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Show Alfeualif 5 r- n r-Vi Lit! k WMOUdH Mrs. lialiili V$, : l Slocum wns ft deter- "t 1. "'to6'1- resourceful young 3 CWTrA wnl"i -he was stumped. Sfc ,l M,'"'cd that she was VV destined soon to be a SF wlilow, If she had not al-II al-II rendv readied that stuge la life's Journey. Yes, It was a gloomy Thanksgiving ilny, although the gun was shining Mlstcrlngly. Her husband liml dlsnp-' dlsnp-' pcnrttl, mill the chances wero 100 lo 1 against ever wing him ngnln. Slits censured herself for agreeing to .this South Ren honeymoon. Why lin'd sho ylchled lo Ralph's wishes to ,; explore Hondo, Island when something . jjnsjde her had, persistently warned thnt she should not let him set foot I on.Fhoro? I glie snt on the deck of the' steam' I ', yafht Crystal and tried to reason a I wily out of the dilemma u happy way I oUt. One course would he to hoist I anchor and steam away. Hut that I would not ho the happy way, herausc I - It would leave Ralph In the clutches . of; the cannibals. , ' JThe event that had brought her to detraction occurred the previous nf-B, nf-B, . lernoon about i o'clock. They had MjjT ' ' Jusf arrived at the Island and Unlph Kf - had Insisted on going ashore. Margaret realized a sense of fore- boding os her huslmnd set off In the little boat with Samson Brown, one of tlie sailors. I Margaret aw her husband land and I help Snmsun draw the boat where the I waves could not touch It ;i then they I both disappeared Into the forest. She I sat on the deck and watched and walled, still harassed by thnt feeling of foreboding. . The sun was a half circle on the horizon when she saw Samson stagger out from among the trees and push 4be smnll boat Into the water, leaping in. This action seemed to tnko the Her Husband Had Disappeared. I last ounce of strength, for he sank to the bottom of the skiff and lay there apparently- helpless. Thnt was sufficient excuse for Margaret Mar-garet to sound an alarm that hrought the crew of tho Crystal stumbling and tumbling to the deck, where they at once comprehended the situation and Bet out In another boat to rescue Sum-son, Sum-son, whose craft wns being toBsed back on shore. "What's happening? Where's Italphr " breathed Margnret, as Snnisou was && carfled'otfileck, Hut he answered" slm-lly slm-lly with a glasy stare and wns taken 'W to his bunk. He rolled his eyes queer- I "; ly and opened mid A lit his hiiuiNYe- I pentedly.- I'reseiitly he eenied to get I n grip on himself ami managed to artlc- I i ulnte: , "CiinnlbnlR. cot him." ' While Mitfgiri'l steadied herself ngalnit the wall, growing deathly pule. be NMMit.on, talking Inborlmtrjy: '" ?"W t-pelit Soiiiii llllie getting ur bearing before tie sent mi' '" "'id n J spring of wntor. while be wnl I" " ", different direction t dig up hoiiio rel I ' lo your tnther left Iwo years ago. ) 1 y found water mid wns s'lirling uflei ' him on the dim path lie bad taken ) when I heard uneiirlhly screeching , from tho direction bo bad taken. 1 hurried nnd soon arrived at the scene of trouble. About fifty black men I 1 were danelng round him. shouting and i singing, and bo was tied to Ireo with i' thongs. I knew 1 couldn't tight whole gang, so hid behind another tree and watched for opportunity to cut him loose. It didn't come, for they took ,1 hlin off Into woods. I was scared jfl. . almost to death mid didn't know what jgr .to do, but thought It best to return -wr- ,o yncllt "",1 s,!t liel1'- nol0 you " think I did wrong." r Samson sank bnck In tho bunk, sighed heavily and closed his eyes. ? All night ho- was delirious, nnd .Mar-? .Mar-? paret'H condition wns not much better. She realized tho unfcaslblllty of sending send-ing the men nslioru to fight the en mil-.- bals, especially nt nlgbt, ut was dc, '- tcrmlncd thai some nctloil bo tnkftn i. In tho morning. Whoir monilng came. however, the crew refused to O-nl f' except .Toe Larson, the cook, who said Lhe'd be willing to wade n .-river of blood to help Halpb. aUlmt Uui.dwls of niwllmta i"l swm practical, so she sat on deck nnd 'liought, nm thonght. .I,!'1'"1',0?8 Snmso went crnzy nnd dreamed It." she told herself. "May. bo llnlph will turn up all right. He's me most resourceful person In the world. Uut thy Inactivity drove! I'cr nearly o distract Ion. Finally she told Joe 'o Ret ready and row her nshore. The others protested, snylngshe was tak-' ing her lire n herhandr Hut she was determined. "All right, nm'nm," one of them snld. 'it's p tn yoUi We.d )0 plnd to go nlong nnd hMn only the dd i ire too henvy." .Toe rowvd her ashore ami they .tol-lowcd-fnlnt pnth-lhWtli9 woSTdS: The underbrush wns not so dense as It aplKartil from the deck of the yacht, Mid they made fair progrew, presently present-ly nrrlvlng at a clenrlng. Here they paused, for the ground showed signs of a struggle, with numerous prints from bare feet. She was kneeling to examine these prints, when Joe suddenly cried: "Look outl" The next Instant she nnd Joe wer the center of a howling, cavorting vor- Saw Samson Push the Small Boat In the Water. tex of blnck humanity. Their arms und feet were tied nnd they were carried Into the forest. Swung across the shoulders of n black man, Margaret gave herself up for lost; but she didn't care much. "If Itnlph's dead I don't want to live," the told herself, and hoped It would soon be over with. The only thing that made her shudder now wns the thought of being served at the king's Thanksgiving feast. After being carried ubout two miles through the Jungle, the parly emerged In nn Immense clearing dotted with bnmboo huts, with nn exccptlonnlly large one In the center. The prisoners prison-ers were pluced In a hut nn the outskirts out-skirts and gunrils with spears stationed sta-tioned nt the doors. Presently the black man who bad been the leader of the captors appeared, ap-peared, cut the thongs from lln'lr feet and surprised the prisoners with these'" words of ICngllsh: "Now me take urn to -king." In n short time they were ushered Into the largest of the huts, In which wns n rudely constructed throne, nbout which were grouped several unlives In fantastic costume, mnde of skins and I feathers. i The king appeared through the door, I wnlklng with n Ilroadway stride. He mounted the throne with a majestic nieln and surveyed the captives. Margaret Mar-garet stared nt him for n moment In nstonls.bment, then threw herself at him, eluding the guards who sprang to stop her, and clasped him In her nrms. "Itnlphl Italphl" she sobbed "What can this what does It u mennl" She stepped back down from the throne and looked up nt him, wonder-Ingly. wonder-Ingly. He wns clad like the natives, only his attire was more fantastic and picturesque. pic-turesque. "It means," he said, simply, "that I pulled a few stunts In magic that showed tbi. old king up and he lost his Job and I am now ruler of Knmlo Island. I had to either he a king or be eaten by one, and It didn't take one long to decide, I'm about to resign, though, as snou ns we have our mffm The Center of a Howllno Vorex of Black Humanity. Thanksgiving dinner nnd n royal one It Is. It's In tho next hut." Sho grlmnced. "Cannibal stew?" she Inquired. "No, wild turkey. I ordered them prepared when messengers brought word that a white woman arid man had been captured. Como to tho royal feast you nnd Joe ami we'll. discuss n wny of disowning this kingdom." im mo, by Mcnure Nwipptr SrndloU.) |