OCR Text |
Show SERIAL fl STORY J kwX'Xx-X'Xxxw I INTO THE 1 1 PRIMITIVE 1 v ! X X I t I By 1 ROBERT AMES BENNET x ... . x x x Illustrations bj :: $ RAY WALTERS jij Cs x ............................ ..' .V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.V.VJH (Uopjrrlsht, 1MW, lj A. C UcClurs Cu.) SYNOPSIS. The story opens with the shipwreck ol the steumer on which Miss Gonevleve Lestle, an Americun heiress. Lord Win-thrope, Win-thrope, an Englishman, unci Tom Blnke, a brusque American, were passengers. Tho tlireo were tossed upon an unlnimb-Ited unlnimb-Ited Island and were the only ones not drowned. Ulako recovered from n drunken drunk-en stupor. Hluke, shunned on the boat, because of IiIb roughness, beenmo a hero ns preserver of the helpless pair. Tho Englishman was suing for tho hand of Miss Leslie. Hluko started to swim back to the ship to recover what was left. Blako returned safely. Wlnthrope wasted his last match on a cigarette, for which he was scored by Blake. Their first meiil was a dead llsh. Tim trio started a ten mile hike for higher hind. Thirst attacked at-tacked them. Blake was compelled to carry Miss Leslie on account of weariness. weari-ness. Ho iuuntcd Wlnthrope. They entered en-tered tho Jungle. That night was passed roosting high In a tree. Tho next morning morn-ing they descended to the open again. All three constructed hats to shield themselves them-selves from the Bun. They then feasted on cocoanuts, tho only procurable food. Miss Lcsllo showed a liking for Blake, but detested his roughness. Led by Blake they established a home In some cliffs. Blake found a fresh water spring. Miss Leslie faced an unpleasant situation. They planned their campaign. Blake recovered re-covered his surveyor's magnifying glass, thus Insuring fire. Ho started a Jungle tire, killing a large leopard and smothering smoth-ering several cubs. In the leopard's cavern cav-ern they built a small home. They gained the cliffs by burning the bottom .of u tree until It fell ugalnst the heights. Tho trio secured eggs from tho cliffs. Miss Leslie's white skirt was decided upon ns a signal. Miss Leslie made a dress from tho leopard skin. Blnke's efforts ef-forts to kill antelopes fnllcd. Overhearing Overhear-ing a conversation between Blako and Wlnthrope. Miss Leslie became frightened. fright-ened. Wlnthropo became 111 with fever. Blake was poisoned by a fish. Jackals attacked tho camp that night, but were driven on by Genevieve. Blake returned, after nearly dying. Blake constructed an nnlmal trap. It killed a hyena. On a tour the trio discovered honey and oysters. Miss Leslto was nttacked by a poisonous snake. Blako killed It and saved Its poison poi-son to kill game. For tho second tlmo Wlnthropo was attacked by fever. He and Blake disagreed. CHAPTER XVI 1 1. Continued. "That's It do tho baby act," jeered niako, "nut say, I don't know just how much eavesdropping you did; so there's ono thing I'll repeat for tho special benefit of your ludBhip. It'll bo good for your delicate health to pay attention. From now on, tho cliff top belongs to Miss Leslie. Gents and book agents not allowed. Undorstand? You don't go up there without her special spe-cial Invito. If you do, I'll twist your damned neck!" lie turned on his heel and left the Englishman cowering. CHAPTER XIX. An Ominous Lull. I HE three saw nothing moro lgB of each other that day. -Mr Miss Leslie had withdrawn Into the baobab and Blako had gone off down tho cleft for moro salt. Ho did not return until aft or tho others wore asleep. Miss Losllo had gone without her supper, or had eaten some of tho food stored within tho tree. When, lato tho next morning, she finally left her seclusion Blako was no-whero no-whero In sight. Ignoring Winthropo's attempts to start a conversation, sho hurried through her breakfast, and, having gathered a supply of food and water, wont to spend tho day on tho headland. Evening forced her to return to tho