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Show SERIAL?? jj STORY tJ ViV.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.'.'.'.'.'.'.V.'. ! INTO THE 1 ! PRIMITIVE I ;;; ;;; I Bv I 1 1 ROBERT AMES BENNET 1 I : Illustrations bj x i jii RAY WALTERS jij i wxw w:;'X': -wrn'm-lM h (Copyright, 1904, by A. O. MeClurg A Co.) SYNOPSIS. Tim story opens with tlip Hhlpwruok of tho stouiner on which MIhm (.tenevlovQ LchIIo, mi AmutIciui heiress, Lord Win-thrnpu, Win-thrnpu, un lCnKllxliman, and Tom Blnkc, n brusque American, wore pussetiBt'iH. Tho three were tossed upon nn iinlnlmlc Led Island mid were the only ones not ill owned, llluke, Hhunued nu the bout, becunse of his rotiKhness. becninu u hero ns preserver of the helpless pair. The Englishman was huIiik for the hand of Miss Leslie. Wlulhrope wasted his lust mutch on u cigarette, for which he wns scored by Make. All three constructed hats to shield themselves from the sun, Thoy then feasted on coeoantits, tlto only procurable food. Miss Leslie showed a liking; for HluUe, but detested his roughness. rough-ness. Led by Ulnlte, they established a home In some cIIITh. ISlake found a fresh water spring. Miss Leslie faced an unpleasant un-pleasant situation. Hlnke recovered Ids surveyor's magnifying glass, thus insuring insur-ing lire. He started u jungle lire, killing a large leopurd und smothering several cubs. In the leopard'H cavern tiiey built a small homo. They gained tho cliffs by burning the bottom of u tree until it felt against the heights. The trio secured eggs from the cliffs. Miss Leslie's white skirt was decided upon us a signal. Miss Leslie made a dress from the leopard okln. Overhearing a conversation between be-tween Blake and Winthropc, Miss Leslie beenmo frightened. Wlnthrope became 111 with fever, llluke was poisoned by a fish and almost died. Jackals attacked tho camp that night, but were ilrlven off by Qenev.eve. Hlakt; constructed an animal ani-mal trap. It killed n hyena. On a tour 'io trio discovered honey anil oysters. '(Iss Leslie was uttaeked by a poisonous snake niako killed It and saved its poison poi-son to kill game. For tho second tlmo Wlnthrope was attacked by fever. Ho and Hlnke disagreed. The latter made a strong door for the privnto compartment of Miss Leslie's onvo homo. A terrlblo storm raged that night. 'Wlnthrope stole Into her room, but she managed to swing her door closed in time. Wbithropo was badly hurt. Ho died the following morn- , Ing The storm tore down their distress I Hug. so u new ono was swung from a bamboo pole. 1 CHAPTER XXII. Understanding and Mlsunderstnndlnq. mMC' 1jI", scraping oncrRetlcnl-v;JfeL oncrRetlcnl-v;JfeL iy at tho Inner surfaces of a pair of raw liyona skins. "So you've killed more game!" she exclaimed. "Ontno? No; hyenas. I hated to waste nood poison on tlio brutes; but nothing else showed up, a'nd I need n new pair of pa or trousers." "Was It not dangerous great beasts like thoso?" "Not even enough to mako It Interesting. Inter-esting. I'd havo had some fun, though, with that confounded lion when the moon came up If ho hadn't Rnonked off Into tho grass." "A Hon?" "Yes. Didn't you hear him? The skulking brute prowled around for hours before the moon rose, when It wns pitch dnrk. It wns mighty lonesome, lone-some, with him yowling down by tho pool. Half a chanco and I'd given him something to yowl nhout. But It wasn't any use firing oft my arrows in tho dark, and, ns I said, he' sneaked off bofore " "Tom Mr. Blake! you must not risk your life!" "Don't you worry about mo. Pvo learned how to look out for Tom Illake. And you can just bank on It I'm going to look out for Miss .Jenny Leslie, too! Hut say, after breakfast, suppose we take a run out On the cliff for eggs?" "I do not wish any today, llihnk you." He waited a little, studying her down-bent face. "Well." ho muttered; "you don't have to come. I know I oughtn't to tako a moment's time. I did quite a bit last night; but If you