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Show fsERIAL L2 STORY gvl pi-'Mimn i ii i m mwm III f . m pflE I By 1 I ROBERT AMES BENNET I j:j , ji; $ : Illustrations bj x j:j RAY WALTERS & - ii H " . . . . ... ... ..."- ....-.-J U (I opjrrlght, IWJ, by A. O. McClurg & Co.) SYNOPSIS. Tho story opens with tho shipwreck of the stenmer on which Mlsa Genevieve Leslie, an American heiress, Lord Wln-thrope, Wln-thrope, un Englishman, and Tom Blake, a brtiEiitio Anicrlnin, woro passengers. Tho threo were tossed upon nn unlnhnb-ltcd unlnhnb-ltcd Island nnd were the only ones not drowned. Blako recovered from u drunken drunk-en stupor, Blake, shunned on tho boat, because of his roughness, became a hero ns preserver of tho helpless pair. The Kngllshmnn was suing for tho hnnd of Miss Leslie. Ulnke started to swim back to tho ship to recover wlmt was left, nlnko returned safely. Wlnthrope wnsted his last match on a cigarette, for which ho was scored by nialcc. Their llrst meal was n dead nsh. Tho trio started a ton nillo hike for higher land. Thirst nt-taclted nt-taclted them. Blake was compelled to carry Miss Leslie on account of weariness. weari-ness. Ho taunted Wlnthrope. They entered en-tered tho Jungle. That night was passed roosting high In a tree. Tho next morning morn-ing they descended to tho open again. All threo constructed lints to shield themselves them-selves (rom the sun. They then feasted on cocoanuts, tho only procurable food. Miss Leslie showed a liking for nlake, but detested his roughness. Led by nlnko they established a home In somo din's. Illnko found a fresh water spring. Miss Lesllo faced nn unpleasant sltuntlon. They planned their enmpatgn. Hlako recovered re-covered his surveyor's magnifying glass, thus Insuring flro. Ho started a Junglo Urn, killing a large leopard and smothering smoth-ering several cubs. In tho leopard's cavern, cav-ern, they built a small home. They gained the cliffs by burning tho bottom of a tree until It fell ngnlnst tho heights. Tho trio secured eggs from tho cliffs. Miss Lcsllo's white skirt was decided upon as a signal. Miss Leslie mndo a dress from tho leopard skin. Blnko's efforts ef-forts to kill antelopes failed. Overhearing Overhear-ing a conversation between Blako and Wlnthrope, Miss Lesllo beenmo frightened. fright-ened. Wlnthrope became 111 with fever. Blako wns polsdned by a fish. Jackals attacked the camp that night, but woro driven oft by Gonevlevo. Blnko returned, after nearly dying. Blake constructed nn animal trap. It killed a hyena. CHAPTER XV Continued. "Mr. Blako!" sho exclaimed, "Mr. Wlnthrope Is going off without a word; but I can't enduro it! You havo no right to send him on such an errand. er-rand. It will kill him!" Hlako mot her Indignant look with a sober stare. "What if It docs?" ho said. "Better for him to dlo In tho gallant service of his follows, than to sit horo and rot. Eh, Win?" "Do not trouble yourself, Miss Genovlove. I hope I shall pull through all right. If not" "No, you shall not! I'll go myself!" "See here, Miss Leslie," said niako, somewhat sternly; "who's got tho responsibility re-sponsibility of keeping you two allvo for the next month or so? I'vo been In the tropics before, and I know something of the way pooplo havo to Hvo to get out again. I'm trying to do my best, and I tell you straight, If you won't mind mo, I'm going to make you, no matter how much it hurts your feollngs. You efco how nice and meek Win takes his ordors. I explained ex-plained matters to him last night" "I assure you, Hlako, you shall havo no cause for comnlalnt as to mv onn. duct," muttered Wlnthrope. "I should like to observe, howovor, that In Bpcaklng to Miss Leslie " "Thoro you aro again, with your everlasting talk. Cut it out, and got busy. To-morrow we all go on a hlko to tho river." As Wlnthrope started off, niako turned to Miss Leslie, with a good-natured good-natured grin. "You soo, it's this way, Miss Jenny" Jen-ny" ho began. Ho caught her look