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October 25, 1003L THE ILLUSTKATHD 1U:K. 11 fall constantly Into the valley. There Is a thundering of a spectral battle, as If the air wore the scene of the war of annihila tion that will break over the State If heaven does not call me to save the land at the right time. Day and night there Is the thundering and the roaring. I listen to it day and night day and night awaiting the messages And day and night they work to keep the one path open, for over It must crme th call, over it I must go. The people work In constant peril. Before them, behind them the avalanches tumble, ever eloping the path anew, ever shutting entrance and exit They say that several have been killed already. What care I? I phall stride over the lives of thousands and thousands In order to make my people great. A miracle! A miracle! Bee, a miracle has been performed for me. I knew It. An hour remained to me before I start for the capital. I have locked myself In, to pass It with this, my confidant. I think thpt It may be the last time. How did everything fulfill Itself so won drously? She came to me! Through snow and Ice, through terror and death, she forced her way to me. So mighty Is her love, con quering terror and death, to call me, the exiled and prosrribed, to the throne of my fathers, where It waits for me. For this she shall be my Queen! T will write down calmly how It all hap pened. In the afternoon I went out and walked far. At a great distance from the house I suddenly saw two figures moving along the path that lay by the Bliore. I could see plainly how completely they were ex hausted so that they could move forward nly painfully. And I could see. too, hnw n mighty wall f snow hung loosely over their heads, ready to fall at any moment and bury the weary, daring travelers under It. I saw It and waited for It. But who were they? People who were coming to the Sea-Alp, to me surely they were bearing a mes sage. Perhaps a great one, deciding the fate of my house and my nation! Has my brother conquered himself again? Has he permitted them to wrest his signature from Tilm? Has ' war lsen declared? And tha wo, over whose heads hangs the icy death, ro bringing mo the news? I must hear the message! Death must rot hurtle from the air until I heard! I ran toward them, observing as I ran how their exhaustion Increased, how a fine pale rloud arose even then from the overhang ing mass. And I heard the thunder of an other avalanche, rolling fast. I called, I shrieked. But they did not hear me. One of the figures was that of a woman. Bhe walked ahead. A woman who was romlng to me, in danger of her life! Who who could it be? The Saga of Trig Olafsen, the Swimming Mate fCopyright, 1903, by Albert Sonnichsen.) F TOU have knocked about Hono lulu much you will have heard of Trig Olafsen. But perhaps you 8rti a B'ranBer there- Then vntiio ml go down to the docks some Sun day morning when the seamen are loafing bout the gangways and ask. They will ing you the saga of Trig Olafsen. It Will come couched in language hideously profane, but no matter, you will. learn all about Trig Olafsen. Perhaps, If they are In a good humor, thry will tell you of Trig Olafsen's long wim with liberal criticism of the ways of Providence In preserving the morally unfit. For Olafsen's notoriety as a hard case bucko mate equals his fame as a swimmer. If you should ever meet Trig Olafsen you will understand why he Is feared. Big of body, arms like thighs, gnarled and hairy; a lion-like head on a bull neck, a tawny mustache drooping over ponderous Jaws and hair of the most fiery hue such a man Is Trig Olafsen. Sailors on the west coast will rule or be ruled. Trig Olafsen has never been ruled in spite of many efforts on the part of insubordinate crews to subdue him. A crowd of Irish men tried It once on Island Queen, but Trig piled Into them and smote with the mighty arm of his Viking forefathers. Those were the days when Dave Kala kaua's banner floated from the palace tow rs and from the gaffs of a dozen good ailing ships. Trig Olafsen was mate of the Hawaiian bark Aloha, then In the ugar, lumber and coal trade coal from Australia to Honolulu, thence to Pan Francisco with sugar, and back to Aus tralia with Pugct Sound lumber. From a sailor's point of view this was n Ideal ship, and Aloha was a first rate ship for living and easy to handle, but Its crews Invariably left ut the end ef each passage. Few made a fu!l trip. As they didn't stop to collect their wages the owners found