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Show SINNERS in HEAVEN By CLIVE ARDEN Copyright by The Bobba-alerrlll Co. i i , Ing torrents wlilch would engulf her, sweep lir awuy from every known landmark. Thla was utterly different from that other night's fear. Then It hRd been fear of him, and tangible. Now It was subtle, terrifying, and of herself, In some strange way. He drew her suddenly closer; but, with all the. strength of her will, (lie Hung herself hack In his grasp. "IHm't touch me! I don't understandOh. under-standOh. . . Alan help us both!" The cry was one of desperation. It sturtled him. For a long moment he gazed deep within her darkened eyes, the blood mounting In his fare, throbbing throb-bing In bis temples, his very Hps trembling. Tlien, almost violently, but with a strange look of exultation, he let her go. "I'll go and see If If all's safe out. side," he stammered. She heard him leave the hut; and she sank down In the far comer, trem- hllng violently She heard him enter Inter; and she burled her head In her arms. He threw himself down across the threshold without a word. From outside, the noise of the revelers rev-elers still came to their ears, growing gruduuily fainter . . . and fainter those upon whom they occasionally rested. Recognizing at last the man he sought, he motioned him forward. Larger than most, more brutal of countenance, Barbara quickly recognized recog-nized her late pursuer. "What Is he called?" Croft demanded of Chlmabahol. "Bubooma, O Greatest of Chiefs !" The two men regarded ench other silently; and In the look of the native Croft recognized hatred and defiance. In spite of the fear lurking In the bold eyes which met his own. A dull murmur arose, In which his ear was quick to note hostility. The old chiefs face was full of anxiety as he stepped forward, pulling his beard nervously. "Few have so straight an aim as Bubooma, Great Chief. He Is of kin to my house. He will become chief in my stead. Many," he added In a low voice, "would have him now ; for I am old and my heart Is dead with my sons." "He hath not found favor In my sight," replied the gods' messenger host. It Impressed the nutlves into awestruck silence, while Ailing the girl with an almost Irrepressible desire to laugh. After this performance, he bent slowly down and held his torch to tlie heap of dry sticks and leaves. Immediately Imme-diately the Ore caught on, crackling and fizzling, sending up leaping yellow flames and thick curling smoke Into the somber vault above. This Instant and splendid conflagration conflagra-tion was a sign of the offering being acceptable to Balhuaka. Another burnt of excited incantation broke from the assembly, the musicians once more blowing upon their reeds and shells. The torches flared, the bonfire bellied forth thick gusts of flame and smoke. Its roar mingling with the music and wild singing. At last the flames reached the sacrifice sacri-fice and the air was filled with the smell of burning food. A great shout went up. The god was even now eating of their offering! Health and prosperity would be theirs for at least the duration of this moon! The music abruptly ceased ; the dune- "HELP US BOTHl" SYNOPSIS. Livln it In the small English village of Darbury, old-fashioned old-fashioned and sedate place, Barbara Bar-bara Stockley, daughter of a widowed mother, is soon to celebrate cele-brate her marriage to Hush Rochdale, rich and welt connected. con-nected. Barbara la adventurous, and has planned, wltb an aunt, an airplane trip to Australia. Major Alan Croft, famous as an aviator, la to be the pilot. At her first meeting- with Croft Barbara Bar-bara is attracted by his manner and conversation, different from the cut-and-drled conventions of her small town. They set out. Barbara, her aunt. Croft, and a mechanician. Word in a few days comes to Darbury that the plana la missing- and Its occupants occu-pants believed loat. Croft and Barbara, after tl) wreck of the airplane In a furious storm, reach an apparently uninhabited Island In the Paclflo ocean. The other two members of the party had perished. The two cast-sways cast-sways build a shelter. In Croft's absence Barbara la attacked by a cannibal. Croft rescues her. Croft discovers a party of blacks, evidently reconnolterlng. Croft fixes up an electrical guard which scares off an attacking party. Secure from Immediate danger. Croft and Barbara aettle down to make the best of things. Croft already has recognised the r charm of the girl and fears the outcome of their situation. Croft, who has traveled much among savages, makes friends with the blacks. ers sank breathless to the ground; an awed hush fell upon the gathering. When the fire had died down to a glowing heap of red embers, the silence si-lence broke storiully In an outburst of Joyous hilarity. The procession