Show FORLORN ISLAND by EDISON MARSHALL service copyright by edison marshall SYNOPSIS with hit his yacht the intrepid aban deed by its crew felix horton millionaire lion lio alre with his mother his bis daughter nan rind and roy stuart puts into squaw harbor alaska to recruit ile he engages a bunch of stranded there A gigantic pole san domar Is their leader captain way elre the intrepido skipper is an old friend of eric ericssen unemployed sailor and eric engages to sail as chief officer nan and eric indulge in a moonlight flirtation the intrepid Is wrecked eric leaving her in a small boat with 1 th horton and his party unable to help they watch San domar kill captain and leave the ship with his crowd on landing they learn there Is no communication with the outside world Fir eheart priestess of the island descended from a white man in the remote past knowing a little english welcomes the cast San domar declares there shall be no law on the island but eric having the only gun cows him tor for the time declaring he Is the law ile he lays out work for all erics love tor for nan swells and he tells her he be means to win her tor for his mate she Is not unwilling Fir ebeart claims eric and realizing the importance of her friendship he Is forced to temporize defending himself from attack erics revolver apparently misfires but his assailants flee eric finds the reoler which had been Way mires Is rim fire lire while five of its six cartridges are center fire eric has one effective cartridge swede makes an attempt on his life lit he uses ses his one cartridge killing swede sede sed but Is left defenseless though master of the situation since he alone knows his gun Is useless Fire hearts threats culminate in an attempt on nans life eric saves her but Fir eheart refuses proffered forgiveness and friendship CHAPTER VII continued 12 for nan this was the beginning of 0 revelation she was swept into a primal drama that rent her heart in the gloom of the turf house chirum kept her rendezvous with the eternal save tor for a crippled ancient rincie nt chi gums father the two women were alone the daylight began to fall theold the old aleut lighted the stone lamps buthe but he knew no way to help and he did not understand nans frantic pleas to summon mother horton II orton apparently the two women must light fight it through unaided when nan tried to break free and seek aid the cold hand band locked fast on her own presently the door flew open someone crouched to ent erand a till figure took the lamplight A dry choking cry broke from her tense throat perhaps this was just thankfulness that help had come but she was swept by some stranger deeper pi emotion notion st a kind of exultation a sure sense of full ulment when she saw raw erics face in the gleam sane coolheaded cool headed marie would be useful here wise mother horton a tower of strength but eric was best of all victory was certain now chirum would come up from the valley eric and nan would be doctor and nurse what ten teammates inmates they were comrades in grins arms erie eric took in the situation with one sweep of his resolute eyes wheeling to the old native he gave an order in sign language and a few words word of aleut tile the old man hobbled out erie eric bent over the squaw ashes all right I 1 think he said it if she can just last out a few minutes more ile he spoke to her in kindly encouraging tones there was not the least horror borror for him or for nan nor the slightest shame it was wag mother earth who pave gave according to her ancient wisdom teaching a lesson almost too poignant for mortal heart while eric was war towing the little brown newcomer in the air mother norton horton burst in with dim eyes glittering cut but the fight was a won the mother lay gil gating well out of the shadow and with fair luck and a few hours rest could return to the drying racks and the first sound round to meet mother holtons nortons nor Hor tons eager old ears was a thin wall in the silence when three of the older squaws squads trooped over to help with the nursing eric noticed notice a strange thing when they even looked at the infant ChI gums 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 sorl so nan demanded ashes like a wild animal 1 I dont know but I 1 can guess eric answered lie he listened briefly to what teemed seemed a pitiful plen plea bubbling up from Chi gums trembling lips then sent for his interpreter when came he soon goon made the situation clear chirum Chi gum she he afraid squaws squads will take baby out on beach give him to wind he explained casualty casually too many people on island too many mouths months not enough meat squaws squads do this long lone time when hen too many babies born nan went white with indignation tell those women that hint it if they touch one hair of that babas head bend eric will kill them her eyes fairly blazed if