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Show fsERIAL ya STORY CJ it IB . M I INTO THE I I PRilTiVE I I 1 I By I I ROBERT AMES BENNET :: Illustrations b; :jj jij RAY WALTERS a : a (Copyright, IWH, by A. O. McClurg & Co.) SYNOPSIS. The story opens with the shipwreck of tho steamer on which Miss Gonovlevo Leslie, nn American heiress, Lord Win-tlirnpe, Win-tlirnpe, un Englishman, anil Tom Make, n tirusquu American, wero passengers. The tlireo wero tossed upon nn uninhabited uninhab-ited Islnnd nnd wero the only ones not drowned, ninko recovered from u drunken drunk-en stupor, Illnkc, shunned on the bout, because of his roughness, beenmi u hero ns preserver of the holpless pair. The Englishman was suing for tho bund of Miss Leslie. IJIuko started to swim buck to the ship to recover whut was left. Illako returned safely. Wlnthropo wasted his last match on n cigarette, for which ho was scored by niako. Their llrst meal was n dead fish. The trio started n ten mile hlko for higher land. Thirst at-tncked at-tncked them. Ulnke was compelled to carry Miss Leslln on account of weariness, weari-ness, lie taunted Wlnthropo. They entered en-tered Uio Jungle. That night was passed roosting high In n tree. Tho next morning morn-ing they descended to tho open again. All three constructed hats to shield themselves them-selves from the sun. They then feasted on cocoumits, tho only procurable food. Miss Leslie showed a liking for ninko, but detested his roughness. Led by ninko they established a homo In some cliffs, ninko found a fresh water spring. Miss Lesllo faced an tippleasnnt sltuntlon. They planned their campaign, ninko recovered re-covered his surveyor's magnifying glass, thus Insuring tire. Ho started a Jtmglo tire, killing n largo leopnrd und smothering smoth-ering several cubs. In tho leopard's cavern cav-ern they built a smnll home. They gained tho cliffs by burning the bottom of a tree until It fell against tho heights. CHAPTER X. Continued. The hot ashes flow up In hor face and powdered her hair with their gray dust; yet bIio porslsted, blowing stead ily until a shred of bark caught tho sparks and flared up In a tiny flamo. A little moro, nnd sho had a strong flro blazing against tho treo trunk. Sho rested a short time, relaxing both mentally and physically In tho satisfying consciousness that Blako never should know how near sho had como to falling in her trust. Soon sho became awaro of a keen feeling of thirst nnd hunger. She rose, piled a fresh supply of sticks on tho flro, and hastened back through tho cloft toward tho spring. Around tho baobab sho camo upon Wlnthropo, working in tho shado of tho great treo. Tho threo leopard skins had been stretched upon bamboo frnmes, and ho was resignedly scraping at their Inner surfnecs with a smooth-edged stone. Miss Leslie did not look too closoly nt the operation. "Whore is ho?" sho asked. Wlnthropo motioned down tho cleft. "I hopo ho hasn't gono far. I'm half famished. Aren't you?" "Really, Miss Gonovlovo, it is odd, you know. Not an hour slnco, tho very thought of food" "And now you'ro ns hungry as I am. Oh, 1 do wish ho had not gono off just at the wrong time!" "Ho went to take- a dip In tho sea. You know, ho got so messed up ovor tho nastiest part of tho work, which I positively refused to do " "What's that boyonrt tho bnmboos? Thoro's something alive!" "Pray, don't bo alarmed. It Is or It's all right, Miss Goneviovo, I us-suro us-suro you." "But what Is it? Such queer noises, and I sco something alive!" "Only tho vlutures, if you must know. Nothing clso, I assuro you." "Oh!" "It Is all out of sight from tho spring. You aro not to go around tho bamboos until the that Is, not today." "Did Mr. Blako say that?" "Why, yes to bo suro. Ho also said to toll you that tho cutlets wero ou the top sholf." "You moan ?" "His way of ordering you to cook our dinner. Ronlly, Miss Gonovleve, I should bo pleased to tako your placo, but I havo boon teld to kcop to this. It is hard to tako orders from a low fellow vory hard for o gontloman, you know." Miss Lesllo gazed at hor shapely hands. Threo days slnco sho could not have conceived of their being so rough and scratched and dirty. Yot hor disgust dis-gust at thoir condition was net on-tirely on-tirely uinuullfied, "At lotJa f havo somothlng to show for them," sho murmured. "I bog pardon," said Wlnthropo. "lust look at my hands llko a servant serv-ant s! And yet I am not nearly so ashamed of thorn as 1 would havo fancied. It lu vory amusing, but do you know, I actually feel proud that I havo dono somothlng somothlng useful, I mean." "Useful? I call It shocking, Miss Gen-ovlovc. Gen-ovlovc. it Is simply vtlo that people of our breeding should be compelled to do such menial work. They write no end of romances about castways; but I fall to soo tho romauce In scraping skins Indian fashion, ns this fellow Blako calW It." "I suppose, though, wo should