Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-02

| CTS Ietdrueu tnefr progreSs; out the rear Oh
| oeath lent them almost superhuman powers.
! They were IKE madmen. Clinging to one
| ancther that they might not become sepa-
rated In theidarkness, they literally fought
.helr way through thickets of spike-edged
plants and patches Of thorn grass, which
tore and scratched their skin. They trip
| ped over rotteH logs. dashed into the
trunks of trees; fhey felt no pain. Bruised
ana bleeding painting for breath, they con-
| tinued their flight.
AT the eEd OF half an hour they came
70 less difficult aground, where the timber
was wider apart, and the underground
sst s5a more readily The top of the for
SMITH. moaning noise and now and then
Tree crashed to earth. And the conf'a-
| slatlon was very close behind. It had
| sing of the flames struck terror to the
hearts OF the -fugitives. Smoke curled
around them, end when they looked back
| they could see the exnandine glare Of tho
| fire.
| Faster! faster!'' urged the Brazilian
It's no use,' cried Quin. I'm getting
winded. can't go much farther"
BUT the river must be near, We will
| on!''
The words put fresh strength into Quin,
| ana the two made desperate squirt, hop
! lhg to gain what they had lost But that
was impossible. They could see what they
| were Dong, 1t is true. for now a dim. rud-
ay nght shone around But the devouring
| names were rolling onward with dis
| hedrtenlng speed, and the pillows of yell
low smoke, borne in front by the wind,
| grew thicker and thicker.
| Inc next ten minutes were full of hor-
| forS or countless perils. The advance of
| the confagration had reused all the deni-
zens OF the forest from their nests and
| lars and with one common instinct of
| preservation they made for the same goal
| that the fleeing men were striving to reach
| Screeching parrots and other birds flew
IN swarms overhead, and chattering mon
| and left there was crashing and laundering
| III the dense thickets, terrific chorus of
grunts ard squeals, growing and snarl-
| ing; as wolves and deer, boars and tapirs.
with dozens of smaller animals. scurried
| headlong and in mad panic to escape the
| flames Serpents of all sizes Joined in the
| rtut, kissing as they glided along.
Your Indians carried off my rif1er' ey-
claimed Quin. I'VE are at the mercy of
these brutes!
They won't modest u.s. cried Barbosa.
They are more frightened than our
Selves
AS he spoke great jaguar darted past
the men and stopped a few feet ahead as
II to attack them, but shout from the
Brazilian caused this creature to change
Its mind, and it bounded out of sight. The
next instant demonstrating serpent
sprang up and coiled about Quins arm.
Like flash Barbosa seized the reptile by
the neck and flung it into the bushes.
You saved my life!' Quin exclaimed
gratefully
AS 1 hope to save you from the fire.
was the reply.
Il fear we can't escape"
Don't despair The river can't be far
Off Forward"
But death was at their very heels
Sparks danced in the air and th;cI,
smoke filled their eyes and threats. The
forest close behind them was a sea of fire.
and the awful roar of the flames drowned
all other sounds.
For several hundred yards thew advance
ed DllnGIE. then Onjp Su6lap1y
tlat he had lost fis companion and ct the
same instant he tripped and fell. AS soon
as ne could get to his feet he hailed the
Brazilian loudly and fancied he heard n
FAINT response. But it was not repeated
during the next two or three minutes,
while he STAGGERED on through the ruddy
yard before him
AS ne uttered. a dcspairing cry. wrung
IRON his lips by the certainty of ter
f r death he felt water oozing at his
Feet Animated by hope, he pushed ahead
over a strip of reedy, marshy ground.
Suddenly he was submerged to his breast
ana before him he saw "A lagoon-like BODY
ol water several hundred yards in width,
Win II boraer OF trees the far side
Refreshed and strengthened by the cold
Plunge, gum struck out On and on he
swan. his strokes growing steadily feebler.
ana ana ~ was II that he could do to reach
the shore. GREATNESS and exhausted he
climbed the love- bank and took n few
steps Ihen he reeled and fell heavily.
through the remainder of the night
Quin lay there Unconscious in the Grass
steering off i,ha effects of his terrible r.ra
Tor me- So he Was in fairly good condition
wren he awoke at dawn. He sat IN ruh-
hed MS eyes and instantly remembered
what had happened. But where was hea
The question was easily answered a fnJv
yards In front. across the narrow strip of
lard, rolled The mighty Amazon. Close be-
nina MN the lagoon stretched indefinitely
rent and left, parallel with the river and
frcm the opposite shore. where the fire had
burnt itself out, clouds of gray smoke were
rising.
Poor Barbosa has persisted, beyond a
&c ubt, Quin said, aloud. My escape was
miraculous And now to search for the
raft. II this is tie other side of the bend,
II can't be far"
The sentence froze on his lips, for at that
moment spotted brown beast rose from a
racket twenty feet away. 1t was a iagua~
OF enormous size, and its neck was markell
with collar of white fur.
Qu1n was not elated He wished that the
beautiful beast was anywhere else. saw
age srowl warned him of his danger and
dashing to a tree that stood on tie edg,
or the Amazon, he climbed nimbly out OF a
limb overhanging the water. AS he looked
dcWn stream he saw a thrilling sight A
raft-hls raft-was moored to the river
bank POO yards away. Men were moving
among the stacked-Jp boxes and cages
The jaguar was creeping forward through
the leaves. snarling horribly. There was no
time to hesitate, and, with a shout. Ouin
dropped. He came to the surface after 60
ing Geep under, and as he swan an he
heard a great splash He looked back to
see the jaguar-the limb had broken with
its Notwithstanding in pursuit
For minute or SO the two held an ex-
citing race. Then the taguar altered its
mind and tried to make the shore-a feat
that was impossible. owing to the straight
and tremendously swift current. Man ami
beast, separated by only a few feet were
borne on toward the raft, where now men
were shouting and gesticulating.
Nearer and nearer. The animal endeav-
ored vainly to steer a different course
QGin gained little at the last, and with
his strength all but exhausted he wa.
grasped by Carruthers and hauled on
board
THE jaguar!' he cried. Catch itu'
Nets and ropes were at hand and as the
current brought the tired creature within
reach ii was secured and drawn against