The PRINCE of VEGA

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 208, 3 September 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

The PRINCE of VEGA

, SYNOPSIS. ■RVSSa Cffiryzfrz. ruris n h *. hM<l, Th «" anxiety turned to conatarnation when ■?i tr •'•* urn a«' telling them that and th«V > K« W ** ° ettin 0 • "aw boy, Su2pt«t*i h\. w V to "»• put in the quartet a dormitory. Pater aava kaVo 'thß h n* d K a# * ,ked nim 10 ■ eep the new boy in aiaht for ?ri V .nd" • nd t# • him . ihout .hi '* an • ir of myatery about the new boy'a name Juat plain John Smith. They meet La7aT* n . d . c tH " Wn gr?w" . Fe PP er i Smith and the ? m!.! t<,lkm 0 »eneath a tree, nahhi? Btepiou » creature hurla a SI! m V.° U ' whioh '• • myatari- ?"? lrl .7 ,9 "*9f which warna all L i[ r . r, i ino Smith. Next with « r e • 5 a ■ m •' p#ler awoke Hot « •? I h . #l ev#l 'y t hing waa •• 't should be. Suddenly betwaan i».* . beaPin 0 • knife window o«. appear at the »i» !k. S eUr °P« n *d hla lips to IfannaH « i "Z., Wh,n * h,nd WM hl * and ha JL rou " d , to find himaelf facing John Smith. Meanwhile tha Intruder had e6oaped.

"You — you — what — what!" ho spluttered, as the hand was removed. of breath trying to catch him/' John Smith said," with a shrug of his brood shoulders; "he's like an al«aje gets away! Hesides ■we don t want the whole school in here!" What do you mean?" demanded. "That fellow was up to no good—looked as though he wanted to murder someone!" "Yes—exactly!" "What do you mean—exactlyT" "I nienn," said John Smith, "that that fellow has hern trying to bring about my death for the last three months!" CHAPTER IV. Pink Peaila. "I think." said Peter, in that deadly quiet voice that made those •who knew him sit up and stop twiddling their thumbs;-"I think— you'd better explain!" John Smith shrugged his shoulders again—a distinctly foreign gesture ■which seemed to say, "It is fate." "I suppose there's not much else I can do," he said at last, "after all— you saved my life!" Peter started at him wonderingly. "Then yoti were serious when you eaid the fellow mean to kill you?" "Certainly. I've missed death by a hair's breadth so many times in the last three months that I've no illusions left as to his intentions. Seems to have a pecnliar habit of attacking ■while I'm slumbering, too—must think it's easier for people to die while they're asleep." A ghost of a smile revealed, for a moment, the whiteness of his teeth. "That's why

Thrilling Serial

By M. Thorpe Clark

Dr. White put me in here—thought that this attic, with a lot of room mates, was the safest place for me." "Doc knows all about it, does he?" Peter questioned. it was to I>e a. secret between the doctor and myself, but ih.w—l must tell you. Maybe—von could help me." There was almost a wistful note in his voice. "All rijrht, fire away," Peter said, his impatience ffone. "Only—" he hesitated. "I don't have secrets from Illy pals." "I don't ask you to." said John Smith. "In the face of that warning this afternoon you've shown that you're all and more than Dr. White said—four pretty decent fellows. But I'<l like to tell you my story fi ,- st—and let you repeat it to vou'r pals." "All rijrlit," Peter conceded; "judging by the row they're kicking up, they're dead to the world. Here sit on my bed and drape some of the blankets around you —this is real football weather."

"To begin with," said John Smith, settling himself as he was told and drawing his knee* up to his chin. My name is not John Smith—l am Vedi, Prince of the Island,of Vega— my {rrauidfather in the reigiuirg king." John Smith spoke the words simply as though he was saying, "Jt is a line day." and, as Peter said later, you could have hit him under the chin and he'd h«.ve thought it was a fly tickling him. '"Prince of the island of —of—" "\ eg<i —' John Smith helped him out witli a smile. '"You've never heard of it? Well, that's not exactly a sin. To the outside world Yejra is not a very' large place, though it's quite an important member of the Pacific group." '"Pacific— ?" "ies, Vega, is one of the Pacific Inlands, but its inhabitants are Christian. We've been a Christian people for nearly a century." In the semi-light, Peter looked at his companion. So that accounted

for that black hair and olive-tinted skin. .Tohn Smith was Vedi, a Pacific Island prince! A thrill of excitement coursed through him. To have a real live prince whom someone wanted to murder actually in Dorm 5 was enough to give anyone a thrill of excitement. "Bnt—you speak just like one of ue!" he managed to stammer forth at length. "Oh, Vega has a very good school, and I've been learning English ever since I started," the prince explained. "Your father —will he be king next?" Peter asked, wondering if it was quite the thing to question a prince. John Smith shook his head sadly. ''So, I am next in line for the throne. My father and mother were drowned —together —in a hurricane when I was a baby—and my grandfather is very, very old. It can't be long before I am called upon to take his place." ''Who was the fellow with the knife?" was Peter's next question. "I don't really know —he has always attached in the dark, but mice, when I nearly grabbed him, he muttered something in our native tongue, so I know that he is one of my own people. It was probably the same man who delivered the note this afternoon. I'm certain, and so is my grandfather—although my Uncle Afa is not so convinced—that he is one of the gang of Pierre Rogers, a .half-caste trader. Rogers has always been at the bottom of all trouble oil our island—he tries to swindle my jveople out of payment for their copra, and will do anything for money. I've always hated Rogers —and he knows it—perhaps he thinks I will he a bit of a nuisance to him when I become king. Or else—-I've kept this idea to myself to save worrying grandfather— lie thinks that my death will help him, in some unaccountable way, to lay his hands on my grandfather's pink pearls." "Pink pearls?" Peter breathed. "Yes —my grandfater possesses some very rare and valuable pearls. They are his ]K>rsonal property, but he's kept them not as personal property, but as a standby should his little kingdom ever need some ready cash. They're kept in a safe deposit in Sydney, and he's passed a law that only the reigning head can lay hands upon them. I've heard Rogers talk about these pearls in a way that has plainly shown his desire to possess them." "But how would your death help Rogers to get hold of them ?" "I—l don't know," the island youth spoke slowly; "but, somehow, I'm certain that the pearls are his objective." "Who is next in line for the throne?" Peter asked. "My L ncle Afa, and he is always Saying how much he hates Rogers— so the latter has nothing to gain by my uncle taking my place." There was silence for a moment while Peter wondered if it were all just a thrilling dream. "When did all this funny business start?" he questioned at length. (To be continued.>