swells and he b. tells her ber ho he mean means to win her for his hi mate mete She Is II not unwilling claims Eric as her ber own to hi his hI dismay Defending ng himself from an attack by and his hla crony Cargo Eric Erics revolver I apparently misfires but his w. assailants flee ti Eric finds find the revolver is rim fire while five live of its It six cartridges are center center fire He has one on cartridge with which to protect his hLa party from a and d his W. brutes brute He H. determines on a showdown Calling Callin a II meet meet- ing at which Swede one ono of the gang noll makes an attempt on his bLa lila life he be uses his one cartridge killing Swede but is left defenseless though for the tho time tIm master of 01 the situation I claims his llis love maJ making threats I i you If It you tell teU you no want him promise hIm promise true you no let him him get you no never promise never promise marry Roy noy heap quick then quick then then Fire FIre- heart still be your friend be White Chiefs Chief's friend too What you say Answer her Eric urged This matter may as well be settled now as later Nan squared her shoulders and threw up her glossy head Then she spoke with a a low clear cello tone I cant can't promise that I 1 cant can't cant can't- make a promise that promise that I 1 may have may have to break Erics Eric's heart leaped like a king- king salmon free tree of the barb triumphant triumphant triumphant from the dark water but the tho squaws squaw's black eyes glowed like those of ot some bottom- bottom thing hauled up by the trawls see now She no forget torget Her love Is big ocean in sunlight bright warm good but her no-love no Is heap white floe come down from North no look across no make hole through grind up big rocks to little pebble Wont still be you our friend Eric asked shook her head sullen sullen- ly Love him change to no-love no taste bitter in mouth She raised her arms in an Imperious and dramatic dramatic dramatic dra dra- matic gesture I am priestess of Lost People Je Aleuts they do what I say I tell em you no my friend I tell em watch chance turn quick with spears when hen you no have ha little gun killY kill Y you lu drive you awa away Big god who come from West he do what FIr Fire Fire- heart say too I tell hIm Mm bring you bad luck make you jou ou die slow plenty hurt she wish stone run over you both knock you Into sea S e e e e e i Exile on Forlorn Island changed slowly from an Incredible d dream ream to vivid reality Erics Eric's stern reign seemed like that of ot an ancient dynasty the natural order of things It was commonplace to be living Inthe inthe In hi hithe the hourly threat of fury malice As Nan an tolled toIled with her slant-eyed slant sisters less and less often did her swift hands pause and her eyes film over o as she dayre dreamed day of ot a lost world a pre existence half In these wild da days s 's her laughter as ns well as her tears seemed easy to flow Her thrills were no longer synthetic she was warmer less self This growth was revealed revealed re re- re- re not only In her quick moods mirth Indignation pity loneliness ionell- ionell ness ness but but subtly In her face Her rIel hands grew red and calloused but butIn butin butin in the shadow of ot her parka hood theluster theluster the tho luster of ot her hazel eyes set Roys Roy's cool cooJ head n whirl awhirl and tho the curve of ot her full lips made Erics Eric's viking heart glow with the lust of ot conquest con conquest con con- quest It was the month of ot ripening bud to flower fledgling In the nest to winged courier of ot the air but Nans Nan's friendship for Roy noy had not yet ripened ripened rip rip- ened Into love Marriage with him would still be for convenience con not for deep need of her heart and soul And it was true that Eric stole too often ofton Into her thoughts Her good sense told her that Eric could never share the scenes to which some time she must return return- that beyond these crags and windy wastes they would have little lIttie In common com com- mon but mon but how dreamy those scenes became and how vivid and real the sand-dunes sand of Forlorn Island I 1 The barrier harrier between her and the blond viking was not half so strong as I Ithe the sea Bea reefs enforcing her exile Future shipwreck as his mate was wasa a tomorrows tomorrow's evil but the shelter shelter shel shel- ter of his arms was today's need In the maze of adventure ad pa part t and parcel of her exile she saw Eric In a new JI light ht One warm afternoon afternoon aft aft- noon ti-noon nt at the drying racks