JAVA JACK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19062, 6 July 1925, Page 5

JAVA JACK.

BY OTTWELL BINNS. Author of " A Mating in, the WilcLa." " Th» Treasure of Chmtophe."' " Clancy of the Mounted Police." etc, eto.

(Copyright.) CHAPTER X.—(Continued.) "Oh, thank God! whispered the girl, so low that her brother never heard the words; then quite suddenly she stopped. "Java, by heaven!" cried Callaghan exultantly, as Blake gave another yell and waved an arm in a. mad semaphore. " What's that in his arms, Andy?" . " Don't know for sure! It looks like— Geo! yes, it is San Clioon or I'm a Dutchman." A bleak look came on Nora Callaghan's faco at the words, and for a second a jealous light flashed in her blue eyes. Her brother, oblivious of everything except the little party on the cliff, began to hurry forward, then stumbled and would have fallen but for his sister's arm. He laughed a little weakly. " Guess, I'll have to go slow, but, Jupiter! I'm glad Java's come through." The trio on the cliff disappeared among the trees, but after a little time emerged again making the descent to the shore. The watching pair moved forward to meet them, and Andy Callaghan laughed with excitement as he shouted in greeting: "Java, old man! Java!" Java Jack laughed back. "All right, Andy. Glad to see you're kicking still." Then he looked at Nora Callaghan. Her beautiful faco had the austere look that he had seen there before, and her eyes with no light of greeting in them were fixed on the burden that he carried. Ho smiled slightly as he explained: "The little one's played out. You'd think she was dead to look at her, but she's only sleeping. Last night she was more than half drowned, and I thought she'd gone altogether. I worked heaven knows how long before she breathed again." He spoke lightly enough, but looked down on the sleeping girl in a way that was almost affectionate, and again Nora Callaghan was conscious of a jealous surge in her heart. Without speaking she turned abruptly away, and a moment later heard the adventurer address her brother: "No sign of anybody else, Callaghan." The American pointed to the clamorous flock of gulls still screaming over the spoil they had found. "Not unless, "By Jove, yes! It looks likely. I wonder which of them it is?" Then in turn the other asked a cftiestion. "Where did you find San Choon ?" Nora Callaghan, with her face toward the sea, listened intently for the answer, which was given with a laugh: '"Twasn't a case of finding her. I carried her with me. When she struck, the little one as .you remember was in a state of collapse. Her nerve had gone, and I had to carry her on deck, and there before I took to the water I lashed her to me. Good thing I did too or she'd have been lost entirely." The laughing words brought no consolation to Nora Callaghan. She knew that the speaker had risked his life to save this waif of the Archipelago who a little time ago had not scrupled to attempt to kill him f and whose action at the hotel had jeopardised all their scheme, and she was conscious of bitter resentment as she noted the gentleness with which he carried the sleeping girl. San Choon she told herself was unworthy of his care, undeserving of the risk of life he had taken for her, and for the man's actions she could find only one explanation which turned the beauty of the morning to desolation. Then her brother's voice broke on her jealous thoughts. "I guess we're now out of the running so far as that emerald crux is concerned, Java." "No!" snapped Java tersely. "Not while we're alive. We're not far from Robiohn's island, I'll take may oath, and we'll get there somehow. I suspect this place of belonging to the group to which Five Palm Island is linked, and now that I've found you I'm going across the island to explore. "Hope you're right, Java. But if you are we're still in the deuce of a fix, for if there's water to cross we haven't any sort of means of doing it.". , "Then we'll make one," said Java, with a confident laugh. They reached the fire, and Java Jack laid his sleeping burden down in the shadow of a great boulder where she would be protected from the sun's direct rays then he stretched his arms and laughed. ' I'm stiff as a log," he said. "You wouldn't think that little one weighed more than a butterfly, would you, Miss Callaghan V The white girl's answer was almost ungracious. "I don't know! But she is a—er~butterfly, isn't she?" The man's face grew almost thunderous, and he replied harshly. "She is what circumstances have made her, and her own will has had nothing to do with the shaping of her life. I know the scoundrel who is responsible for her actions, and that responsibility will add to the pleasure I shall havr in killing him." "But—bec " began the girl, only to be interrupted. "Don't misjudge San Choon, Miss Callaghan. In your own sheltered life you can have no key to her unhappy days. She was stolen from her home in Kowloon four years ago—" He broke off, and said sharply. "Look at her! What age would you suppose she is now ? Sixteen ? Seventeen? isot a day more! And for some years has been the tool of one of the biggest blackguards earth ever spawned, compelled to do his bidding, turned into a decoy to lure drunken fools. Don't blame her—a stolen child in the hands of one of the superior race! Rather find a little charity and pity in your heart for one so hardly fated." He turned abruptly away, leaving the girl at whom he had flung his rebuke bitterly ashamed-, For a moment she stood there uncertain what to do, then she followed him impulsively. • ¥ r - *I? va " S ' lC began, interrupting herself as he turned and then continued hurriedly: "I did not know. I did not understand . . . I I " "No!" he answered tensely enough. "I daresay not. Such things haven't entered into your experioiice of life, but I cive you my word that the little one has been bitterly sinned against, and by the man who has gone far to wreck my own life. Is it any wonder that I am sorry for her, or, meeting as we did, that I feel that our fates are somehow linked together? That child can't avengo the wrong done to her, but I can and will, sooner or later, or may my soul rot in Hell!" Again he moved on, leaving her standing there. For a little while Nora Callaghan remained quite still, weighing the hot words to which she had listened and snatching crumbs of consolation from them. It was pity that dictated the man's solicitude for the Chinese girl, that and the fact that they had suffered wrong at the same hands. The Gonviction brought a measure of relief to her heart. Momentarily she brushed aside all jealous thoughts, and vowod to herself that when San Choon awoke she would show her kindness and extend to her the compassion for which so hard a fate appealed. But that she found was not easy. San Choon, when she awoke, seemed sullen and resentful of her attempts at friendliness. She replied to her only in monosyllables, and at times failed to reply at all, and once, when she had desisted from her efforts, and Java, busy with preparations for the projected journey, stopped to speak to her, Nora saw,tho dark eyes of the other girl glow with venomous light. She was a littlo startled by the sight of those flaming eyes, and by the conviction they kindled within her heart. Whatever had been San Choon's original attitude toward the man whose life she had attempted, it was now completely changed, and the child loved the man who had saved her from death. The secret jealousy which had stung her own heart helped her to Interpret the heart of this child of the East, and beyond all question she understood the can so of the other's resentment. S».n Choon was afire with jealous hatred of herself. . Convinced o! thigj far the time being she made no

iurwiei- aiHsmpt 10 ingratiate herself with this ehiid-wonmn. She lmsw it would be useless, for the East was an passionate. • m ■ hata • as;via. rmH friendship would be "oil glowing , ifire. So it fell that an lionr later, when' after consultation, the whole party began the march across the island, the two gifla walked apart, the eyes of each on the tall figure of Java picking a vfay through the hfgh trees and the scrub which grew beneath. The going was far from easy. Tall, stamless ferns of luxuriant growth obstructed the sight with their teii-fdot ' fronds. Trailing lianiaay festooned the trees, bush lawyer vines and coiling rat tan canes blocked the way. Strange lights and shadows flung themselves across the green, and sometimes they moved in a gloom that was like that of the sea to the eyes of a man swimming in its depths. Soraotirues monstrous orchids, flamed before therfi or the white and pink bugles of great convolvuli, at another time festoons of star-like blossoms hung gala-like on the trees. Underfoot there was rotting vegetation which squelched as they trod upon it, or soft vegetable mould in which the foot sank deep, while the air was heavy with perfume and with the all-pervading odour of rank decay. Twice small herds of wild pigs were seen, but flod from them in panic. Parrots ' screeched in the tree-tops, and unseen monkeys gabbled at them 'as at hostile invaders of their domains. And they moved always in a steamy heat which opened the pores of the skin, drenching them in the sweat? of their own endeavours and filling them with a great iassitude that awakened an almost overpowering desire to sit down and rest. But Java Jack, herculean in his efforts, pressed on unirestingly, and the others willy-nilly followed him, drooping with fatigue, but thrusting forward in the wake of his tremendous energy. About, four in the afternoon they cams on a break in tho words, where a great heap of coralline limestone, bare of all vegetation save j moss, lifted itself above the tallest trees, and, as he saw it, Java gave a shout. Before them was the crest of the island, and with new vigour the whole party ; bogan to climb the rough hillock of stone, j Java was first at the summit, and Callaghan scrambling behind saw him stand I upright, give one comprehensive sweeping glance round, and tnen heard the cry which broke from him in .utter astonishment. ' "By the nine gods!" "What " "Look there! Look there, Callaghan!" 