of disdain, and his face darkened. "Mad, eh? So that's the racket!" "Mr. Blako, I will not havo you talk to mo In that way. Mr. Wlnthrope Is a gentleman, but nothing more to me than a friend such as any young woman" wom-an" "That sottleB it! I'll tako your word for it, Miss Jenny," broke In Dlake, and springing up, ho sot about his work, whistling. Tho girl gazed at his oroad back and oroct head, uncertain whothor sho should feel relieved or anxious. Tho more sho thought tho matter ovo' tho moro uncertain sho became, and tho moro she wondered at her uncertainty. uncertain-ty. Could it bo possible that sho was becoming Interested in a man who, if her ears had not decoived her But no! That could not bo possible! Yet what a ring, thoro was to his voico! bo clear and tonic .after Win-thrope's Win-thrope's precise, modulatod drawl. And her coutitryman's firmness! He could bo rudo If need bo; but ho would make her do what ho thought was best for hor health. Was jt not posslblo that eho had Jmlsunderstood his words on tho cliff, and so misjudged mis-judged wronged him? that Win-thropo, Win-thropo, so eager to stlpulato for hor hand But then Winthropo hnd moro than confirmed her dreadful dread-ful conclusions tnkon from Blako's words, and Wlnthrope was un English gcntlomnn Sho ended In a stato of utter bewilderment. be-wilderment. CHAPTER XVI. The Savage Manifest. S WINTHROPE had '"suc-I '"suc-I cceded In dragging him-J, him-J, JSL self to and from tho headland head-land without a collapno, tho following morning, as soon m tho dow was dry, Blako called out all hands for tho ex-pctlltlon. ex-pctlltlon. Ho was In tho best of humors, hu-mors, nnd showed unexpected consideration consid-eration by presenting Winthropo with a cane, which ho had cut and trimmed during tho night. Having sent Miss Lesllo to till tho whisky Jlask with spring water, ho dropped threo cocoanut-sholl bowls, a pleco of meat and a lump of salt Into ono of tho earthenwaro pots, and slung nil over his shoulder In tho antelope ante-lope skin. With his bow hung over tho othor shoulder, knlfo and arrows in his belt, nnd his big club In his hand, ho looked ready for any contingency. contin-gency. "We'll hit first for tho mouth of tho river," ho said. "I'm going on ahead. If I'm not In sight when you como up, PWSj Uncertain Whether She Should Feel Relieved or Anxious. pick a tree whoro tho ground is dry, and wait." "But I say, Blako," replied Winthropo, Win-thropo, "I see-animals over in tho coppices, cop-pices, and you should know that I am physically unable " "Notning but antolopo," Interrupted Blake. "I'vo seen them enough now to know them twice as far off. And you can bet on It they'd not bo thero if any dangerous beast was in smell. Ing distance." "That Is so clever of you, Mr. Blako," remarked Miss Lesllo. "Slmplo enough when you happen to think of it," responded Blako. "Yes; tho only thing you've got to look out for's tho ticks in the grnss. Thoy'll keep you Intorestod. They bit mo up in great shape." He scowled at tho recollection, nodded by way of omphasls, and was off like a shot. Tho edge of tho plain bonoath tho cliff was atrnwn with rocks, among which, ovon with Miss Lesllo's help, Winthropo could pick his way but slowly. Beforo thoy wore clear of the rough ground, thoy saw Blako disappear among tho mangroves. man-groves. Tho ticks proved loss annoying than thoy had approhended after Blako's warning. But when thoy approached the mouth of tho river, thoy woro alarmed to hear, above tho roar of tho surf, loud snorting, bucIi as could only bo made by largo animals. Fearful lest Blako had rousod and angered somo forest boast, thoy veered to tho right and ran to hide behind a clump of thorns, Winthropo sank down exhausted ex-hausted tho moment thoy reached cover;( but Miss Lesllo cropt to tho far end of tho thicket and peered around, "Oh, look hero!" Bho cried. "It's a whole herd of elophants trying to cross tho rlvor mouth whoro wo did, and thoy'ro