It profitable to retain Trig Olafsen In their service. But on one trip they almost lost him. Atcha had cleared the doldrums ond had barely caught the northeast trades. It happened In the morning watch, about t o'oloclc. The yards were braced sharp up n the port tack, ajid if Aloha waa Swiftly ss I could 1 ran toward them, crying: "The avalanche! Quicker! In heaven's name, quicker'.' The howl of the storm, the thumler of the avalanche swallowed my words. In that instant I recognized the woman tlebhu nit's sister! And then I saw a white mass fall from above, heard the roar. The avalanche and Gebhardt's sister under It. I screamed with a terrible cry. I tried to leap forward, but the whirling snow blinded me. So I had to stand and wait until the cloud of white had settled. Tho first that my glance saw In the white mists like a vision was Gebhardl's sister. Over her head, too, a Royal crown hung and shielded her. This Is what happened In the Royal Palace To tell me of It the beautiful woman whom I love and who loves me had found her way through snow and ice, through terror and death to me. More and more Insistently government and nation demanded tho declaration of war from the trembling sovereign. But the sovereign continued to fear and to tremble. Again they send my mother to him, and again she conquers her son's vacillation and weakness. In the council In the afternoon the King announces his determination lo sign the declaration of war. On the same evening the document Is laid before him. He expresses the wish to be left alone and commands that none must disturb him. In the next room His Majesty's adjutant waits. An hour passes. And a second hour passes. The adjutant hears the King sigh heavily several times. The council has assembled and waits. A third hour passes. The adjutant departs for a moment to call the King's chamber lain. He la to enter tho King's room. It Is late ut night. The chamberlain enters the door and sees the King sitting at the desk with hH head upon it as if he were asleep. Softly he calls: "Your Majesty!" The King does not hear, does not move. "Your Majesty!" Because the King still does not hear the man steps nearer and sees It is dripping from the desk to the red carpet, and It haa the royal color of the carpet. Dabbled with blood Is the Declara tion of War that bears no signature. The King Is carried to his bed by adjutint Rnd chamberlain. The room Is shut off. It is announced: "Hla Majesty is Indis posed." The spiritus famtliarlrls Is on the spot at once. The Queen and the Queen Mother are called. The Queen falls at the bedside as one dead; the Queen-Mother Is rigid and -strong. The King's servants are sworn to silence, and that whole part of the palace is thut off and guarded. The council remains assembled. The doctors are asked how long His making Its course, that was about all. The mate, sniffing the wind, to take prompt ad vantage of any favorable change, kept faithful watch by the weather mlzzen rig ging. The men were Just taking coffee when the breeia hauled aft a trifle. In stead of waiting until they had finished, Olafsen gave the order to square in a bit at once. "Slack away your spanker sheet," he or dered rext. A man did so. but the block on the boom Jambed. The mate leaned over the railing to overhaul tho sheet. Suddenly It clearid end the boom shot out with a Jerk to lee ward. The mate had been leaning against the boom, so naturally he went wilh it, but not having wings, he fell, and a minute later was shouting In the ship's wake. The mate's watch was made up partly of Melbourne larrikins and partly of 'Frisco roughs, an unwholesome mixture. Olafsen had not been very courteous to them on the trip and they remembered it now of all times. The ship was making a good six knots, and even had the helmsman brought It up into the wind, It would have taken a good hour to pick up the mate. But the wheel remained unsbifted and Aloha sailed straight on, the men coiled up the ropes, and soon the shouts astern died out In the hiss of the wake. But It wasn't to save trouble that they paid no heed. An hour later the man at tho wheel cast loose a life buoy und roared out : "Man overboard!" The taptaln came on deck, all hands were called, the ship was hove lo and a boat lowered. They spent an hour hunting, but of course it wasn't likely that they would find a man dropped six miles astern. A week later Aloha c-ime into Honolulu and officially reported Its mate lost at sea. Aloha hauled up alongside the rail road dock and hegan discharging