The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-06-12

and pistols and belts by the fire.
..Diamondi.' cried Wayne, his pipe
between his lips. Lets see, Max. Ev-
erything's possible in Africa. Why not
diamonds here as well as at Kimberley?
Where is it?"
Maxwell was standing on the very
brink of the river, where the bank wa
two or three feet high above the swift
water. Leisurely they approached him.
coming to his side.
LETS sec" said Wayne again.
Suddenly Maxwell dashed between
them, running some 20 yards away from
the river. His rifle sprang to his shout
der, his eye glanced keenly through the
sights.
"Wacht cen beetle, you scoundrels!'
he shouted in triumph. Move a foot
and Ill drop you to the crocodiles!
Yacht cen beetjel It's my turn now"
He stood between them and their
arms, and with his rifle, a repeater,
they knew he was a sure shot. They
both turned white, and neither spoke.
At last, with an oath, Wayne found ut
terance.
SIS this a joker" he cried angrily.
about as much 50 as when you hit
me over the head with a knobkerric,"
said Maxwell calmly. II know now
who the Beers were. You and your
hunting pass! You talk too much, Ser
geant Wayne! When you repeated that
call for hclp-'Wacht cen b~eetie'-on
the march today. l recognized your
voice. When you told me how you and
Roberts had been out hunting without
leave, you made me think, and now !
know. Give me that belt mex YOU skin
my belt!'
"Oh, you're crcz-r' cried the ser
gcant, with 9 forced laugh. ''What
belt?:"
1.-The one I saw aboat you when your
shirt was drawn aside hy the firewooi
you carried. UnbucEle il and throw it
here before 7 count three. Quick!'
The sergeant glared ~furiously, but
made no movement.
.sOne!''
The sergeant sulkily moved his hand.
"Two!''
The surly trooper, Roberts, who had
hitherto remained still, suddenly broke
the silence by a torrent of oaths.
"You ASST he cried, turning on
Wayne. Didn't tell you to give me
my share and throw away the belt? But
yo1 wouldn't. You waited a chance to
bolt with it all. And now you've queer
ed US both"
In a paroxysrn of rage he flung his
heavy fist backward in the face of his
~acco-nplice. Wayne, taken by surprise,
retreated, and his second step carried
him over the bank into the stream. He
went down with an appalling cry,
drawn from him not SO much by dread
Of the current as by the swift and hor-
rid recollection Of what fearful beasts
had there their home. In such ali in
slant the minds Of men bctray each its
normal trend, and the two men left on
the bank now proved what instincts
swayed their actions.
"The belt! The beltr' yelled Rob-
erts. Hes got the belti'' And he leap
ed from the bank to save the gold.
Maxwell uttered no word. He had
heard that ~despairing cry, had seen the
agonized face as the man fell, and he
dropped his rife and leaped into the
stream to save a fellow creature, al
though a moment before he was sternly
determined to shoot him where he
stood. The two leaped so nearly togeth-
er and so closely after the falling body
that all three were struggling in the
water together. They were all good
swimmers-pioneers had need to be-
and in another instant they would have
scrambled out, when from the mud
bank, near the shore, there slid a dusky
form that plunged heavily into the wa
ter. All three troopers heard that omi-
nous plunge close to them, and all three
knew what caused it. With a hideous
yell Wayne, suddenly paralyzed with
fear. screamed:
ASave mel Maxwell. Maxwell, save
mel Maxwell was already clinging to
the bank, but he turned to the river
again and saw the sergeant, so stricken
with horror that he was utterly unable
to reach the shore. Two strokes bore
the youngster to the sinking mans side.
Maxwell caught him with his left hand
and grasped the belt about his waist.
With all his strength he drew Wayne to
the bank and dragged him ashore, liter
ally out IT the jaws of a huge crocodile.
Then another yell of agony arose from
the river. The great reptile, disappoint.
ed at its first attempt, had darted about.
Its Jaws opened once more and closed.
The next moment, save for a reddish
tlnge on the water, the river flowed Oh
as before, and Roberts had disappeared.
wayne was weak as a child from
shock and sobbed Historically, implor-
inc vnupp Maxua1I ,,c++ Ixo L: -