being drowned, poor things!" "Elephants?" panted Winthropo, and ho dragged himself forward beside hor. "Why, so thero aro; quite a drove of the boasts. Yet, I must Bay, thoy appear smaller ah, yes; see their heads. Thoy must bo tho hippos Blako saw." "Those ugly creatures? I onco saw somo at tho zoo. Just tho same, thoy will bo drowned. Somo aro right in the surf!" "1 can't say, I'm sure. Miss aono-viovo, aono-viovo, but I havo an Idea that tho beasts aro quite nt homo in tho water. wa-ter. I fancy they enjoy surf bathing as keenly ns ourselves." "I do bollovo you nro right. Thoro Is ono going In from tho qulot wntor. But look at thoso funny little ones on tho backs of tho others!" "Must bo tho baby hippos," replied Winthropo, indifferently. "If you plenso, I'll tako a pull at tho flask. I am very dry." When ho hnd half emptied tho flask, ho stretched out In tho shado to dozo. Utit Miss Lesllo continued to watch tho movements of tho snorting hippos, amused by tho ponderous antics of tho grown ones in tho surf, and tho comic appeatnnco of tho bnrrol-llko Infnnts as thoy mounted tho backs of their obese mothers. Presently niako came out from among the mangroves, and walked acroso to tho beach, n few yards away from tho hugo bntlioi-8. To all np-pearancos, np-pearancos, thoy paid as little attention to him as ho to them. Miss Lonllo glanced about at Wlnthrope. Ho wns fast asleep. Sho waited a few mo-monts mo-monts to sco If tho hippopotami would nttack Blako. Thoy continued to Ignore Ig-nore him, and gaining courage from tholr Indifference, sho stepped out from behind tho thicket, and ndvnnccd to whoro Hlako was crouched on tho bench. When sho enmo up. sho saw besldo him a heap of oystors, which ho was opening In rnpld succession. "Hello1! You'ro Just In tlmo to help;' ho called. "Wh&re's Win?" "Asleop behind those bushes." "Worst thing ho could do. But lond a hand, nnd wo'll shuck thoso oysters before rousting him out. You can rinse thoso I'vo opened. Fill tho pot with water, and put them in to soak." "Thoy look very tempting. I Tow did you chnnco to find them?" "Sow 'em on Jtho mnngrovo roots nt low tldo, first tlmo I nosed nround here. Tldo wns well up today; but I managed to got theso all right with a llttlo diving. Only troublo, tho skcots most ato mo allvo." Miss Leslie glanced at hor companion's compan-ion's dry clothing, nnd enmo back to the oysters themsolves. "Theso look very tempting. Do you llko them raw?" "Can't say I llko them much any way, as a rule. Uut if I did, I wouldn't cat this mess raw." "Yes?' "This must bo tho dry season horo, and tho rlvor is running mighty clear. Just tho same It's nothing moro than liquid malaria. Wo'll not eat theso oystors till they've been pastourlzed." "If the wator Is so dangerous, I fear wo will suffor before wo can return," replied Miss Lesllo, and sho hold up the flusk. "What!" exclaimed niako. "Half gono already? That was Winthropo." "Ho was very thirsty. Could wo not boll a potful of tho river water?" "Yes, when the obb gets strong, if wo run too dry. First, though, wo'll make a try for cocoanuts. Lot'B hit out for tho nearest grove now. Tho main thing is to keep moving." As ho spoko, niako caught up- tho pot and his club and started for the thorn clump, leaving tho skin, togoth-or togoth-or with the moat and tho salt, for Miss Lesllo to carry. Winthropo was wakened by a touch of Ulako's foot, and all threo woro soon walking away from the seashore, Just within tho shady border of tho mangrove wood. At tho first fan-palm Ulake Btopped to gather a number of leaves, for their palm-leaf hats woro now cracked and broken. A llttlo farther on a ruddy antelope, with lyrato horns, leaped out of tho bush boforo thorn and dashod off toward tho river boforo Blako could string his bow. As if in mock-ory mock-ory of his lack of readiness, a troupo of largo green monkeys sot up a wild chattering In a tree above the party. "I say, Miss Jenny, do vou think von can lug tho pot, if