started back to the settlement, the riotous merriment continuing all the way, the waving torches making the moon seem pale by contrast. At a small hut on the outskirts Chlin.ihahoi paused, Intlmntlng that It was the best tliey could offer and would In future be tabu to the great white chief. Then the revelers dispersed, the torches flickering like miniature fires among the neighboring huts. The man and the girl were left alone. The barbaric excitement still tingled tin-gled In their veins and shone In their eyes, when, for a moment, they looked . . . until, at lust, silence fell. VIII After that memorable night, Barbara and Alan had walked back together early next morning, Alan for the most part silent, Barbara talking feverishly of the natives' feast, music, rites anything to prevent awkward pauses. From that day another paradoxical phase opened before them. For, though they now had many surface Interests In common to heighten their companionship, compan-ionship, (ho wall between was yet more strengthened. And, this time. It was the girl who unconsciously built up the crumbling bricks with hasty fingers, not daring to look at that yawning yawn-ing precipice beyond. From a pocket-hook diary they were able to keep count of the days and curuy, rrownlng upon the wretch, whose expression of defiance was rapidly rap-idly fading. "He hatb raised his eyes and his hand to the white chief's wife!" he thundered, glaring ferociously at the now trembling figure. Like a sudden breeze rippling over a group of poplars, a breath of fear swept across the listening crowd. Ba-booma Ba-booma begun a stream of gabbling protest: pro-test: he was unaware of tlie sinfulness of hi action; he had not seen the great chief nor heard of his mission from the gods; It wus the Vow. . . . Croft waved blm away. "Thou knowest now. Take heed, over-bold one!" Then he turned to Itoowa, still on his knees In despair. "Hoowa," he asked, "thou lovest thy little ones?" "A-aa ! As myself, Mighty Chief !" The look In his eyes touched Bar- PART TWO Continued. "They would have you to cultivate again the taro plant, which now Is as a weed; weave much tapestry for your huts from the reeds; dry the sliced kernels of the eocotint; cultlvute the cotton seed. Then, perchance, when we remove to other lands, we shall send great ships hither with wondrous gifts In return for the fruits of your toil" Further shouts arose. "The gods would have us to visit freely your habitations and show you how to pre- vent the pestilences which devour your numbers." This program was vociferously acclaimed ac-claimed ; but Croft's experience of natives na-tives was too wide to allow of reliance ) upon their momentary enthusiasm. Flashing a Rtern glance around, he ' , awed them Into silence. I "If all this Is done peacefully," he ! continued. In threatening tones, "ye shall rest in safety. But If again your hands are lifted against us, your bodies shall be burned afresh with bine fire-devils! Your women shall be , . slain; your little ones thrown to the I sharks The wrath of your pod will ' ' I bring down," waving his hand threat- ? . enlngly skyward, "and turn you into ' tortured slaves, If ever again ye molest i the great white chief or bis wife!" ,.' Fear overawed the natives' en- thusiasm. They fell on their faces again, babbling Incoherently of obedl- . ence and mercy. He motioned them to rise; then he drew back, satisfied. He had established comparative safety for them both, for the time being at nil events, and explained the scene to Barbara, exultantly. This Introduction over, Chlmabahol now informed his guest of his privilege priv-ilege In choosing tlie great sacrifice to be offered up at the close of the feast. Should the great white chief decide bara. It was another glimpse Into a human soul, although as yet she uader-stood uader-stood nothing of his trouble. "It Is well. Take heart, Roova ! My will Is not to offer up thy sVk babe; but to go with thee now to tivy hut, and, perchance, cure the child." The Joy which transfigured the native's na-tive's face was Indescribable. Upon the dismissal of the tribe, he led the visitors to his hut, incoherent in his excitement. As Croft had guessed, the child only suffered from fever, needing more air and cleanliness the filth and stench being abominable. Ordering those necessities, he produced from his pockets one of his fever antidotes, Meamna watching him In terrified bewilderment; be-wilderment; then he precipitately pushed Barbara out into the fresh air again. The feast, to which they were now led, was spread upon the ground In nn open space between the huts and the lagoon. Only the men squatted round to eat, the women occupying a lower position waited upon them, with the pleasant expectation of finishing their leavings. At the end of the feast the pair became be-came aware that