1 He pointed downwards toward tho, sea as he spoke, and Callagban| lifting himself upright on the rock, slippery with rank moss, looked with wondering eyes in tho direction indicated. I, r •' ■ CHAPTER XL : ''}" VT: ' 'y' AN ENCOUNTER ON THE BEACH. In a small bay, little more than half a mile away, was a small steamer riding at anchor, a little streamer of smoke at her funnel. A -short distance from- the vessel, moving "toward tho land, was a rowing boat holding half a dozen men, and on the beach toward -which were making was a small native proa, which had the appearance of being in a wrecked condition. All this Callaghan comprehended in a single flashing glance, and then his gaze wandered further afield and saw a little chain of islands like green jewels in a sapphire sea, one of which, appearing starilingly near in the clear gem-like air, rose in a small cono that was crowned with a little group of palms. He counted fivo feathery crowns and then ejaculated: "Gee! There's the island!" " Yes!" answered Java quickly. " And if I'm not mistaken there are Njio, Oosterdyke and company." He indicated the steamer as he spoke, and then added wonderirigly: "But what in the name of fortune are they doing here ? They can't possibly have mistaken the place.It was Blake who answered. " Maybe they're putting in for water, Java." " No/' replied Java Jack in a voice qt utter conviction. " There's water-, on the other island for a certainty, or Robjohn would never have left his girl there." Andy Callaghan looked at the boat, then at the battered proa upon the beach, and offered comment. " Maybe they'ra coming to look for someone here." " That is possible," agreed Java. " But who can it be?" " Don't know and can't guess, but that proa seems to indicate that we're not 5 alone upon the island." " That's true enough 1 But if that boat is Oosterdyke's, I can't fathom why he's troubling about anyone upon this island." "Then I reckon somebody had best go t find out," said Blake with a hoarse laugh. "That's the only way to solve the mysi tery." ; ■ " Yes, but—" ■ : Java broke off as on the still air of the afternoon came a sudden wild scream, feminine in its quality. The watchers looked at one another doubtfully, while it was evident that the rowers in the boat quickened their stroke. The adventurer whistled and offered comment. "There's trouble abroad for someone. Who can it be ?" Almost on the heels of his question, and just as the boat reached the shore, a figure appeared round a little bluff, run-, ning along the sand, with two ether figures in close pursuit. "There!"., shouted Blake. - "Now what the blazes—" The first of the running figures had swerved suddenly as if trying to make v for the green woods, and Callaghan offered an explanation. ! " Didn't know the roVy-boat was on th©< beach and is trying to dash for the trees." If that was the explanation, the man- | oeuvre which the fugitive wai. attempting ' was doomed to defeat, for one of the pursuers, making an effort, got between the first runner and the woods, and at the | same; time there came a wild shout from the men just landed frotn the boat, who, spreading themselves fan-wise, ran to intercept the, fugitive. Interest in the chase held the watchers silent for a moment. No one believed that the runner coulcl escape, however gallant the attempt made. It was true that the fugitive was running like a hare, dodging in and out among the rocks, bearing toward the wood with tho evident intention of evading the pursuer on that side, but the pursuit behind and the men hurrying forward to intercept the runner, in the watcher's view, made final evasion impossible. And that judgment was vindicated. Driven from the wood by the pursuer on that side, obviously aware of the man in front, the fugitive dodged round a mass of coralline rock shaped like a great sponge, and for a moment held the field puzzled. But the man on the trail behind found and started the fugitive afresh; and two seconds later the quarry had run straight into the arms of two of the men from the boat; and quite an appreciable time later a feminine wail of despair reached those who were watching from the island's crest. "That's a woman!" cried Callaghan sharply. < " Yes," answered Java. " But what woman V* His forehead was creased in thought and there was a dark look on his face. "Don't know!" began Callaghan. " You can search me, but . „ . By the living jingo!" he cried, interrupting himself. " That girl of Robjobn's! SuppOSo-*^ M " Yes! That had occurred to me," replied Java harshly. " It's as likely as any other thing, and if that is Van Costerdyke's ship it's almost a certainty." " We've got to find out!" "At once! I'm going down there to get a closer view. "You stop here with the girls, : Callaghan, or Tather get to the edge of the wood. If anyone on the ship turned a glass this way he couldn t miss fill '"'■y'S, replied J»»» "It's no use kicking a , dus J^and 1 .f of it. Come along,