think" Sho glanced up, puzzled. His meaning mean-ing Hashed upon liur, and she rose. "Oh, not that I I will come," she answered, and hastened to preparo tho morning meal. When they camo to tho treo-laddor she found Hint tho heap of stones oullt up by Hlnko to facilitate the first part of tho ascont was now so high that sho could climb Into the brnnchos without dlfllculty. She surmised thnt Pinko had found It necessary to build up the pile before ho could ascend with his burden. Thoy were at the foot of' the heap, lien, with a charp exclamatlou, Ulaku sprang up Into tho branches na scrambled to. tho tup In hot hasto. Wondering what this might mean, Miss Lesllo followed as fnat as sho could. When she reached tho top sho saw him running across towards nn out-jutting point on tho north edgo of tho cliff. Sho baa nurrtod after him for moro than half tho distance before sho perceived per-ceived tho vultures that wero gathered gath-ered In n solemn circle about a long and narrow heap of stones on a ledgo down on tho sloping brink of tho cliff. While at tho foot of the troe Blako had seen ono of tho growsoine flock descending to, join the other, and, fearful of what might be happening, had rushed on nltead. At his approach, the croaking watch-ors watch-ors hoppod awkwardly from tho ledges and ooared away; only tof wheel and circle back overhead. Miss Leslie shrank down, shuddering. Ulako enmo back near her, and began to gather up the pieces of looso rock which wore strown about beneath tho ledges on that part of tho cliff "I know I piled up enough," lie explained, ex-plained, In response to her look. "All the same, a few moro will do no harm." "Then you .are sure those awful birds have not " Ho carried an armful of rocks to lay ou the mound. When he began other, until the calm had grown to twice Its former size. The air on the open cliff top wns fresher thnn In the cleft, and Miss Lesllo gave llttlo heed to tho absence of shade. She would to gather more sho followed his ox ample. Thoy worked In silence, piling "I'm Fixing It So It'll Do Me Even When It Rains." tho rough stones gently ono upon nn-have nn-have worked on under tho burning sun "Yes, I'm sure." without thought of consequences. Hut Dlnke knew the need of moderation. modera-tion. "There; thnt'll do," he said. "He may havo been all ho was; but we've no moro than done our duty. Now, we'll stroll out on tho point." "I should prefer to return." "No doubt. Hut it's tlmo you learned how to go nesting. What If you should be left nlone here? Besides, Be-sides, It looks to me like tho signal Is tearing loose." She accompanied him out along the cliff crest until thoy stood in tho midst of tho bird colony, half deafened by tholr harsh clamor. She had never ventured Into their concourse when alone. liven now sho cried out, and would have retreated before tho charp bills and beating wings had not Blako walked ahead and kicked the squawking squawk-ing birds out of tho path. Having made certain that the big whlto flag was still secure on Its staff ho led the way along tho seaward brink of tho cliff, pointing out the different kinds of sonfowl and shouting Information about such of their habits and qualities quali-ties as wore of concern to hungry enst-aways. enst-aways. Ho concluded tho lesson by descending descend-ing a dizzy flight of ledges to rob the nest of a frigate bird. It was a foolhardy fool-hardy feat at best, and doubly so In view of tho thousands of eggs lying nil around In the hollows of tho cliff top. But from theso Ulako had recently re-cently culled out all tho fresh settings of tho frigate blrdB and none of the othor eggs equaled them In dollcacy of flavor. "How's that?" ho demanded, ns ho drew himself up over tho edgo of tho cliff and handed tho big chnlky-whlto egs Into her keeping. "I would rather go without than soo you tako such, risks," sho replied, coldly. "You would, oh?" ho cried, qulto misunderstanding her, and angered by what seemed