STORY OF VANDA SANDERIANA 77 



with the Chinamen, tame and quiet enough now. The 

 Subanos had all vanished in the forest, which rose, misty and 

 still, across the clearing. Hours they watched, expecting 

 each moment to hear the yell of savage fight. But no 

 sound reached them. At length a long line of dusky figures 

 emerged, with arms and ornaments sparkling in the moon- 

 light. It was half the warriors returning. 



They still showed sullenness towards the Chinamen ; but 

 the chief took Roebelin by the hand, led him to the foot of 

 a tree upon which stood the largest house, and smilingly 

 showed him the way up. It was not a pleasant climb. The 

 ladder, a notched trunk, dripped with dew ; it was old and 

 rotten besides. Roebelin went up gingerly ; the chief re- 

 turned with a torch to light his steps before he had got half 

 way. But the interior was comfortable enough — far above 

 the mosquito realm anyhow. Roebelin felt that an indefinite 

 number of eyes were watching from the darkness as he made 

 his simple preparations for turning in ; but he saw none of 

 them, and heard only a rustling. ' What a day I've had ! ' 

 he thought, and fell asleep. 



It was a roar and a rush like the crack of doom which 

 woke him ; shrieking and shouting, clang of things that fell, 

 boom of great waves, and thunder such as mortal never 

 heard dominating all. A multitude of naked bodies stumbled 

 over him and fell, a struggling, screaming heap. In an in- 

 stant they were gone. He started up, but pitched headlong. 

 The floor rolled elastic as a spring-board. It was black 

 night. Dimly he saw clearer patches where a flying wretch, 

 tossed against the wall of sticks, had broken it down. 

 But the dust veiled them like a curtain. Gasping, on 

 hands and knees, Roebelin sought the doorway. Again and 

 a^-ain, even thus, he fell upon his side. And all the while 

 that thundering din resounded. He understood now. It 

 was a great earthquake ! At length the doorway was found ; 



