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Show i!l MAW William Hamilton Osborne, AUTHOR OF"nE0 M0U5e;'"RUNNING FIGHT" "CATSPAWT'BLUE OUCKLE'ETC. NOVELIZED FROM THE PHOTO PLAY Of THE ,5AM E NAHE PRODUCED BY PATHC EXCHANGE, INC. "Careful," he said, "we know not whom we may meet. Careful. Come. We're safe." Back before the fire, two men fought, back to back. One was Neal and one the mate. They fought like tigers for a moment, but not more. Twenty to one the man-eaters hurled themselves them-selves upon two white men and bore them, senseless, to the ground. The Brute meanwhile, was gazing wildly all about him looking for his master and looking in vain. Suddenly, he of all men, saw the exit of Hernandez Her-nandez saw him steal away. At first he may have been impelled to follow for he started off. But a close observer ob-server might have noted an expression! of relief cross his countenance, for ha sank back once more upon his seat and watched the fight. He even laughed to him it seemed like a new game. A fight was child's play to the Brute. But when the unconscious un-conscious forms of Neal and the mater were borne away, he seemed alarmed. He started once more to his feet. "Eye-yah," cried the chief to his followers, fol-lowers, "the white god hungers. Om with the feast." Once more the bearers seized Annette An-nette still lashed firmly to the pole:-. Then for the first time the Brute realized real-ized that something was wrong that here was horror. He darted into the midst of the warriors war-riors and swung his arms. "No no," he cried. But the mere word of a god couldT never stop them now. They were hungry hun-gry they had fought for spoils and the spoils were theirs. They shouldered shoul-dered him aside, and went on. . . . They didn't get far. The Brute was fresh he had been resting. With one fell swoop he once more charged upon them, and tore them broke them witli his hands, broke their backs across his knees cracked their skulls with a single blow. He swept them all befora him, carrying the tight across the clearing. He seized one of the long poles and mowed them down like grain. He was more than one man he was ten. But he was only ten no more. . . . Meantime, Neal's captors, determined deter-mined on a little private vengeance, had trussed him up, or tried to. But that tough young man, having partially partial-ly revived, permitted his captors-there captors-there were but two to go just so tar. Then he came to life, and applied tha gentle art of jiu jitsu to each of them in turn. It was effective and bone CHAPTER LVI. S. O. S. on Land and Sea. Neal, from quite another portion of the beach, scanned the horizon with alarm. He shook his head. The horizon line was clear there was no hint of smoke. He turned to the first mate of the wrecked fruit steamer that lay stranded strand-ed on the reefs. "We've got to get word to the Missouri, Mis-souri, somehow," he said, "beside, we've left Annette and my mother starving back there. Let's return." Neal found his mother and Annette where he had left them. Cocoanuts and clams, hurriedly gathered, supplied them with a satisfactory satis-factory meal. Neal stretched his arms. "I never nev-er can think upon an empty stomach,'' he remarked, "so I'm just beginning to dope things out. Look at friend sea," he exclaimed, "she's like a mill-pond. mill-pond. The tide's out. There's not a wave splashes over the wreck. I'm off." "Where to?" queried his mother in alarm. "I'm going to row over to the wreck and help myself to some S. O S." He strode to the water's edge. He beckoned to the first mate. In another moment they were launched and pulling with even, steady strokes toward the wreck beyond. They made fast the boat, shipped their oars and clambered up the side of the almost submerged fruit steamer. steam-er. "Good," said Neal, "the wireless room is intact." He sent out his call cast it to the four winds his messenger, seeking everywhere for the Missouri. On the Missouri the wireless operator opera-tor got it feebly at first. "S. O. S." clamored Neal. "Who are you?" queried the battleship. battle-ship. Neal told him. "All right," said the Missouri, "we'll be there in three shakes of a lamb's tail." Or words to that effect. On shore, meantime, Annette, the wanderlust ever strong within her, had wandered up the beach and out of sight. The solitude was appalling, but not unpleasant. Tripping along gayly, she had stumbled stum-bled over something half hidden by the sand. Her firm step had loosened it but it had nearly sent her sprawling. sprawl-ing. She drew back, regarding the restrained him, keeping his finger on his lips. ".Me," signed Hernandez, "follow me. Do what I do." For one instant he looked about him, getting his bearings. Then he started on. Tor many minutes the party ski: ted the edge of the jungle, never once showing itself, aud moving al-wayr al-wayr silently as the grave itself. At length Hernandez once more halted this time on the edge of a grove of palms. Holding his cannibal crew back, Hernandez beckoned to the chief to advance alone. The chief obeyed. With the swiftness of two savages, He.