United States or Paraguay ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
I burned the candle at both ends and got just what was coming to me, I suppose. But how could I let go, just when everything was coming my way?" "I know," said Harber. "But unless you can use it " "You're right there. Not much in it for me now. Still, the medicos say a cold winter back home will.... I don't know. Sometimes I don't think I'll last to.... "Where's the use, you ask, Harber?
There has been trading in the islands, and a short and fortunate little campaign on the stock-market through Sydney brokers, and there has been, more profitable than anything else, the salvaging of the Brent Interisland Company's steamer Pailula by Farringdon's schooner, in which Harber had purchased a half-interest; so the partners are, on the whole, rather well fixed.
The first reasonable thought that came to Harber, when he was convinced of the authenticity of the miracle, was that he was free free to go after the girl he loved, after Vanessa Simola. I think that if he could have done it, he'd have turned the steamer back to the Orient in that moment. The thought that the ship was plunging eastward through a waste of smashing heavy seas was maddening, no less!
She had gotten a letter of introduction in Suva to the Tretheways and she would be here until the next steamer after the morrow's. These were the bare facts. Harber gave a good many more than he got, he told me, upon the theory that nothing so provoked confidence as giving it. He was a little mad himself that night, he admits, or else very, very sane. As you will about that.
Harber and Janet sat in the long grass, their hearts stirring with the same urgent, inarticulate thoughts, their hands clasped together. "Let's wait for Eighty-seven," she said. Harber pressed her hand for reply. In the mind of each of them Eighty-seven was the symbol of release from Tawnleytown, of freedom, of romance.
There were wild rumours afloat of the fortunes that could be made in rubber and vanilla out in the Papuan "Back Beyond." Harber was only half inclined to believe them, perhaps; but half persuaded is well along the way. He heard his name called, and, turning, he saw a man coming toward him with the rolling gait of the seaman.
Harber was but twenty-three. Faithfulness, too, comes easier then than later in life, when one has seen more of the world, when the fine patina of illusion has worn off. Besides, there was, I'm sure, a touch of genius about that girl, so that one wouldn't forget her easily, certainly not in three years. And then, you know, Harber had had her letters. Not many of them. Perhaps a dozen to the year.
Side I Call The wind rose from the N W. and the Swells became So high, we were Compelled to return about 2 miles to a place where we Could unld. our Canoes, which was in a Small Bay on Driftwood, on which we had also to make our fires to dry our Selves as well as we could the Shore being either a Clift of Purpendicular rocks or Steep assents to the hight of 4 or 500 feet, we continued on this drift wood untill about 3 oClock when the evening appearing favourable we loaded & Set out in hopes to turn the Point below and get into a better harber, but finding the waves & Swells continue to rage with great fury below, we got a Safe place for our Stores & a much beter one for the Canoes to lie and formed a Campment on Drift logs in the Same little Bay under a high hill at the enterence of a Small drean which we found verry convt. on account of its water, as that of the river is Brackish- The logs on which we lie is all on flote every high tide- The rain Continud all day- we are all wet, also our beding and many other articles. we are all employed untill late drying our bedding. nothing to eate but Pounded fish
I say that deliberately, because: The night before the steamer was due there was a ball yes, poor island exiles, they called it that! and Harber, one of some thirty "Europeans" there, went to it, and on the very eve of safety ...
Why, so should I! But it wasn't. For Harber took the letter and put it in a fresh envelope, and in the morning he went aboard the steamer without seeing the girl again ... unless that bit of white standing near the top of the slope, as the ship churned the green harbour water heading out to sea, were she, waving. But he kept the address she had written. Why? He never could use it.
Word Of The Day