to him a gratuitous rebuff., re-buff., "Well, I'd rather you'd say nothing thnn speak in that tone. If you don't want tho egg heavo It over." Unable to noncolvo any cause for his uuddon anger, she wus alarmed and draw back, watching him. with sidelong glances. t 4 "Whnfft tho matter?" ho domandod. "Think I'm going to blto you?" Sho shrank farther away, and did not answer. At her call to tho noon menl Ulako took his time to rospond, and when ho nt last came to Join hor ho wns morose and taciturn. Sho met him with a Binllo and oxcrtcd all hor worn-nnly worn-nnly tnct to conclllato him. "You must help mo oat tho ogg," sho said. "I'vo boiled It hard." "Rather eat beef," ho mumbled. "But Just to please me when I'vo cooked It your wny?" He uttorcd an Inartlctilato sound which sho choso to Interpret ns us-Bent. us-Bent. The egg was already shelled. She cut It exactly In half and sorved one of tho pieces to him with a bit of wnrm fnt and n pinch of salt. As ho took tho dish ho raised his sullen eyes to her fnco. Sho mot his gnzo with a look of mlllng Insistence. "Come now," she said; "ploaso don't refuse. I'm sorry I wns so rudo." "Well, If you feel that way about It! not that I care for fancy dishes," he rosnonded, gruffly. j "It would bo missing half tho en and onions In th6 name dish." "I'm sure, Mr. Blake " "Beats n burlesque till hollow Mrs. Mnt-nogls-Wnldoft's chop-soocy tea and young Mrs. Vnndnm-Jones' nuto-cotillon nuto-cotillon with us sitting bore llko troglodytes, chewing snnko-polsonod antelope, and you In that Kundry dress " "Do you I was not aware thnt you knew about music." "Don't know a note. But give mo a chance to henr good music and I'm there if I have to stand In tho peanut-gallery." peanut-gallery." "Oh, I'm so glad! I'm very, very fond of music! Havo you been to Bnyreuth?" I "Whore's that?" "In Germany. It Is whoro his oporns aro given ns staged by Wagner himself. It Is Indescribably grand and Inspiring above nil, tho Parsifal!" Par-sifal!" "I'll most certainly take that In, oven If I hnvo to cut short my engagement en-gagement In this gee-lorlous cllmo not but whnt, when It comes to leopard ladles " Ho paused and surveyed her with frank admiration. Tho blood loaped Into hor face. "Oh!" sho gasped, "I never dreamed that oven such a man as you would compnro mo with with a creature llko that!" "Such a man as me!" ropeated Blake, staring. "What do you mennJ I know I'm not much of a ladles' man; but to be yanked up lUtc this when n fellow Is trying to pay a compliment well, It's not Just whnt you'd call pleasant." "I beg your pardon, Mr. Blako. I misunderstood. I " "That's all right, Miss Jenny! I don't nsk any lady lo beg my pnrdon. Tho only thing Is I don't see why you should Hare out at mo that way." For a full minute sho sat, with down-bent head, her face clouded with doubt uud Indecision. At last sho bravely raised her eyes to meet his. "Do you wonder that I n:n not qulto myself?" she asked. "You should ro-momhor ro-momhor thnt I have always had tho utmost comforts of life nnd havo been cared for Don't you see how terrible ter-rible It Is for me? And then the death of of " "I can't bo sorry for thnt!" "But even you felt how terrible It was and then Oh, surely, you must see how how embarrassing " It was Blake's turn to look down and hesitate. Sho studied his face, her bosom heaving with quick-drawn breath; but she could mako nothing of his square Jaw and flrm-set lips. His eyes wero concealed by tho brim of his leaf hat. When ho spoke, seemingly seem-ingly It wns to change the subject: "Guess you snw mo making my hut. I'm fixing It so It'll do me oven when It rains." Had ho been the kind of man that fiho had been educated to consider as alone entitled to the name of gontle-mnn, gontle-mnn, she could havo folt cortnln that he had Intended tho romark for a delicately del-icately worded ussunincc. But was Tom Blake, for all his blunt kindliness, kindli-ness, capable of such tact? Sho chose