-nr.ndez and the chief darted behind be-hind the trunks of two separate trees. Herrandez pointed toward the beach. "White meat, you old gourmand," whispered Hernandez, "white meat. And very tender." Down on the beach, busying themselves them-selves about their self-appointed tasks, were Annette and her foster mother. There were several members of the fruit steamer's crew all white. There was Inez Castro also white but an outcast, sitting, brooding by herself. Hernandez counted the men. "We need four to one, at least," he said to himself. Then he nodded to the chief and held up the fingers of both hands several times. The chief understood. He was a warrior. He knew that much safety lay in numbers num-bers He beckoned to two of his mt n and gave them orders. They crept back, silently through the trail. Hernandez and the chief wriggled back into the undergrowth and then sat down to wait. Annette's party suddenly made up its mind to decamp. The discovery of the skull upon the beach was a disturbing dis-turbing fact. "When Neal comes " said Annette. "Right," said a sailor, "we'll put it up to him." He glanced casually toward the grove of palms, this sailor. Then with an oath he sprang to his feet. "Boys," he cried aloud, feeling for -weapon, "we're in for it. Women in the shed. Look, here they come." The other sailors, with the swiftness of seamen in a sudden squall, were upon their feet, each with a weapon in his hand. They forced the women into the hut and formed a circle, guarding it. And then broke the storm. With the yell of a thousand demons, the black man-eaters were upon them. One warrior seized Inez in his grasp, and with a cry of triumph darted with Struggling with her capw.-s, Annette An-nette stumbled on blindly through the jungle. Behind her she heard the muttered mut-tered oaths of the male members of her party. Just once she heard a whisper. "Don't tell the women for God's sake don't tell the women. They'll be knowing, soon enough." At that moment there was a distant shout that grew stronger and stronger. The cannibal crew answered it it rollicked rol-licked back and forth. Then in the near distance Annette heard the breaking break-ing of bodies through the undergrowth and a fresh crowd of savages appeared, ap-peared, yelling like mad. This new-crowd new-crowd seized Annette and swung her to their shoulders, and with her, ran through the undergrowth like deer. And then they dashed into the clearing. They darted across the open space, still with Annette in their clutches and laid her down before the Brute who still sat on his crude dais, staring, always staring into space. Annette struggled to her feet and looked wildly about her. Her foot touched something and sho started back looked down. The object was a skull. Annette shrieked in terror she tried to hide her face but could not. She saw the fire she looked into the eyes of her fellow captives. Upon their foreheads sweat stood out in beads cold sweat, the sweat of fear. She asked a question of them with her eyes, but they turned their heads away. Then, understanding at last, Annette swooned slumped into a heap at the feet of the Brute. The Brute staring, always staring, rose to his feet. He stooped down. But before he could touch the girl, the chief intervened. The chief himself him-self lifted her, and held her where the god man could look upon her. He mouthed and smacked his lips. And the Brute, recognizing Annette, nodded his head and smiled with that vacant smile of his. "Eye-yah," yelled the multitude of savages, "the god is hungry he will eat." "All all will eat," cried the chief in triumph. "This white girl first." He made another sign, and a dozen savages broke away and came back with huge logs, which they swung into in-to the dying fire, sending its sparks high into the air. They seized one of the long poles, and tied Annette to it tied her with green, strong vines. They waited for a moment to let the fire gain headway. . . , : ; SYNOPSIS. On the day of the eruption of Mount Pelee Citpt. John jfurdin of the Kb-amer Princess reseiiea live-year-old A rinetle Ilington from an open boat, out is forced to leave h'-hirwl her father and his com-piinioriH. com-piinioriH. Ilington is assaulted by Hernandez Her-nandez ami 1'orito in a vain attempt to get pa