its cargo of coal. The crew were employed on deck manipulating burtons and whips und driv ing winches, while the Kanakas filled the buckets below. By Saturday you couli no longer Jjmp down the hatchways to the top of the cargo. It was nearly noon. The men expected to knock off early and were in pretty good humor, laughing, and bandying jokes with Majesty will remain "indisposed." Net fully forty-tight heurs mere! Who in I he successor? A stranger! lias the King no brother? Oh, yes; but tho brother has - renounced the succession, had to renounce because Ids reign would be a misfortune for tho nation. A frccrol deed Is in ex istence signed by him. Then, why yes! Then we must lull tho stranger. So they debate, and at last they desido to wait until It can be said: "The King is dead -Ions live the Kins!" And yet they should let the brother come. No, better, wait until all is over. One cannot know. But he will come. He wil come! He will come to demand Ills I Wilts, to step Into his inheritance, to lake the crown of his fathers. The woman who loves him culls him! Accompanied by a faithful srvanl tho Countess leaves the capital. She reaches the lake. There is only one path; it may be the path of death. She takes it. When I arrived on the Se i-Alp with the Countess and her companion the night had begun. 1 led the magnificent one Into my rooms, served her with refreshments my self, and then proceeded personally to my adjutant, to whom I said: "The King Is dying. I am his successor, designated by (lod. Your sister has come to mil me to preserve my rights at the deathbed of my brother, anil aft. r death to mount the throne which your sister Fhall mount with me, thanks to my Royal power and my passion. "In an hour I shall start to the capital with the Countess. Since the path has become Impassable through Hie fall of an avalanche, we cross the lake. No matter bow I must! If you wish to accompany me, come; If you would rather remain. Rtny! Which la your decision?" "For me there Is only one decision." "To remain?" "To do what I can in order to prevent Tour Royal Highness from leaving the Sca-Alp." I asked him: "Is that your loyalty for me?" His answer wan: "Yes. that It Is." And I asked further, suppressing my self mightily: "You, too. will consider It a misfortune If I become King?" "Yes." "Misfortune for the land?" "Yes." "Because I am unable to rule?" "Too ill." "I tell you your sister shall be Queen." "That Is impossible under the law of your house." "I shall make a new law that will make the impossible possible." "Kven then it would remain Impossible." "Because I um married already?" "To an angel." one another. Suddenly there came a ora-.li a bucket dropped on deck, almost driving through the plans and near'y killing big Steve r. t the burton. The man driving the for'd winch stood stiff, his face the color of a snake's belly, his eyes bulging. The others were about to swear nt him, but following his rigid gaze, horror likewise stiffened them. Complete stillness had come over the busy scene. All eyea were fixed on something on I ho deck. licking Us way through the line of freight cars on the wharf came tho tower lug figure of the "drowned" mate Trig. Olafsen. The apparition leaped clear of a coal pile and landed at the foot of tho gangway. The cabin boy, cleaning the gangway brass, looked up, gave w fright ened scream and bolted down Into tho cabin. Only one man about there had never seen the mate's big figure . and he was the duck watchman. As he did not see hii thing particularly ghostly In It this first time, and br sides, had a pretty char conscience, he took no part In the panio thai followed. He hi the only one capable of giving a con cise. Impartial account of what happenid the rest fhiver yet when they think of It. I have heard the watchman tell the story several times und he always Id's It la a h imorous vein. To him It was extremely funny. You see, he did not know the mate should have been dead ten days. Trig Olafsen came up the gangway, his head thrown up like a II n smelling fresh inent. The plank quivered beneath tils n derous tread. Ills huge mustache trailed back over his ot jaws, his hair bristled and his big hairy arms were swollen and bare to the elbows, for he hud tlirr.wn off his hat and rout on the dock. He paused at the top for Just one moment, then, with a roar like breakers on a reef, he bounded to the deck. The watohr ian says he never saw s u-li a wild scramble it couldn't be oo:rpard to the panic at Wr-lkikl, when llie tlgr got loose In the circus menagerie. Not only the ship, but the whole Island was mu-h tto small for Aloha's crew Just then, then. The ghost seized a capstan bsr from the rack at the break of the poop and charged "In whom iui, however, see an c.uitUj worn, in. l'..ie . 