cleft. Sho had emptied tho water flask by noon, and was thirsty. Wlnthropo Wln-thropo was dozing beneath his canopy, can-opy, which Blako had moved some yards down towards tho barricade Blako was cooking supper. Ho did noi look up, and mot her attempt at-tempt at a pleasant greeting with an Inarticulate grunt. When sho turned to ontor tho baobab, sho found tho opening Httored with bamboos and green creopors and pieces of largo branches with charred ends. On either side, midway through tho entranco, a vertical row of holos had been sunk through tho bark of tho tree into tho soft wood. "What Is this?" sho asked. "Aro jrou plannmg a porch?" "Muyno," ho replied. "But why should you make the holes bo far In? I know so little about these waiters, Inji I should have fancied tho holes would come on the front of the troo." "You'll bco In a day or two." "How did you make tho holes? They look black, as though " "Burnt 'em, of course hot stonoi." "That was so clovor of you!" Ho mado no response.. Supper was eaton in silenco. Even Winthropo's presonco would havo been a rollef to the girl; yet sho could not go to waken him, or oven suggest that hor companion do so. Blako sat throughout the meal sullen and stolid, and carefully avoided mooting hor gaze. Before thoy had finished, twilight twi-light had como aud gone, and night was upon thorn. Yet sho llngcrod for a last attempt. "Good-night, friend!" sho whispered. Ho sprang up as though sho had struck htm and blundored away Into tho darknoss. In tho morning it was as before. He had gono off beforo sho wakened. She lingered ovor breakfast; but ho did not appear, and she could not enduro Winthropo's suavo drawl, Sho went for nnother day on the headland. Sho returned somewhat oarller than on the previous day. As beforo, Wlnthrope Wln-thrope was dozing In tho Bhado. But Blako was under tho baobab, raking togethor a heap of rubbish. His hands wero scratched and bleeding. To the girl's surprise, ho mot her with a cheerful grin and a clear, direct glance. "Look here," ho called. Sho stepped around tho baobab and stood staring. Tho entranco, from the ground to tho height of 12 foot, was Satisfied Himself yyi Was Well Out Toward the Signal. walled up with a mass of thorny branches, interwoven with yet thornier thorn-ier creepers. "How's that for a front door?" ho demanded. "Door?" "Yes." "But It's so big. I could nevor move It." "A child could. Look." Ho grasped a projecting handle near tho bottom of the thorny mass. Tho lower half of tho door swung up and outward, tho upper half In and downward. "See, It's balanced on a crossbar In the middle. Como on In." She walked after him In under tho now horizontal door. Ho gave tho Inner In-ner end a light upward thrust, and tho door swung back In Its tyortlcal circlo until It again stood upright in tho opening. From tho lnsido tho girl could see tho strong framework to which was lashed tho facing of tho thorns. It was mado of bamboo and Btroug pieces of branches, bound together to-gether with tough creopors. "Pretty good grating, oh?" remarked Blako. "When those green creopors dry, thoy'll shrink and hold tight as iron clamps. Even now nothing short of a rhlnocoros could walk through when tho bars aro fast. Seo horo." Ho stopped up to tho novel door and slid several socketed crossbars until their outer ends wero deep In tho holes in tho tree trunk, three on each side. "How's that for a set of bolts?" he demanded. "Wonderful! Really, you aro very, very clever! But why should you go to all this troublo, when tho barricade" barri-cade" "Well, you seo, it's best to bo on tho safe side." "But It's absurd for you to go to all this needless work. Not that I do not appreciate your kind thought for my safety. Yet look at your hands!" Blako hastoned to put his bleeding hands behind him. "Go and wash them at once, and I'll put on n dressing." "No, thank you, Miss Jonny. You needn't bother. Thoy'll do all right." "You