all eyes were fastened on them. The sun had set. The sacrifice sacri-fice must be decided .upon. An air of anxiety, of strained expectation, was nights which flitted by so rapidly now. The natives left them alone; save when, at Croft's command, they brought rolls of reed-mattlng, or swords, spears, Implements. Only one, as he knew well, still hid defiance under un-der the cloak of subjection, biding his time. Thus, for a while, all danger seemed past. Barbara, blissfully unconscious of any flaw In this pact of friendship, lost her fear of these childlike folk. Having proved tlie effect of a random shot from the revolver, she felt safe. One evening, shortly before Christmas Christ-mas day, having prepared their supper, she wandered down to tlie shore, waiting wait-ing for Alan's arrival. 1 Sitting idle upon a rock, she watched the spray and foam glistening in the sunshine against the distant reef, her thoughts occupied by a variety of small things chief among thein being a cottonless future! The constant mending of their combined wardrobe had drained her slender resources of thread. Bins had been resorted to that day. Alan sat on one and swore loudly ; she smiled lln-gerlngly lln-gerlngly over the recollection. . . . Her face sobered and she leaned forward, for-ward, then rose quickly to her feet. Slowly moving through the clear water, not far from the shore, appeared a large gray outline suggesting In Its upon human sacrifice The old man waved toward the crowd of faces, watching In tense apprehension : "AH are here, O Mighty Chief." Upon tills arose a chorus of dissentient dis-sentient cries, mixed with shouts of "Meamaa ! Meamaa !" The natives pressed forwnrd In eager anxiety. Chlmabahol glanced up quickly. "Where Is Meamaa? I see her not. Where Is Roowa, her husband? And , Laalo, her son?" A little black figure was thrust I roughlv forward. He glanced round. A fearfully, uncertain whether to cry or I prove the manhood of his five years. Pecldlng upon the former course, his eyes. In the act of screwing up, en- countered those of the white girl watching him curiously; and he paused. f, gazing at her. his mouth open. She j smiled. A wondering grin slowly over- spread his small Impish face, and he 1 moved nearer, looking up at her with ! childish adoration. For the first time Barbara felt the humanity behind the repulsive exterior of these folk. She held out her free manifest. Croft'i wits had not been slumbering. "Our gods have toid me," he informed Chlmabahol confidentially, "that thy god, Balhuaka. doth not hunger for the flesh of man this moon; neither doth he desire fish or bird to be offered unto him. He deslreth to taste the dishes thou hast prepared for those who have sailed here from the skies. All that we have left uneaten shnlt thou collect, therefore, and offer unto him. It Is food tabu to those sent by the gods: therefore doth he require It beyond all other food." This distinct greediness seemed more In character with a peevish child than a celestial being; but to Chlmabahol It appeared natural enough. He communicated com-municated the decision to the tribe, which showed vociferously Its unmistakable unmis-takable relief. The ambrosial remains were therefore there-fore gathered together and placed In receptacles of plaited reeds. Lighted reed torches were produced for everybody, every-body, and the procession set forth, headed by the old chief and the white "We We-aSan't Stay Hart!" at each other. Instinctively Biirhara caught her bretth, putting her hand to her throat, as f to wrestle with something some-thing choking her; her torch fell to tlie ground. "We-we can't stay here !" she muttered, mut-tered, half to herself. She felt his hand upon her arm ; the touch sent a wild tremor through her entire frame. It was us If in her wrought-up state, an electric wire had touched her, imparting strange currents cur-rents which, with waves of magnetism, dragged her close within their field, wliile simultaneously repelling her wllh an unknown fear. Feebly she resisted, but his grip tightened, pulling her across the threshold. "The natives are watching !" he muttered mut-tered In her ear. Ills forth sli . -ed the interior to he small nnd bar- e sole contents being two rolls of ret . unfting or "tapestry." Loosing her, he fixed the torch In the ground nnd took up one. of these heaps. "Thev roll themselves In this, to generul shape an airship. Barbara drew In her breath quickly, watching the silent hulk glide slowly by until, making a large circuit, it disappeared In the direction of tlie reef. It was. she guessed, a shark. For the first time the remembrance dawned upon her of Islands In the I'aclfic ocean being often shark-infested; the recollection brought. In a J flash, full realization of the risks Alan I took when he swam with her to latid. With another