Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-04-14

Night was fast approaching. In that
tropical region the curtain Of darkness
falls with Il rush, folding in impcnctrn
BILE gloom the landscape that scarce .
few minutes before was buthed in the
golden rays Of the setting SUI. Dy and
by the stars will como out ore by on"
with twinhlin1 brightness end present
w the moon with a majesty unknown
In temperate zones will food the hcav
ems with It's silvery sheen, but mean
while tho fog hangs over the river and
even the dazzling torches at the head
of the sampan fail TO make an object u
dozen PAGES distant visible
"Can you take your spell ut the pad
die, Mr.. Dunbar; or has the miasma OF
this accursed stream poisoned your
blood?" Campignon asked, barring his
own arm for the nightly toll
81 am In rather n dcad.nlive condi
ton" Arthur Dunbar replied but
good for my share Of the work. yet
What few more days Of this bodily
torture may do for me cannot tell, but
as long as ! can WELD paddle shall
not shrink from the burden"
just then u human cry startled the
speaker-a scream 81 mortal agony
sounding very wcird.lil,c in the black.
ness Of the night. This was followed
by loud splash, and then u hoarbc
voice rang ont In n tone Of command
"For your life, sir, be silent" Cam
pignou cried, as he dashed 10 the bow
Of the boat, and selling the torches
plunged them into the kissing water
There Is war-cnnoc coming down
the river, hear the strokes Of their
paddles, and our only safety lies In
finding hiding place"
Muttering few words TO the Malnys.
he babe them turn the nose Of the boat
ashore, which they did with marvellous
instinct, considering how impcnctrablc
was the darkness with which they were
surrounded Only Just In time did they
succeed in rcnching the friendly bnshi
reeds, behind whose waving plumcs
they were safe from observation, for
with n rush n huge canoe, manned 10y u
score Of nearly naked savagcs and liz
by dozen flaming torches, flashed
down the stream. AZ the stern sat II
man who constantly urged the toilcrs TO
greater speed, occasionally striking
them with the reverse end OF II long
ugly spear he bore In his right hand
Like phantoms Of hidcous dream they
passed into tho darkness and were
gone.
"Thosc fellows are hwnmp-dwcllcrs,
aud II am not mistaken they are In
pursuit Of u.s." the Frcnchmun said, with
u grim smile. "Luckily for MS they
speed along 50 incautiously, or we
should have been food for tho alignt
ors ero this"
"And what shall we do now" Dun
bar asked, YEARLY.
make the most OF our escape and
strain every nerve TO catch the white
rascal ahead OF US before they return, a"
was the prompt response
The natives refused their spell Of rest
anxious TO put greater distance be
tween themselves and their dreaded en-
emics, whose bloodthirsty ways they
were familiar with, so the snmpnn sped
swiftly on in response to their vigorous
efforts.
"Whnt was the cry we heard when
the war-bont was reaching us2" Dunbar
asked, still thrilled with the ngonilcd
scream which seemed even yet TO iloai
In the air
"Most probably the denth.ycll Of q
murdered slave" Campignon replied
"For when on forced journey thcsC
gentry sec poor wretch shrinking
from his work, exhausted with the ter
rible toll they just give him n slnsl
with crease and pitch him overheard
10 feed the crocodilcs All, ! though
so-do you not see In the glimmcrini
light that little dark mass floating dhwI
the stream? Nay, II is no use going on
of our way TO the rescue, for II life I
not extinct, the monsters OF the dccl
win have seized their prey before ",
could reach IT," 20,
Even as he spoke, huge snout wa
raised four feet above the water, an
with snap the jaws Of scnly sauriaI
closed on the dainty morscl,
Already the moon was rising over
steep bank of cloud. when they foun
themselves in broader cxpanse q
water, which, rs the light became NOR
vivid, took the scmblance Of wild
lagoon, whose placid waters present.
lay like n silver mirror under the ray
of the full moon. In the midst Of hi
miniature lake stood an island wit
deep precipitous sides and crowne
with palm trees, u lovely bit Of lane