remember re-member how much Mr. Blako la doing for us, nnd should try to mako the boat of tho situation." "It has no best. It Is nil a beastly muddle," complained Wlnthropo, and ho resumed his nervous scraping nt tho big leopard skin. Tho girl studied his face for a moment, mo-ment, and turned away. Sho had been trying so hard to forgot. Ho heard hor leave, and called after, without looking up: "Pleaso remember. remem-ber. He said to cook some moat." She did not answer. Having satisfied satis-fied her thirst at the spring, sho took ono of tho bamboo rods, with Its haggled blackening pieces of flesh, and returned re-turned to tho flro. After somo little experimenting, sho contrived a wny to support tho rod beside the flro so that all tho meat would roast without burning. burn-ing. At first, keen ns was her hunger, sho turned with disgust from tho flabby flab-by sun-scared flesh; but as it began to roast, tho odor restored her appetite to full vigor. Her mouth fairly watered. wa-tered. It seemed ns though Wlnthropo nnd Blako would novcr como, Sho heard their voices, and took tho bamboo bam-boo spit from tho flro for tho meat to cool. Still they failed 'to appear, and, unable to wnlt longer, sho begnn to cat. Tho cub moat proved far moro tender thnn that of tho old leopard. She had helped herself to tho second piece beforo tho two men appeared. "Hold on, Miss Jenny; fair play!" sang out Blake. "You've sot to without with-out tooting tho dlnnor-horn. I don't blamo you, though. That smells mighty good." Both men caught at tho hot moat with eagerness, and Wlnthropo promptly forgot nil clso In tho animal ploasuro of satisfying his hunger. Blako, though no loss hungry, only waited to 1111 his mouth before Investigating Inves-tigating tho condition of tho prospective prospec-tive treo ladder. Tho result of tho attempt to burn tho trunk did not scorn encouraging to tho othors, and Miss Leslie looked away, that hor faco By Evening She Had Her Tree-Cavo In a Habitable Condition. might not betray hor, should ho havo un Inkling of hor neglect. Sho was relieved by tho cheerfulness of his tone. "Slow work, this flro business oh? Guoss, though, It'll go fastor this aftor-noon. aftor-noon. Tho green wood Is killed nnd Is getting dried out. Anyway, wo'vo got to keep at it till tho treo goes over. This spring leopard won't last long at the present rato of consumption, and wo'll noed tho eggs to keep us going till wo got tho hang of our bows." "What is that smoko back thoro?" Interrupted Miss Lesllo. "Can It bo that tho flro down tho cloft has sprung up again?" "No; It's your fumigation. You line plenty of brush on hand, so I heaved it Into tho liolo and touched It off. While It's burning out you can put In time gathering ring grass and leaves for a bod." "Would you and Mr. Wlnthropo mind breaking off somo bamboos for mo?" "What for?" Miss Leslie colored and hesitated. "I I should llko to dlvido off n corner of tho placo with a wall or screen." Wlnthropo trlod to catch Blako's oyo; but tho Amorlcun was gazing at Miss Losllo's embarrassed faco with a puzzled look. Her moaning dawned upon him, and ho hastened to roply. "All right, Miss Jenny. You can build your wall to suit yourself, But thero'll bo no hurry ovor It. Until tho rains begin, Win and I'll sleep out in tho opou. Wo'll havo to tako turnabout onwatch at night, anyway. If wo don't keep up a flro somo other spotted kitty will bo suro to como nosing up tho gully." "Thoro must also bo Hons in tho vicinity," vi-cinity," added Wlnthropo. Miss Lesllo said nothing until aftor tho last pieces of meat had boon handed around and Blako sprang up to resume work. "Mr. Blnko," sho called, In a low tono; "ono moment, plcnso. Would It save much bothor If a door was mado and you nnd Mr. Wlnthropo s!tould sleep Inside?" "Wo'll sco nbout that later," roplled Blake, carelessly. Tho girl bit hor Hp, and tho tears started to her eyes. Even Wlnthropo hnd started off without expressing his appreciation. Yot ho nt least should havo realized how much It hud cost her to mako such an offer. By ovcnlng sho had her trce-cavo house, sho preferred to namo It to her-solf her-solf In a habltablo condition. When tho purifying flro hnd burnt Itsolf out, leaving tho placo freo from all odors other than tho wholcsomo smell of wood smoko, sho had asked Blako how sho could rake out the ashes. His advice was to wot thorn down whore thoy lay. This was caslor said thnn done. Fortunntoly tho spring was only a few yards distant, and after many, trips, with hor palm-leaf hat for bowl, tho girl carried enough water to sprlnklo all tho powdery ashes. Ovor them sho strewed tho loaves and grass which sho had gathorcd whllo tho flro was burning. Tho driest of tho grass, arranged ar-ranged In a far corner, promised a moro comfortable bed than had boon her lot for tho Inst threo nights. During this work sho hnd boon enro-ful enro-ful not to forget tho