wo go slow? It Isn't far now. "Good for you, llttlo woman! That'll give mo a chanco to shoot quick." They moved on again for a hundred yards or moro; but though Blako kept a sharp lookout both abovo and bojow, he saw no game other than a few small blrdB and a pair of blue wood-pigeons. wood-pigeons. When ho sought to creep up on tho latter, they How Into tho next troe. In following them, ho camo upon a conical mound of hard clay, nearly four foot high. "Hollo; this must bo ono of those white nnt-hllls," he said, and ho gnvo the mound a kick. Instantly a tiny object whirred up nnd struck him In tho faco. "Whoo!" ho oxclalmod. springing back nnd striking out. "A hornet! No; It's a bee!" ''Did it oting you?" crlod Miss Los-Ho. Los-Ho. "Sting? Keop back; thoro's 'a lot moro of 'em. Sting? Oh, no; ho only hypodormlckod mo with a red-hot darning noedlo! Shy around hero. Thoro's a whole swnrm of the llttlo dovlls, and thoy'ro hopping mad. Hoar 'em buzz!" "But whoro Is their hive?" askod Winthropo, as all throe drow back bo-hind bo-hind tho nearest bushes. "Guess they've borrowed that anthill," ant-hill," replied Blako, glngorly fingering tho white lump which market tnu spoL , whoro tho boo had struck him. i "Wouldn't it be delightful If wo hnd somo honey?" oxclalmod Miss Lesllo. "By Jovo, that really wouldn't ba hair bad!" chimed In Wlnthrope. "Mnybo wo can, Miss Jenny; only ' wo'll need a flro to tackle thoso buz- f zors. Guess It'll bo as well to lot thorn cool off a bit also. Tho cocoanuts nro only a llttlo wny ahead now. Horo; ' give mo tho pot." : They soon enmo to a smnll gruvo of cocoanut palms, whoro niako throw down his club nnd bow nnd handed IiIb burnlng-glnfu to Miss Lesllo. 1 "Horo," ho said; "you and Win start a fire. It's early yet, but I'm think- I Ing wo'll all bo ready enough for oyster stow." "How about tho mrnt?" nsked Miss "Keep Mint till lator. Here goes for our dessert." Sulectlng ono of tho smaller palms, niako spnt on his hands, nnd began to climb tho slender trunk. Aided by previous experiences, ho mountod steadily to tho top. Tho descent was mndo with oven moro enro and stcadl-ncss, stcadl-ncss, for ho did not wish to tear tho skin from his hands again. 1 "Now, Win," ho said, as ho nearod tho bottom and sprang down, "leavo tho cooking to Miss Leslie, nnd husk B some of Uioso nuts. You won't moro'n 1 havo tlmo to do it boforo tho stow I is ready." 1 Wluthrope's rcsponso wns to draw 1 out his penknife. Blako stretched I himself nt enso In tho shndo, but kopt 1-1 a critical cyo on his companions. Al- "H though Wlnthropo's fingers trembled with wenknnss, ho worked with a pro-cislon pro-cislon nnd rapidity that drow n grunt of approval from Blake. Presently Miss Leslie, who had been stirring the stow with a twig, throw in a llttlo j salt, and drow tho pot from tho flro. "En nvnnt, gentlemen! Dinner 1b H served," sho called gayly, "What's that?" domanded Blako. "Oh; suro Hold on, Miss Jenny. You'll dump it all." Ho wrapped a wisp of grass about tho pot, and filled tho threo cocoanut bowls. Tho stow was boiling hot; but thoy fished up tho oystors with tho bamboo forks that Blako had carved somo days slnco. Bytho tlmo I tho oystors wero eaten, tho liquor in II the bowl was cool enough to drink. S Tho process was ropcated until the I pot hnd boon emptied of its contonts "Say, but that was something llko," i murmured Blako. "If only we'd had li.H protzels and beer to go with it! But , ffH theso nuts won't bo bad." 1 When they finished the cocoanuts, I Winthropo asked for a drink of wa- IhI "Would it not bo best tokeop it un-' til lator?" replied Miss Lesllo. "Suro," put in Blako. "Wo'vo had .H enough liquid refreshments to do any jl ono. If I don't look out, you'll both b& JH drinking rlvor water. Just bear in 11 mind tho work I'd have to carye a il pair of gravestones. No; that flask 31 has got to do you till wo get home. I 11 don't shin up any mora tolograpb aH poles to-day." (TO BE CONTINUED.) |