must! It would pleaso mo." "Why, thon, of course But first, I want to make sure you undorstand fastening tho door. Try the bars yourself." your-self." Sho obeyed, sliding tho bars In and out until he nodded his satisfaction. "Good!" ho said. "Now promise me you'll slide 'em fast ovory night." ' "If you ask It. But why?" "I want to mako you perfectly safe." "Safo? But am I not socuro with" "Look horo, Miss Lesllo; I'm not going go-ing to say anything about anybody."' "Perhaps you had better say no moro, Mr. Blako." i "That's right. But whatovor hap-pons, hap-pons, you'll behove I'vo dono my host, won't you? ovon If I'm not a Prom-Iso Prom-Iso mo straight, you'll lock up tight ovory night." "Very well, I promise," responded tho girl, not n llttlo troubled by the strangeness of his expression. That night Miss Lcsllo dutifully fastened hcrsolf In with all bIx bars. Sho wakened nt dawn, and hastoned out to propare Blako's breakfast, but sho found horsolf too lato. Thero wero ovldcncos that ho Bad eaton and gono off beforo dawn. Tho stretching frame of ono of tho antolopo skins had boon moved around by tho flro, and on tho smooth Inner surfaco of tho littlo was a laconic note, writton with chnrcoal hi a firm, bold hand: "Exploring Inland. Back by night, If can." ' Sho bit hor Hp In hor disappointment, disappoint-ment, for sho had planned to show him how much sho appreciated his absurd but well-meant concern for her safety. As it was, ho had gono off without a word and loft hor to tho questlonnblo pleasuro of a teto-a-toto with Wlnthrope. Wln-thrope. Hoping to avoid this, sho hurried hur-ried her preparations for a day on tho cliff. But beforo sho could get off, Wlnthropo snunterod up, hiding his yawns behind a hand which had regained re-gained most of Its normal plumpness. His eye was at onco caught by tho charcoal note. "Ah!" ho drawled; "really now, this Is too kind of htm to give us the pleasure pleas-ure of his absence all day!" "Yo-es?" murmured Miss Leslie. "Pormlt mo to add that you will also havo tho pleasure of my absence. I nm going now." Wlnthropo looked down, nnd began to speak very rapidly: "Miss Gen-ovlove, Gen-ovlove, I I wlBh to apologize. I've thought It ovor. I'vo mado a mistake I I mean, my conduct tho othor day was vile, utterly vllo! Pormlt mo to appeal to your consldorntoness for a man who has boon unfortunato who, I mean, has been or was carried away by his feelings. Your favoring of that bloom or that or bounder so angered mo that I that I " "Mr. Wlnthropo!" Interrupted tho 1 girl, "I will havo you to undorBtand that you do not advance yourself In my esteem by such references to Mr. Blake." "Aye! aye, that Blako!" panted Wlnthropo. Wln-thropo. "Don't you seo? It's Mm, an' that blossom! Won a man's daffy w'on 'o's in love! " 'Miss Lesllo burst into a nervous laugh; but checked horsolf on the instant. in-stant. "Really. Mr. Wlnthropo!" sho ox-claimed, ox-claimed, "you must pnrdon met I I never knew that cultured Englishmen ovor dropped their h's. As it happonB, you know, I never saw ono oxcltod beforo be-foro this." "Ah, yes; to bo suro to bo Buro!" murmured Wlnthropo, in an odd tone. Tho girl throw out hor hand in a llttlo llt-tlo gesture of protest. "Really, I'm sorry to havo hurt to havo been so thoughtless!" . Wlnthropo stood silent. She spoke again; "I'll do what you ask. I'll mako allowances for your for youi feollngs towards mo and try to forgot all you said tho other day. Lot mo begin by asking a favor of you." "Ah, Miss Genevieve, anything, to bo suro, that I may do!" "It Is that I wish your opinion. When Mr. Blako finished thnt absurd door last evening, ho would not tell me why ho had built It only a vaguo statement state-ment about my safety." "Ah! Ho did not go into particulars?" particu-lars?" drawled Wlnthropo. "No, not even a hint; and ho looked so odd." Wlnthropo slowly rubbed his soft palms ono upon tho othor. "Do you or really deslro to know his the