lie he I 1 hilll st explain to him aric she Y OU wont let be 9 ged them t horrible carry out that custom p to too no much but Vh its you the eTl only way blame they know them keep down the island population not uncommon in the north after the first day the baby would be perfectly safe starve themselves to keep keen ep it fat f make any sacrifice for it short of aa defying some of their heathen theo gods da and taboos you know how und kind they are arc to children you say no let baby die checha quo asked ehlt tell them that T the baby must n live there will be plenty of meat for all it if anyone harms the baby hell be hp harmed the same Chech translated the command amid a poignant silence the squads squaws nodded glad to be spared the thearl grim office but athe the old aleut rose from Ms his S corner hobbled 1611 into the lamplight and 6 spoke in ant tremulous excited tones ile say lt if baby live T whole le tribe h have bad luck Chech interpreter interpreted when one too many born one have to die old gods say ay so long time ago aeo if people no obey old gods get mighty mad raise h 1 birds no fly fish no run tell i him that the old soda gods are dead eric answered gravely i will take all the bad luck on my head tell lell him straight that the baby Is not to be harmed it is the new law and not to be afraid the go god I 1 of 0 akon and the candlestick rules the island now and forbids tile the killing of children when the patriarch heard he nodded and returned to his corner nan thought she saw a dull glow steal into his h Is deep set eyes after their belated supper by the beach fire eric and nan turned again toward Chi gums turf hut 1 I dont don t entirely M 11 1 1 am not 1 am not dead I 1 am alive trust those squaws squads and maybe not tile the old man either nan said anyway awant I 1 want to see it ashes comfortable for table they walked leisurely at first but before they reached the door they were almost running but the scene by the oil lamp soon relieved their fears chirum lay with her baby at her breast her broad face radiant her long eyes darkly lustrous her coarse lips cu culled in a wistful half smile eric bent over her a full minute before he chanced to see that the old aleut aas as no longer in his corner where Is anulta cormorant chirum shook her head with a fateful air her ees moved furtively in their almond slits suddenly eric and nan found themselves erect each reading the truth in the others blanching face you dont think nan began 1 11 I know it life must pay for life those were his last words word S who can understand these people ill get Chech we might save him yet erie eric sprinted from the room and nan heard him shout bout S as he be ran up the village row Chech jerked out of his fur bed was at first evasive and only when erie eric clutched his shoulder with iron fingers did he be stutter out the truth the old gods must be propitiated it was the ancient luw of the island laid down by banaga the first man who came from heaven that life must pay for life white chief did not permit Chi gums baby to be given to the winds so anulfo took its place otherwise birds would not fly nor salmon run Chech not dot know ile he gone ile he leave hut while you eat cat meat say nay goodby to old men go away to big cliff across island you no 10 catch him lie ile make medicine to gods jump in sen sea by now he 11 have ave reached there already put on your mukluks and come with alth me we in nay ay catch him yet hut but jaw set an and d he stood like a stone sto ne 1 I no go white chief bent beat me kill me I 1 no got gol heap bad luck there was no time to waste so eric sped back to 10 C Chi I 1 agu gums ms hut im going to try baft to catch him he told nan N an its a long iong dark trek and better stay here im 1 going too to I 1 wont slow NV you up and im afra afraid ld to stay alone A moment later they were striding across the moors moor S nan seemed fired by the mat flint of his hl s will nothing mattered in the world but to arrive in time tim her little f ft feet t flew pitfall and stony mantrap in the gross grass streaked aked impotently impotent y behind with eric she felt a kinship pa a k kind of unity of soul that was at once solemn n and exultant at last they saw aw b tile the cliff in grim silhouette a against ains t the moonlit sea rea on black form its crest was as a minute it might be no more than an odd hurried nigh it shaped stone As they grew incredibly in stature stat it was anulta rising from his knees to lift both linns grins in supplication to the gods of the winds between the gusts gnats they heard him chanting it in a thin wavering voice there was wag no hope of seizing him unawares una vi ares ile he stood on the very summit an immense granite crag crab whose hoary brow overhung the sea it seemed best to advance silently until they could speak to him in quiet tones then somehow