a young Joung squaw at her side gave a sudden sharp gasp Wheeling she beheld the shadow of 01 agony fall on the leathern face linger JInger a few tew ant seconds there then pass slowly away What is It Iti t Nan be begged cd The squaw a last falls fall's bride I named Flower could not understand the wor words but the quick pity In the alien eyes went straight to her he heart A forlorn half smile touched the coarse lips The eyes gazed off oft as Into another world worl l down the long vIsta of the centuries with villi that far magic sight which no son of ot Adam ever dreamed and which comes to Eves Eve's daughters only a few tew times from the cradle to the grave she answered simply At once she began to put her flint tools into her poke signifying that she would go now to another labor was a word that Nan had learned It meant baby As she stared bewildered turned and trudged away toward her turf turl house The other squaws grunted and went back to drying fish Arent you going with her heri Nan demanded They looked up puzzled and one of them spoke e In a tone dark with fatalism At once Nan realized that she alone must answer the call Mother Horton and Marie were in w f h nt Jr Jrr r a Thunder Rattled In Her Ear and the Big Rock Splashed Impotently Impotent Impotent- ly Iy Into the Sea the flats berry-flats out of ot reach Eric and the hunters were spearing sea- sea lions on the far beach With a bitter bitter bitter bit bit- ter cry Nan dropped her own tools and hurried after the tho squat figure reeling to her dread appointment For Nan this was tho the beginning of ot revelation She was swept Into a primal drama that rent her ber heart In the thc gloom of tho the turf house kept her rendezvous with the Eternal Save for a crippled ancient father the two women were alone The daylight began to fall fail The Theold Theold old Aleut lighted the stone lamps but he knew no way to help and he did not understand Nans Nan's frantic pleas to summon Mother Horton Apparently tho the two women must fight it through unaided when unaIded when Nan tried to break free and seek aid the cold hand locked fast on her own Presently the door flew open someone crouched to enter and a atall atall atrill tall trill figure took the lamplight A Adry Adry Adry dry choking cry broke from her hertense hertense hertense tense throat Perhaps this was as just thankfulness that help had como come but she was swept by some stranger deeper emotion emotion-a a kind of ot exultation a sure sense of ot fulfillment fulfillment fulfill fulfill- ment ment- ment when ment-when when hen she saw Erics Eric's face In Inthe Inthe the gleam Sane coolheaded head cool ed Marie would be useful here hero here wise Mother Horton a tower of strength strength but but Eric was best of all Victory was certain now would come up from the valley Eric and Nan would be bc doctor and nurse W What at teammates they were comrades comrades comrades com com- rades in arms arins 1 i Eric took In the situation situation sit sit- with one sweep of his resolute resolute resolute reso reso- lute eyes Wheeling to the old nathe native native na na- na- na tive the he gave an order In sign language language lan Ian guage and a few words of ot Aleut The old man hobbled out Eric bent over o the llie squaw all right I think he lIe said If she can Just last out a few tew minutes minutes minutes min min- utes more more more- He spoke to her in kindly encouraging encouraging aging tones There was not the least horror for tor him or for Nan Nun nor the slightest shame It was Mother other I Earth arth who gave ga according to her ancient ancient ancient an an- wisdom teaching a n lesson almost almost almost al al- al- al most too poignant for mortal heart When Eric was tossing the little little little lit lit- tle brown newcomer in the air Mother Horton burst In with dim dime e eyes es glittering But Dut the fight was won The mother lay gasping well I out of ot the shadow and with lair fair luck and a few tew hours' hours rest could return to the drying racks And the first sound Bound to to- to meet Mother Hortons Horton's eager old ears was a thin wall wail In Inthe Inthe inthe the silence When three of ot the older squaws trooped over to help with the nursIng nursing nursing nurs nurs- ing Eric noticed a strange thing When they even looked at the Infant Infant In In- fant ant eyes grew wide with dread and when they bent to take the baby from her arms she snatched It close with a moan frightened her so Nan Nand d demanded like a wild animal animal I dont don't know but I can guess Eric answered He |