flro nt tho treo. Yot when, near sundown, sho called tho third moal of leopard meat, Blako grumbled at tho treo for being what ho tormcd such a confounded tough proposition. "Good thing thoro's lotB of wood hero, Win," ho added. "Wo'll keep this flro going till tho blamed thing topples top-ples over, If It takes a year." "Oh, but you surely will not stay so far from tho baobab to-night!" exclaimed ex-claimed Miss Leslie. "Hold hard!" soothed Blako. "You'vo no Hcenso to got tho Jumps yet a while. Wo'll havo another flro by tho baobab. So you needn't worry." A fow minutes later they wont back to tho baobab, and Wlnthrop began helping Miss Lesllo to construct a bamboo screon In tho narrow entrance of tho tree-cave, whllo Blako built tho second flro. As Wlnthropo was unablo to toll time by tho stars, Blako took tho first wntch. At sunset, following tho engineer's en-gineer's advice, Wlnthropo lay down with his foot to tho small watch-flro, and was asleep beforo twilight had dcopenod Into night. Fagged out by tho mental and bodly stress of tho day, ho slopt so soundly that it seemed to him ho hardly lost consciousness when ho was roused by a rough hand on his forohend. "What Is It?" ho mumbled. " 'Bout ono o'clock," said Blako. "Wako up! I ran overtlmo, 'cauao tho morning watch Is tho toughest. But I can't kcop 'wako any longer." "I say, this is a beastly boro," remarked re-marked Wlnthropo, sitting up. "Um-m' grunted Blako, who was already al-ready on his back. Wlnthropo rubbed his oyes, roso wearily, and drew a blazing stick from tho flro. With this upraised as a torch ho poorcd around Into tho darkness and advanced towards tho spring. When, having satisfied his thirst, ho returned somewhat hurriedly to tho lire, ho was startled by tho sight of a palo faco gazing at him from between tho leaves of tho bamboo screon. "My dear Miss Goneviovo, what Is tho matter?" ho exclaimed. "Hush! Is ho asleep?" "Llko a top." "Thank heaven! Good-night." "Good-night er I say, Miss Gonovlovo Gon-ovlovo " But tho girl disappeared, and Wlnthropo, Wln-thropo, aftor a glanco at Blako's placid faco, hurried .along the cleft to stack tho other flro. When ho returned ho noticed two bamboo rods which Blnko had begun to shape Into bow staves. Ho looked them ovor, with a sneer at Blako's seemingly unskillful workmanship; workman-ship; but ho mado no attempt to finish tho hows. CHAPTER XI. A Despoiled Wardrobe. JjwS" 0N after sunrlso Miss W- Leslie was awakened by 1 - 1 tho snap and dull crash of a falling tree. Sho mado a hasty toilet and ran out around tho baobab. Tho burned tree, oaten half through by tho flro, had been pushed ovor aualnst tho cliff by Blako and WInthrope. Both had already climbed up and now stood on tho edgo of tho cliff. "Hollo, Miss Jenny!" shouted Blako. "Wo'vo got hero at last. Want to como up?" "Not now, thank you." "It's easy enough. But you'ro right. Try your hand again at tho cutlotB, won't you? Whllo they're frying wo'll got somo eggs for dessert. How dooa that strike you?" "We havo no wny to cook them." "Roast 'cm In the ashes. So long!" Miss Lesllo cooked breakfast ovor tho watchflrc, for tho other hnd boon scattered and stamped out by the men when tho treo foil. They camo back In good tlmo, wnlklng carefully, that they might not break tho oggs with which their pockets bulged. Botweon them, I hey had brought a round dozon I and a half. Blako promptly began stowing all In tho hot ashes, whllo Wlnthropo related their llttlo advon- " turo with unwonted enthusiasm. "You should have como with us, Mtss Gcnovleve," ho began. "This tlmo of dny it Is glorious on tho cliff top. Though tho rock Is bare, thoro Is a lino view " "Flno view of grub nonr tho end," Interpolated Blake. "As, yes; tho birds you must tako a look at them, Miss Gcnovleve! Tho Bca end of tho cliff Is alive with them hundreds and thousands, all hud-died hud-died togothcr nnd fighting for room. They aro a sight, I assure you! They're plucky, too. It was well wo took HJ sticks with us. As It was, ono of tho HJ gnnnots booblos, Blako calls them HJ caught mo n nasty nip when I went to HJ lift her off tho nest." "Bust wny Is to kick thorn off," ox- HJ plained 'Blake. "But tho point is that wo'vo hopped over tho starvation attic. HJ Understand? Tho wholo blessed cliff HJ end Is nn omeletto waiting for our pan. HJ Pass tho lcopardettcs, Miss Jenny." HJ When tho last bit of meat had disap- HJ pcarcd, Illako raked tho eggs from the ashes and begnn to crack thorn, sol-cmnly sol-cmnly snlfllng nt each before ho laid It on Its leaf plattor. Somo wore a trlflo "high." Nono, howovor, wore thrown nway. When It wns all ovor, Wlnthropo contemplated tho scattered shells with jfl a satisfied air. "Do you know," ho remarked, "this Is tho llrst tlmo I've folt or re-plonlshod re-plonlshod slnco wo found thoso cocoa- "How nbout ono of 'cm now to top off on?" questioned Blako. (TO BE CONTINUED.) - |