West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-01-18

sand Weak from illness, and exhausted
I 10y my rapid pursuit Of her, and bv the
effort 70 stem the rapid river in swim
ming TO the bank found il impossible
to raise her and carry her 10 the ford
which could easily be reached from the
upper end Of the bar.
All could do was TO drag her to the
middle OF the islet and anxiouslv watch
the river
say snxiously for a good reason
The tide was making, and / knew that
at high tide the bar WAS submerged. As
| watched the water lap the shore. each
wavelet Jritie clos To me than the
last with the brief tropical twiligh,
rapidly fading into night. and the helm.
less woman at my feet as helpless a.
ever, | felt chill pcrmeAte my veins
rs II they had been injected with icc
water. a sullen plunge from the direc-
tion of the mainland drew my atten.
ton To that point. In the gathering
darkness | could see "A black, shapeless
object approaching. 1t was one of the
allgators with which the river swarmed.
one of the subjects Of which the dead
Cebado had been, by virtue of his supe-
rior ferocity, monarch.
Fortunately, had brought my rifle
with me, and my pocket contained a
score of cartridges Untwisting the
handkerchief which l had bound about
the lock 10 keep the water from the
mechanism, | levcled il at the ap-
preaching monster, and drew the trig-
ger. The noise of the discharge rolled
away in fainter growing echoes. The
ball struck the TARGET with n dull. harsh
sound, as if il had come in contact with
a mass of iron.
The alligator vanished, apparently
taking the last vestge of light with him.
Happily the moon rose at this iunc-
ture, spreading over the somber sea a
flood of pale spectral light. Bv this
illumination | could see that the water
was dotted with formless black hulks
whose character | knew too well. A
second shot caused them 10 disappear
for moment. In that moment fan
cied could hear, as if in response TO
the echo Of my gun, a faint and dis
tant cry.
Putting my hands To my mouth in
fated my lungs to the fullest capacity.
and sent out on the night the mournfui
alarm cry OF the Central American say
age: "Ayudaw
Strong and sOnOrous the call was
caught up by the weird voices Of the
forest, and repeated until Joined by
another, into which it blended and died
away. ." 1t is some one" | cried send
ing another shot among the aquatic gas
tronomes, who had again appeared closer
To my rapidly diminishing islet than
ever. " You won't have fresh meat for
dinner after all my hearties."
And j gave the nearest another salute
from my Winchester which, by the
merest chance, for il was not light
enough TO permit me 10 take definite
aim, proved effective. The ball must
have pierced the brute's eve, for he
rolled over on his back and drifted
away.
Then repeated my call, and the an
swering cry reached me, distinct and
clear. ! continued my fusilade OF the
enemy, who AT each shot dove only to
resppear At once, until a broad, bright
red light, the light OF cupal-w
torch, famed up at a head in the river
above the bar, and by it ! could see
half.naked figure polling a light raft Of
bamboo down against the stream.
The water was within n yard Of nv
feet. Anita had not yet stirred.
Courage, Amigo called the figure
on the raft, propelling his craft forward
with mighty strokes. Courage. A
man is not buried until his grave is
made"
Who are your J demanded, seizing
the naked figure Of the girl by the waist,
and raising her, 10 be in readiness 10 en-
bark at once.
Vincente," was the reply, in a voice
that, like that Of her child, seemed to
reach Anita's soul.
Vincente," she shrieked. slipping
through my arms and falling on her
knees, Nirgen purissima II il him
self"
Anita miaw cried the raftsnan, in
accents Of wonder. " SangIe de Dios
what is this?'
And he ran the raft upon the bank
just IA the water reached our feet. and
snatched the kneeling girl ~ his breast.
But how is II you are here P' asked,
a. we pushed toward the shore. " We
thought you dead Antonio brought
the news that the Cebado had devoured
you"
Antonio has only added another TO
the many lies he has told" responded
the hunter, showing his white teeth in a
smile " killed deer a league above
here and stopped % build balsa to
float II down the river on. Tigre left
me 10 follow Antonio. ! suppose the
dog was eaten by the caymeu, and as we
were never far from one another, the
fool Of peon thought ] had persisted
when he heard him yelp"
The raft grounded az he spoke. Look
ing back ~ we stepped ashore. I could
zee that our sand bank was no longer
visible. In its place was q mass Of active
shapes, which, i'm the moonlight, seemed
10 be cOntending for something, beating
the water 10 foam in their savage strug-
giles. They are having q fresh meat
dinner after all, J said
The alligatOrs" asked Vincente.
looking at them " Carracho' what Is
IL they are fighting overT
III Cebado,' ! replied.
Such was indeed the case The man
eaters old subjects we're dining of their
defunct monarch
WILLIAM SMITH. n descendant OF the