chaotic tumult of mind, she remembered Alan's further risks when salving all necessities for their comfort, his stubborn refusal of her offers of help, his stringent commands against bathing In the lagoon. . . . She realized, too, his consideration In not mentioning this horrible denger to add to her dread of those which already al-ready menaced their lives. A wave of gratitude or admiration swept over her. and she covered hpr face, hiding flip hot Involuntary blush, shutting out the sudden, unbearable glory of sky and sea. . . . Presently, lowering her hands, she sleep," be said. "It will nuike a substitute sub-stitute for a door." She mechanically helped blm to fix it across the opening. Like revelers in a Continental carnival, the natives were too much excited to settle down for tlie nlKlit ; tlie noise outside was still boisterous.- Alan, the same primitive tingling in his blood, talked rather wildly as he arranged the cover. "We are savages now! Conventions visitors. Turning westward through the council chamber, thev bore a little Inland to the sacred palm grove. Within a few moments tlie torches had formed two waving lines of light, as the natives divided nnon either sldp of the central path. The bearers of the sacrifice advanced up the center and laid It upon the unllglited bonfire: the musicians squatted on the ground near the altar, beginning again their nnennny music. The preliminary rites ceased, and Chlmabahol turned to Croft. turned her glowing face Inland. . . , With a gasp, she grew rigid. A heavy cloud of smoke hung In dense plumes over the hilltop ! Kven as she looked, a long Jagged flame leapt up . . . then another, and another. an-other. . . . The beacon was on fire! She gnzed at It, fascinated. What did It mean? Rescue at last? The rescue for which they had looked, and longed, nnd lived, all these weeks and months . . . Suddenly. IlkP a heavy cloak, all the previous excitement and exultation fell from her. A feeling as of a cold wind, full of vague foreboding, chilled her heart in' that warm evening air. Anyway, both man and woman now have the same thoughts sad feelings. What next? (TO BE CONTINUED.) hand. The little fellow came shyly 1 toward it, but some one roughly pulled him back : nnd she remembered, with some amnspment. that she was tabu ! Accompanied by much muttering and scuffling, a man whose face was dls-i dls-i tlnctly more Intelligent than that of many of his fellows, slowly advanced. Croft watched him closely. I "Roowa !" cried Chlmabahol, "where are Meamaa and thy babe, that they ' obeyed not the command to greet the ! great white chief?" l Many eager voices broke In, before j he could reply, j "The babe Is sick, O Chief !" "The scourge. O Chief! It is again In the house of Roowa ! Let the great 1 white chief save us from the sconrge, at the Sacrifice of tlie Full Moon tonight" to-night" Roowa uttered a great cry, and fell on his knees before Crt, eyes wild, arms outstretched, bs'sollng protestations protesta-tions and pitiful supplications. The white man fully realized the craftiness of these fellows, also the delicacy of his own position,, with the necessity of causing no offense In this first action as overlord. Ills face set In Its most determined. Impenetrable lines; his eyes flashed round on ail i, au-eaent, Inspiring fear In the hearts of ' N J don't count here. As you remarked, these may henceforth be our sole companions. com-panions. And they regard you as my wife remember!" Finishing his 'Job. lie turned round, his eyes glittering In the dim lleht. "You must play up. too. for for your own sake. . . . What is It, Barbara. . . . What's the matter? mat-ter? Why do you look at me like that?" He caught both her wrists. "W-we can't stay here !" she muttered mut-tered again, not moving in his grasp. "But we we've shared a hut before all these weeks! Why are you afraid now? Tell me!" Me bent ovr her. "Tell me. Barbara-" "I can't ... I don't know. . . I I'm not " Pesperately she tried to withdraw her hands and eyes from his. She felt powerless, as If she were slipping slip-ping down some priplce Into rour- , "Thou. O Great White Chief, shnlt make the flames arise, straight and high! Thus shall we know that our sacrifice Is accepted by our god." The great white chief Inclined his head. Stepping forward with the assurance as-surance of one used to guiding sacrificial sacri-ficial flames from childhood, he advanced ad-vanced to the altar, Barbara watching him In astonishment. There he paused for a solemn moment whether to give the effect of reverence, or to grasp some elusive memory, or from sheer Joy In the situation, she could not tell. . . . Slowly, at last, he raised his arms, waving the flaring torch 'high above his head. Then he embarked upon a short display of physical drill, as If invoking the spirits of an unseen . I |