pel's wli li b 1 11 nk'tnn lias managed to Ken, I aboard the Princess with his daughter, papers proving his title to and telling the whereabout! of the lost Island of Cinnabar. Illusion's injury causes his mind to become a blank. Thirteen years elapse. Hernandez, now an opium siiiuk-gler. siiiuk-gler. with Fonto. Inez, a female accom-pllee, accom-pllee, and the mindless brute t hat once was Ilington, come to Seaport, where the widow of Captain Hardin Is living with tier son Nea 1 and Annette Ilington. a nd plot to steal the papers left to Annette by her father. Neal tries for admission to the Naval ncad'-my, but through the treachery of Joey Welcher Is defeated by Joey and disgraced. Neal enlists in the navy. Inez seta a trap for Joey and the conspirators get liim in their power. In a Blruggle for possession of the map Hernandez, Her-nandez, An net te and Neal each secure a portion. Annette sails on the Coronado In Heard i of her father. In Martinique An-net'e An-net'e and Neal are captured, but arc rescued res-cued by a sponge diver. Inez forges identification iden-tification papers for herself as Annette. In an Insurrection Neal and Annette are again captured, carried to the Sun City and Annette Is offered as a sacrifice to the su n god. They are rescued by marines ma-rines from the Albany. Landed in Tortu-ga, Tortu-ga, Annette and Neal are captured and exposed to yellow fever Infection by Hernandez, Her-nandez, but are rescued by sailors from the Albany. Inez tries to rob Annette and escapes. On her way to Chantillo Annette An-nette is captured. Neal Is promoted and leads a party of tra nsf erred men toward Chantillo, but is caught in a train wreck on the way. Hernandez and Inez present the false Identification papers to Brother A nselmo at Santa Maria mission. Ponto Is caught and killed in his own trap, set for Annette. Annette proves title and turns over Lost Tsla.id to the government. govern-ment. Welcher dies in a remorseful effort to save her from Hernandez. Annette and Neal, on their way to Lost Island, are wrecked on a cannibal island by Hernandez' Her-nandez' trickery. The brute is accepted by the cannibals as their god. THIRTEENTH INSTALLMENT WHITE GODS CHAPTER LV. Anthropophagi. A white face a white beard! Potent Po-tent factors even with a savage tribe. The man-eaters of this South Pacific island, cringed In terror before the blank and staring eyes of the big Brute. His blank and staring eyes! They, too, had their weird effect. "Look see," whimpered this crowd of latter-day cannibals, the one to the other, "he sees across the world he talks with spirits he is a god!" The Brute, save for the slight weaving weav-ing of his massive figure fram side to Bide, stood quiet and impassive. He was wholly unafraid. Behind him, however, crouched another an-other figure that told another story. Hernandez, his hands still manacled, trembled with fear. But he was still resourceful he knew his power. "Beast," he whispered and tremulous tremu-lous though it was, it still was a command, com-mand, "Beast, you've got them down. Seize the foremost spike and run them through. Be quick." The Brute heard his master's voice, and immediately obeyed. He stooped, and stooping, wrenched from the foremost fore-most naked figure the deadly weapon that the latter held within his grasp. It was relinquished without a struggle. Its former possessor stretched himself full upon the ground, waiting the death thrust. His savage companions drew back upon their haunches, their eyes glowing with religious fervor. "A sacrifice," they cried, "a sacrifice." sacri-fice." But there was no sacrifice. Instead, the Brute merely held the spear aloft for a moment held it in the air with both his hands. Then he brought it crushing down across his knee, and broke it clean in twain. "Eye-yah!" There was an ejaculation ejacula-tion of wonder of brute applause for brute strength. The erstwhile possessor of the spear as ugly-faced an individual as ever ate a pound of human flesh touched the Brute upon the shoulder and pointed point-ed toward the jungle. "Follow him, Beast," cried Hernandez Hernan-dez a bit impatiently, "nothing can harm us now." For the first time the Brute seemed conscious of his master's presence. He turned and faced Hernandez. He grunted in uncertainty. "Look see," said the leader, in his guttural accents and primitive tongue, look see. This man is his captive. The god is hungry. He would eat." The leader pointed to the manacled hands of Hernandez. He made a sign a sign immediately obeyed. A dozen blacks sprang forward, seized Hernandez Her-nandez and swung his body to 'heir shoulders. Then at another word of command, they started off, jog trot .o-ward .o-ward the jungle. Hernandez Strug-gled Strug-gled like a maniac, but to no purpose. Then he yelled: "Follow, Beast, follow," he cried. "Save me. Come." The Brute followed, wondering. Not for one instant did he suspect the man-eaters had sinister designs upna his master. Finally they entered a wide clearing. clear-ing. In the middle of this clearing was a village of straggling huts and tents. It was a ghastly village an ill-smelling village. Scattered about it were skulls aud bones enough to furuish Jolly Rogers to a hundred oi- iate ships. It became clear then to Hernandez that the party on the beach the small company of cannibals that had surrounded him and his companion, compan-ion, were merely a side issue. Here was a city here a multitude. He had little time, however, for reflection. He was flung violently to the ground. The leader of the little band touched the Brute upon the breast and made a sign. "Look see," he signed. The Brute followed, staring, mildly wondering, possibly perhaps not wondering at all. The leader led the way to a rude hut, larger than the rest, and grotesquely gro-tesquely daubed with clay. In front of this he paused and chanted some weird song. A figure, huge and unwieldy, un-wieldy, appeared in the doorway. Huge and unwieldy as he was, he was a pygmy compared with the big Brute. He was a chief, this man, and he looked it, every inch. He was the greasiest, the dirtiest, of all the greasy, dirty crew. In his right hand he held a bone. Now and then he gnawed upon it now and then he used it as a scepter. He extended it and touched the approaching native on the forehead. The latter bowed-then bowed-then turned and pointed at the Brute. "This," he jabbered in his native tongue, "is a god, and risen from the sea. He is hungry. He would et. ' The chief in turn threw himself upon his face. He called to all the multitude, multi-tude, and bade them do likewise. Then he remembered. He rose and signed to the Brute. "He is hungry," he repeated. "The god would eat." Then he led the way to the tre. The Brute stared at it contemplatively. contempla-tively. He smiled. "The god is pleased," exclaimed the chief, "let us therefore eat." He cast from him the bone he had been holding. He made another sign. The Brute glanced to one side. There upon the ground, wild eyed with fright, lay three human beings. Upon one of these miserable victims vic-tims a dozen men now pounced. They lifted him, writhing, into the air, and started toward the flames. They were about to fling him across the flames when something happened. The Brute understood. With one bound he was upon them, v and with wide sweeps of his powerful hands and arms he scattered them right and left. There was a wild murmur against this outrage a sudden handling of spears and stone heads, but the Brute never heeded the outcry. Instead he calmly stooped over each victim, one by one, and tore the bonds of each apart, and set them free. He held back the angry mob while the three captives trotted nimbly off into the nearby jungle. The chief stared at him astounded. He might, indeed, have brained the Brute with his club had he not felt the terrific grip of the Brute upon him. Then he realized once more that the Brute was not a mere man, after. all. There was a wild clamor, but the chief stilled it with uplifted hand. Then the leader of the beach band stepped forward and saluted. "He has his own captive," he whispered whis-pered to the chief, "see, yonder. He brought him with him. out of the sea." The chief understood. He gave an order. A dozen more braves sprang toward Hernandez and bore him to the chief. The chief pointed toward the poles and the green vines lying torn upon the ground. In an instant, Hernandez Her-nandez lay prostrate in another instant in-stant half his clothes were torn from his back. "Beast," he shrieked, "save me, Beast." The Brute saved him. He charged into their midst like a raging bull he tore Hernandez from their grasp. The Brute snarled in his throat he kicked and clutched and clawed at the little nucleus of savages. They fell back before him as before a whirlwind they were stunned. Again, murmurs. But again the murmurs were silenced by the chief himself. "He is his own captive," said the chief to his followers, "let him do as he wiil." Hernandez, once upon his feet, was not slow to act. "Quick," he said to the Brute, "get a stone two stones. Knock these wristlets from my hands." He held out his manacled wrists the Brute understood, and obeyed. With his two hands free, Hernandez' brain was working ouce again. Quick as a flash he stooped and picked up a short piece of twisted vine. Raising his hand high in air, he brought this piece of vine a stinging. Bnakelike