distract his attention from his sacrificial rite until they could steal nearer and take his hand 1 I am not asleep I 1 am not dead I 1 am alive they heard him chant then there followed an earnest invocation erie eric could not translate no doubt an entreaty to tle old gods of the wind and sea the spirits that made the birds fly and the salmon run to take this humble failing life of hla his in the stead of the new given life denied them today the two intruders had now crept to the base of the rock on which the patriarch stood anulta An ulga eric called quietly ills chanting stopped in the middle of a note lie he grunted an inquiry eric thanked hla his stars for his few aleut words and idioms stay where you are we would make parley the reply was an excited outburst at the top of the thin voice there was a kind of tragic dignity in his sweeping gestures and erect white head the moonlight showed ills his eye sockets like black fissures in his drawn fam face go on up slowly eric muttered to nan its it our only hope now if maybe abbe I 1 can keep him talking till we get our hands on him but Anul gas spirit was already running to meet his gods stronger hands than erics seemed to clasp his own As the two palefaces peered over the rim he backed toward the void nans heart was suffocating so she clung to the ledge but eric sprang for the crest she saw him risk his big own neck as 03 he wrenched over the rim his hand snatching for Anul gas parka ile he was too late kou audam abou 9 gou ou I 1 the old man walled wailed invoking hla his heathen gods Achl Ach dan idan then with a triumphant shout that echoed and trembled among the crags he sprang into the sea dark water leaped high and drifted down in a nebulous cloud eric stood peering over the brink everything went black before nans eyes as she expected him to attempt a rescue but it would only be suicide and the old island gods had their due already poor old chap he murmured then he turned back and reaching a hand band to nan drew her up beside him long moments passed before they remembered words they listened to the sullen roar of the surf the long sp lashings of the waves against the rock they watched the shimmering path of the moon across the sea they were infinitely alone it was as aa though they were the only living things on a far planet the first of mankind to draw breath in s some ome forlorn lost universe god forgo forgotten aten through the eons bons im almost glad we win eric whispered at last the hushed sound lid did not break the solitude but harmonized with the swish of the surf and the winds breath 1 I thought come to that before long nan answered you saw it from the first you your sensibilities are tar far finer than mine I 1 could see only my own side Anul gas time was almost up anyway next winter would probably finish him slow decak at last a rattle in his throat and his old bones thrust in the sea caves cates As it Is he be went with hand on his shoulder rind and the lush flush of glory on his face better than that ile he died for his tribe a heros beros death it was an illusion n of c course 0 ur S e but a fools faith Is better than no faith at all I 1 use uce to understand that but I 1 do now eric gazed far off and a fools love is better than no love at all it something in his big tone made her throat catch in the weird moon beams hla his eyes shone like glass ile he reached for her hand his touch seemed to complete an electric circuit ills his head bent and she saw his big hair blowing in the wind as he slowly gently kissed her fingers it was a token of surrender his second to tonight night A few minutes before he had bad bowed down to the stern destiny that exacted an old mans life in payment for a moments exultation of his soul now lie bent his head again to his own hard bargaining fate as it moved through nan he would no longer haggle boggle oner oer the price ile he w would risk all give all for one deep breath of mountain air one rocket rush to the stars once be had said that he was afraid to sail the strait but that fear had passed pared it if his ship struck the rocks and w went ent down at least he be would see the distant gleam of the harbor lights ive tried to deny it until now he said gravely 1 I was afraid I 1 could never win you so I 1 dare love you I 1 knew how bow it would be with me you did too it if it once took hold of me it would never let me go it would follow me always nan smiled dimly this was so go steadfastness loyalty unfaltering idealism were the watch cries of this strong mans life racially and individually they were bis big backbone his 1119 mother was the old sea his father the new north to one woman only could he be surrender and to her he must give every everything thin now ive got to love you whether I 1 win you or not he wont went on youve made me with your beauty and your bravery and lut just you TO BE BB catl |