1 1 1 unite In steed hrloro me, Willi tils secret love exposed by lot uud liaiticti calmly by me. He struggled lor Kuiim, could s.i nothing toi a period, iiica cjuu.atcit Willi a I. 'I. use voice. "1 shall Mid do my iitmusl to prevent Your Royal ,nujilj H in having llic tea Alp." 'How will juu hinder me?" "1 shall nut lei our Royal ll.tlimaa go." "Ah, ou mean to use tone." "Force, if ncc-'.--nr'.' Then it seized inc. I hurled m.'scll on him. 1 i nun lit li i in with Hie power of a g.uul that dc.-ceii.ieil on me at tnat in rtant. 1 threw him, knec.ed en him, tr.ed to strangle him. 1 Would have oouc 11 had he not possessed the eyes of his i-l-ier, Willi which he looked al me without re si.sting. Then 1 let go of htm, arose and da- maimed bis Wold el ho tor til. it lie W Mild not Interfere with me. Hut he would nol give it. Thereupon I cubed nunc of my people and told thein: " I he King lies dying. In a few diys I will be your King." And I commanded them to Imprison the Count in his room un til the morning. The creatures one.ved ma like dogs. Kvorythihg la ready for departure. Only one thing lemains; to say farewell to Jtutlca. At llrst none of th.- nun would dare '.he vouge hit"!" the .sea. Kven the royal re wards that I offered tin in could nit m'ova them. Then 1 commands). As King I oin nia ride l. They obeyed, mid now the rahlda craw ls hofoi e inc. We took the n longest boat. We must go with torchlight. Willi axo-t we m ist br. ilk our way. It will he a voyage for lite or d'ath. I had the n maiiiing hi, lis Hove in in case the Omul heml i os. ipo and lr to follow. They tell me that the boal Ls ready. I muM sny farewell to .ludloa. It Is done. She will like-- Shall f lake this look with me? Shall 1 threw It Inl" the sea where it l deepest? Or hall I hurl it Into the tlru thus dest lining what U a piece of my soul, of this wrestling human soul wl:h its hula that Is good and jure and with Its gnat darkness and its many abysses? With so much thai Is evil and wick-d! Destroy these confessions! 1 Hi It, oh, do 1 '. And yet If 1 were to lay this took Into the ciket again, ami if I were to have the caskoi open, and - Yes, and if - (To Bo Continued.) midships. Five of the men leaped over board and swarm frantically across tha harbor to the mail dock. Two fled up th rigging and the rest sprang to the dock, a drop of nearly tin feet. L'p the track they pelted. Trig olafsen after the-m, hulling the capstan bar ahead of him, pii king ll up again when he got to It, and roaring out blood curding oaths In N'oisa and Knglish all the while. Here the watchman became hysterical and saw no more until Olafsen reappeared on the deserted deck, roaring and fuming' among the empty coal buckets and using most unghostly language. Then the skipper came up from below uud staggered against the skylight, white as a water-i-OHked corspe. "What in de name of do Flying Dub-h-nrin's llgurc-he uel ye statin' lit me like d.it for?" roared Trig Olafsen. lie really didn't swear by th" flying diitcliniau's figure-head; It was something d eidedly more expressive than that. The captain recovi red no drowned man cmild swear like that, no living man could swear like that but Trig Olafsen. In flesh urd lib od. The skipper and the mate opproched each other, but what I hey suld the watchman could not bear. Finally both went below Into the cabin. None of the mate's watch came abroad that night. The men of the other watch r-nrne slragkllng abroad toward dusk. They had no gul'ty conscience to keep them away. The others made fi r the hills up by the Pali and were captured by the police, next day atiel brought aleoard In Irons. The nii'lt: 1 : 1 1 1 1 --1 1 f i i nductee the hunt, but bulged rio eeenplalnt against them he only wanted them Willi liliu on the passage to 'Frisco. (if course be left Honolulu on Aloha as mate. Tin record of that pa. sago Is lost to aiithe olio I. inl' ry. but oec isiou.illy you Intel a sai'.nr who will tell you that there really is a lull. It-cause be barf been there. The poll watch -if Aloha reached 'Frisco nlive that passage-, but they were carried arhnre in stretchers, aboard the marine hospital launch. Nor was Trig Olifsen ever beard to complain ejf having gnna unavenged. lb ulwavs ifcrs to that paa- (Cnnlinued on Page Thirteen.)