whip swishing down upon the head and shoulders of the Brute. The Brute cowered, cringed, whimpered. whim-pered. Hernandez folded his arms, stared sternly at thb Brute for one swift instant, and then turned and met the glances of the chief and all hiB tribe. The chief was startled. He plucked his lieutenant by the arm. "Look," said the chief, "the big man If a god. but Uiis is his master." "Beast'," He Shrieked, "Save Me, Beast!" breaking. Then Neal saw and his heart leaped. Annette for the moment was deserted. The fight was centered on the Brute. Neal sprang to Annette, and with deft fingers loosed her bonds. He lifted her gently to his shoulder and started off. He was too late. For the fight with the Brute was over. -For one instant the Brute had left open a vulnerable point his defense had failed. With a mighty swung of a mighty war club, one of his antagonists dealt him a. swinging, deadly blow upon the head. The Brute fell like a log. Then somebody saw Neal and An nette. . . . Like a tidal wave, the whole crowd surged back to their fair victim. Neal, surrounded, dropped Annette to the ground and held his hands high, in air. "God help us help us," he cried in desperate need. At that moment there was a ringing volley of rifle shots. A dozen savages fell dead. The rest turned to face-another face-another foe a new kind. Out of the bushes sprang a squad of marines froir the Missouri. They had landed in rei sponse to Neal's wireless. They hLl' struck the trail. They had arrived just in the nick of time. "Pick your man," cried Neal, "fi ah." With a wild shout the savant zesw turned and fled fled in vain, each pursued pur-sued by a man in uniform, each out matched by one man. And when the squad had finishedi there was no village and no villagers. Neal saluted the officer in charge;, and apologized. "Wasn't my business to give orders, sir," he smiled, "but it you'd been in my place. . . ." The officer saluted in his tnrn, "Don't worry, son," he said, "you'll be in my place if you keep on fighting; like that you'll keep going up and up." Neal revived Annette no very difficult diffi-cult task, for Annette Ilington ha inherited from some source remarkable remark-able strength and endurance and wonderful won-derful nerve. He found his mother still insensible, but suffering only from, the shock. "It's a good thing," Annette whimpered whim-pered to him, "that she didn't see ft all." Neal clenched his hands. "It's a bad thing any of us saw it," be exclaimed, ex-claimed, "somebody's got to pay Tor. this somebody's got to pay," With Annette clinging to him he-strode he-strode over to a group of seamen who clustered about an object on th ground. The lieutenant was beiiiliug; over the Brute. "He still lives," said thft lientroautl. "he may pull through but tti&i's'nct saying much." Annette kneeled down by tbe Cgur of the Brute. "He must live," sh murmured, "he's saved my life not once but many times." In a small boat out at sea a lxa.t set with an improvised sail, IlemKndtii and Inez Castro glided over ttie sur face of a placid ocean. "On to Lost Islo." cried Heroandeir in glee. Inez stared, motionless, pxprt-ssioii-less. into space. "Horrible." she moaned dtilly, "hon-rible, "hon-rible, Qh Cod." (TO llli CONTlNlTiiUU- They clustered round her, danced about her touched her. . . . Down on the beach, two merry men leaped out of a lifeboat and drew her well upon the shore. "The gang " began the mate. Then he stopped. With a wild yell he darted dart-ed up the beach, Neal by his side. "What's happened," stammered Neal, "where are " He said no more. By this time they were standing on the blackened embers em-bers of a scattered fire by the rude hut shattered and broken and by two or three red splotches that stained the white sand and soaked it. Neal, his face gone white with terror, ter-ror, clutched the mate by the arm. "Blood," he gasped, "blood. Whose blood? You tell me that." Then the two men only two still side by side, sped on toward the jungle. jun-gle. The footprints led that way. At the grove of palms they stopped. They glanced about uncertainly. "Here," cried Neal, darting forward, "a bit of Annette's dress. Come on." It was easy now, following this trail. But ever and anon Neal glanced at his comrade. "Whose blood?" he demanded, "tell me that." And the two men only two went on. At last, guided now by shouts and cries of triumph, they reached the clearing and peered across it. "My God," cried Neal aloud, "look-look." "look-look." Two savages two at first and then a dozen had seized the long pole and had begun to swing it out across the fire. Upon it, limp, unconscious, tightly tight-ly bound, lay the form of Annette. Neal was across