to consider that ho was. "It's a cunning little bungalow. But will not the rnln flood you out?" "It's going to havo a raised floor. You're moro llko to hnvo tho rain drive In on you ngaln. I'll havo to rig up a porch over your door. It won't do to stuff up tho hole. You've llttlo enough nlr as It Is. But that can wait a whllo. There's other work moro pressing. First, there's tho barricade. bar-ricade. By tho tlmo that's done thoso byonn sklnB will bo cured enough to use. I'vo got to havo now trousors soon, nhd now shoes, too." "I can do tho sowing, If you will cut out tho patterns." "No; I'll take a stagger at It myself my-self first. I'd rather you'd go egging. You ncod to run around more, to keep In trim." "I feel qulto woll now, nnd I am growing so strong! The only thing Is this constant heat." "We'll havo to grin and bear It. After all, It's not so bad, If only wo can stavo off tho fovor. Another reason rea-son I want you to go for eggs Is that you can take your tlmo about tt, and keop n look-out for steamers." "Then you think?" "Don't scrow up your hopes too high. Wo'vo little show of being picked up by a chanco bont on a coast with reefs like this. But I figure that If I was in your daddy's shoes lt'd bo joyment to cat such n dollcacy with-out with-out soma ono to Bharo It," she said. Blak6 looked away without answor. But sho could sco that his faco was beginning to clear. Greatly oncour-aged, oncour-aged, Bhe chatted away as though thoy wero seated at hor fathor's dinner-table dinner-table nnd ho was an eldorly friend from tho business world whom It was hor duty to entertain. For a whllo Blako betrayed llttlo in-torcst, in-torcst, confining himself to monosyl-Initios monosyl-Initios oxcept when ho commented on tho enro with which sho had cooked the various dlBhes. When sho least expected, ho looked up at her, his Hps parted In a broad smile. ' Sho stopped short, for sho had been describing hor first soclnl triumphs nnd his untimely levity embarrassed her. "Don't got mad, Miss Jenny," ho said, his eyes twinkling. "You don't know how funny It seems to Bit hero nnd listen to you talking nhout thoso tilings. It's llko serving up ico cream high tlmo for mo to bo cabling a ship to run up from Natal, or down from Zanzibar, to look around for Jettison. et cetera." "I'm sure papa will offer a big re-ward." re-ward." "Second the motion I Pvo a sort of Idea I wouldn't mind coming in for a reward my sol f." "You? Oh, yes; to bo sure. Papa Is generous, nnd ho will bo gratoful to anyono who " "You think I moan his dirty money!" broko In Ulako, hotly. Her confusion told him that ho had not been mistaken. His face, only a moment since bright and pleasant, took on Its sulloncst frown. Miss Lesllo roso hurriedly and started nlong tho cloft. "Hollo!" ho called. "Not going for eggs now, nro you?" Sho did not reply. "Hang It all, Miss Jenny! Don't go oft llko that." "May I ask you to oxcuso mo, Mr. Blako? Is that! Bufllclont?" "Sufficient? It's enough to glvo a fellow a chill! Como, now; don't go off mad. You know Pvo a quick tern-per. tern-per. Can't you mako allowances?" "You vo you vo no right to look bo angry, ovon if I did misunderstand you. You misunderstood mo!" Sho caught herself up with a halt sob. His silence gave her tlmo to recover hor composure. Sho continued with ex-ccsbIvo ex-ccsbIvo politeness : "Need I repoat my request to bo excused, Mr. Blako?" "No; onco Is enough! Hut, honest, now, I didn't mean to bo nasty." "Good-day, Mr. Ulako." "Oh, da-darn it, good-day!" he gronned. When, n few minutes later, sho ro-turned, ro-turned, he wns gone. Ho did not como back until somo tlmo after dark, when sho had withdrawn to her loan-to loan-to for tho night. His bands wore bleeding from thorn scratches; but after a hasty suppor ho went back down tho cleft to build up tho new wall of tho barricade with tho groat stack of fresh thorn-brush that ho hud gathered during the nftcrnoon. 'H (TO BE CONTINUED.) ," |