motive which actuated him?" ho murmured. ' "1 should not havo mentioned It to you If I did not," sho answered. "Troublo?" "Well or " Ho hesitated and paused for a full minute. "You seo, it Is u rather dlfllcult undertaking to Intimate such a matter to a lady Just the right touch of delicacy, you know. But I will begin by explaining that I havo known It since tho first " "Known what?" "Of that bound of en Blake's troublo." "Ah! Porhaps I should havo said affliction; yes, that is tho better word. To own tho truth, tho follow has some good qualities. It was no doubt because be-cause ho realized, when In his better moments " "P Uer monents? Mr. Wlnthropo, I am .i . a child. In justice both to myself my-self aiiJ to Mr. Blako, I must ask you to spoaK out plainly." "My dear Miss Loslio, may I first ask If you havo not obsorved how strangely strange-ly at tlmos tho follow acts 'looks odd,' as you put it how ho falls into mol-ancholta mol-ancholta or sensoloss rages? I may truthfully stato that ho has three times threatened my life." "I I thoughthlsnngor quite natural, after I had so rudely and so many people are given to brooding But if ho was violent to you " "My dear Miss Gcnovlevo, I hold H nothing against tho mtsorablo follow. H At such tltnoB ho Is not cr respon- H Biblo, you know. Let us glvo tho fel- H low full credit that Is why he himself H built your door." H "Oh, but I can't boliovo ltt I can't H believe it!" crlod tho girl. "It's not posslblo! Ho's bo strong, so truo and H manly, so kind, for all his gruffnosst" H "Ah, my dear!" soothed Wlnthropo, H "that Is tho pity of It. But when a man must neods bo his worst enomy, H when ho must neods lend a certain H kind of ltfo, ho must tako tho conso- H quonces. To put It as delicately as H posslblo, yet explain all, I need only H say ono word uaranola." H Miss Lesllo gathered up hor day's H outfit with trembling lingers and wont H to mount tho cliff. H After waiting a few tnlnutos Win- H thropo walked hurriedly through tho H cleft and climbed tho troe-ladder with H an ngllity that would havo amazed his H companions. But ho did not draw H himself up on tho cliff. Having satis- H lied hlmsolf that Miss Leslie was woll H out toward tho signal, ho roturned to tho baobab and proceeded to oxamlno H Blako's door with inlnuto scrutiny. H .Thnt ovonlng, shortly botoro dark, H Blako camo in almost exhausted by his H Journey. Fow men could havo cov- H orcd tho samo ground in twice tho H tlmo. It had boon ono continuous H round of grass jungto, thorn scrub, H rocks nnd swnmp. And for all his 'H pains ho brought back with htm noth- H lng moro than tho discouraging Infor- H mntlon that tho back-country was H worso than tho shore. Yot ho botrayed H no traco of depression over tho bad H news, and for all his fatlguo main- talncd a tono of hearty choorfulnoss H until, having eaten his fill, ho sudden- ' ' ly obsorved Miss Loallo's frigid po- H "What'B up now?" he domanded. .H "You'ro not mad 'cause I hiked off H this morning without notice?" "No, of course, not, Mr. Blake. Noth-tng Noth-tng of tho kind. But I" 'H "Well, what?" ho broko In, as sho iH hesitated. "I can't, for tho world, think of anything else I'vo done H "You've dono! Perhnps I might suggest that It Is a quostion of what you Haven't dono." Tho girl was trom-bllng trom-bllng on tho verge of hysterics. "Yea, what you'vo not dono! All theso weeks, and not a single attempt to get us away from horo, except that miser-nblo miser-nblo signal; and I ns good as put that up! You call yourself a man! But I I " Sho stopped short, whtto with a sudden overpowering fear. 1 Wlnthropo looked from hor to Blake with a sidelong glance, his lips drawn up In nn odd twist. Thero followed several moments of tenso silence; thon Blnko mumbled apologetically: "Well. I supposo I' might have dono more. I was so dead anxious to mako suro of food and shel-tor. shel-tor. But this trip to-day " (TO BE CONTINUED.) |