the clearing in a bound. Like a maniac, Neal charged into the group of warriors who held one end of the long pole and stripped them from it. With the same fearful energy he charged into the gang at the other end and knocked them down. Then, bestriding the prostrate form of Annette An-nette and he knew not whether she was alive or dead he squared himself and howled defiance. "Come on," he cried, "the whole bunch of you. Come on." Over in a hut, crouched and cowering, cower-ing, was Inez Castro watching with eyes wide with fear. "Hernandez," she shrieked, "Hernandez "Her-nandez here." Hernandez crept toward her. "You are right, feenorita," he said, his breath coming and going, his heart beating like a trip hammer with excitement, "you are right. It is not in our hands. Now is our good time. Let us get away." "Horrible," cried Inez. "Therefore away," went on Hernandez Her-nandez leading her by the hand, "away from here and to our fortune, Lost Isle." "Horrible," repeated Inez, holding her hand across her face. "Ah," said Hernandez, now dragging her with him, a bit roughly, "but they are all accounted for except the boat. And the boat is on the sands. Come you come with me." Almost lifting her from the ground, he darted with her across the open space, unnoted by any of the savage crew and safely reached the . jungle trail. Reaching It. be put his hand upon his lips. object in affright. Then she turned and darted back toward safety at full speed. Arrived at the little camp she clutched frantically at the arm of one of the crew. "A human skull," she gasped, "back there. I saw it, buried in the sand." CHAPTER LVII. Safety First. -Not for one instant did Hernandez lose the advantage that he had already al-ready gained. With audacity that belonged only to him, he led the Brute to the chief's own throne a rude affair composed of a rough seat under overhanging bowers. bow-ers. "Go sit," he exclaimed to the Brute. He enforced the command with a shower of blows. The Brute obeyed. "Hungry," said the eye and hand of Hernandez, to the chief, "the god still hungry and the master of god, very, very hungry, still." The chief spread his hand. He pointed point-ed toward the jungle whence had sped the several captives unbound by the Brute. Hernandez smiled a deadly, wick d simle. "Beast." he exclaimed, "stay wherj you are." He beckoned to the chief. "You come with me." Jie signed. The chief nodded, beckoned to a number of his bodyguard, and followed fol-lowed Hernandez through the jungle. At a knoll on its outskirts Hernandez held his ringers to his lips. Then he pushed the chief's head through the bushes. 'Look," he said, enforcing the command com-mand Th6 chief looked. He looked far out across the placid waters of the Pacific" Pa-cific" and there he caw a wreck. 'Urn-mi" exclaimed the chief, smacking his lips. "Ah." laughed Hernandez to himself, him-self, "you know what that means all right - The d.f started through the bushes at breakne;.'; speed but Hernandez her toward the jungle. A sailor who followed was stricken down. But it was Hernandez who stopped the captor. cap-tor. He darted after him and caught him by the arm. "Back," he ordered, with a sign that spelled fury, "back there. This woman belongs to me." "Senorita," said Hernandez suavely, bearing her to a place of comparative security, "let us be noncombatants for once. Get others working for you, is my motto. As for 'us, why safety first." Inez shivered. She dragged Hernandez Her-nandez toward an opening between the trees. "Look, look," she cried, her face rigid with terror, "its horrible, horrible, hor-rible, horrible." A short time later, by the side of Hernandez, she stumbled blindly through the jungle in the midst of a howling, panting mob of half-naked warriors. The warriors were the victors. vic-tors. And they bore with them the spoils two women, still alive, a small squad of torn and battered sailors, and a few silent figures silent forever. "What are they going to do?" wailed Inez. Hernandez, shrugged his shoulders. "Its out of my hands,", he said, "but I've got to see it through. I've got to know what happens. I've got to be there or else they'll get me too. We'll be lucky to escape. But we'll escape, es-cape, you and 1, never fear. I've arranged ar-ranged for it. I've arranged for safety first." CHAPTER LVIII. The Feast. Because Annette Ilington and her foster mother had ever lived in the vicinity of New York because they had always been within the newspaper newspa-per zone because they had enjoyed the advantage uf telephone, and motor car, and motion picture because of all the luxury and civilization surround ing them, they never once supposed that man-eating savages still existed. |