The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-22

when Qui1 had fallen into a dOze, ne
was reused by the eager voices of the
Swahilis. He saw that they We're
pointing to the tall grass north of the
camp, and as he glanced in that direc-
ton he heard a loud, rustlin noise.
The next instant q man broke from
cover and strobe across the camp. He
carried a rife on his shoulder and
wore high boots, O sun helmet and a
suit of gray khaki. He was about AZ
years old, with black moustache and
pointed beard, and his features and
yellowish skin proclaimed at least
strain of Portuguese blood in his veins.
Quin rose to his feet, father sur
prised by the sight of a European; the
stranger paused before him and bowed
politely.
Il hope you will pardon my intru-
sion," he said, with a friendly smile.
Il was passing by. and caught a
glimpse of your huts." He looked care
lessly toward the lion cages, and add
ed: TIL is a fine pair of animals
you have. Did you trap them here
abouts?"
mo; 1 bought them from native
caravan" Quin answered.
His manner was cool at first, but he
presently thawed a little under the ge-
NAL manner of his visitor. who seemed
an honest, free-and-easy sort of chap.
You may have heard my name,
the man suggested. Il am Inspector
Gonzales of the British East Africa
company. Ny camp is in the neigh
borhood, and l am on the lookout for
some rascals who have been SNUG
Cling firearms and spirits up the river
to the negroes. But l can't find them
luck is against Inc so far"
Quin sympathized with his visitor,
and in turn stated his own name and
what further particulars politeness re-
quired.
he added Il can't offer you much"
'Then let me be the host" inter-
rupted Inspector Gonzales. My camp
is but half a mile away, and I have
there a bottle of wine and some other
supplies one does not find in the Afri-
can Jungle. 1t will be a great pleasure
to me, I assure you. 1 have been I'D
country for a fortnight and have seen
no Englishmen in that time.
Quin accepted without much heslta-
ton. He rather liked the man, and
never doubted that he was what he
claimed to be: and he was not averse
to while away in pleasant company
some of the long hours that must elapse
before the arrival Of the steamer. He
gave the Swahils some DISTINCTIONS
about the care of the camp and the
tigers, babe them stay awake until MS
return, and then departed with his new
acquaintance The box of silver col
lars he had concealed that morning
while his men were absent.
The distance traversed was nearer a
mile than a half mile. Inspector Con-
zales led the way through the tall grass
and reeds, and the camp burst sudden
ly upon Quin's view. 1t consisted of
two tents pitched in a small clearing
that bordered pool of brackish water,
and outside the larger of the te--ts
squatted four armed natives, villain
Gus of feature, who appeared to be
blend of Arab and Comoro Islander
They We're not the sort of chaps Quin
would have expected to fin6 in the ser
vice of the company, but, keen-witted
and observant as he usually was. this
did not strike him at the
zine. He was hot and hungry, and
moreover the daylight was beginning
to fade
Welcome to my poor quarters!" said
Inspector Gonzales Make yourself
as comfortable as you can-supper VIII
be served directly"
The negroes looked far from clean.
and Quin was relieved to see that they
had no intention of preparing the meal.
That was done by the host, and, all
things considered, it was a particular
ly good supper. A log served for ia
BILE, AID the roots and trunk of a tree
for seats. The menu comprised timed
meat, biscuits, fruit and an Indian
pickle, and by way OF liquid refresh
ment a bottle of fair claret. Quin ATE
heartily, but drank sparingly of the
wine When d strange drowsiness be-
gan to steal over him he attributed it
to the heat of the sun. 1t grew stead
ly worse. He saw Inspector Gonzales
smiling at him, and he was vaguely
aware OF some story Of adventure hia
host was relating. lie tried to speak,
but could not. Then a mist swan be
fore his eyes and he remembered moth
ing -:,ore.
It was night when Quin woke up. A
cool air was blowing, and moon
shone slantiryiy over the jung.e-top
into The clearing. lie was lying at the
foot Of the tree and his head felt dull
ard heavy. Recollecting what had oc-
Cured he rose unsteRdily and looked
about him. The clearing was empty.
deserted! Tents, negroes and the in
specto. had vanished. And he had been
robbed OF his brace of pistols,
Il see it ALL" he muttered angrily.
What a fool I've been, That wine
was drugged. though I fortunately did
not drink enough of it to keep me
asleep long. But why was made the
victim of such Il dastardly trick? What
object could the man Gonzales have
had
He stopped abruptly as he caught
sight of tiny white object in the
trampled grass al his feet He picked it
up, scanned it by the light of the moon,
and stood for moment as if in
trance. What he had found was the
fragment of an envelope having
brown elephant stamped on the corner.
and containing this much of the ad-
dress: ITO Antonio Silva" The brown
elephant was the mark OF Moss &
Crawley of Liverpool. And without a
doubt Antonio Silva, alias Inspector
Gonzales, was their agent. He was
probably a new man, for in the list
Of the rival firms employees. which
Karl Ranrach & Co. made a point of
keeping, no such individual as this Por-
tuguese figured
OF course the whole affair was as
clear as daylight now, and Quin bit
terly cussed his own stupidity-blamed
himself for falling so easily into the
trap. He was more wrathful about the
cunning trickery itself than its posi-
bic consequences, and he thirsted for
an opportunity of getting even with
Antonio Silva He wasted no further
time, for he knew by the moon that the
night was yet young, and this gave
him a slight glimmer of hope.
He had his bearings all right, and
plunging into the tall grass he bore on
at a trot until he emerged, breathless
and perspiring. within his own camp
The first glance showed him the empty
truck stripped of it's cages; the second
revealed the four Swahills bound each