Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-08-03

hicHacr anu CoCHtie5S btems OI thc tnit
bananas. whose broad leaves. as they
spread under or over each other. inter-
rupted the rays OF the sun. and formed
a shade that was pleasing and gloomy.
Now. when about to cross what
seemed a hole or hollow In the jun
Gle. by stepping from the strong ten
drill OF one creeper to another. a naked
arm and great human hand came up
from amid the mass OF leaves!
was seized by the right foot. and
In an instant found myself dragged
down through the foliage and inter
twisted plants-down-down knew
not where: and before had time or
breath to cry or resist. I lay PROSTATE
on my back In a hole-a lair under
the matted jungle-with a man above
ME. his knees planted on my breast.
his strong hands upon my bare throat.
and his hercc wild eyes glarlng like
those OF hyena into mine.
Then. how terrible were my emotions
on recognizing In the iisht that fell
through the mass Of foliage above. as
through q vinc-coycred treiiis-now
oycrsprcad with hair. na beard and
whislcrs were all matted inio a mass
the dark and ferocious face OF An
tonic. whom l believed to be drowned
and lyin. nt tho bottom OF the sea-
Antonio ci Cubani!
'Silcnxio!'' said he. In a low voice.
like tho hiss OF a scrpcn, In my car:
but tho injunction was unnecessary.
for so completely was l taken by sur
prise-so utterly al his mercy. and 50
destitute alike Of breath or weapon
iha, resistance was Impossible.
PcreeivinE that was almost airan-
sied hs relaxed his fierce grasp a lit
tic. but siiil kcp; the sharply prick:
ing point Of his kaito n; my threat.
a. hint TO remain quiet.
Il would be impossible for mo TO do
scribe the emotions OF my soul dur
Ing this ;itns. which secmed an etef-
nifty to me! Utter fear Vas one. for l
thought the seiio~ had something su-
pcraa,u.si-someihlas truly demon
abou, him: that he could neither be
drowned nor destroyed: and lay s;lll
In that dark hollow. painting in his
aefee clutch without a thought OF re-
sss,aHcr,
Nos I heard my name shouted re-
peatsaiy.
"Roaaey-Mr. Rsdaey-pieG Rod
asy-~hsfc arc youg''
II ~ss Tom i.amboaruc and others.
my companions. who had now attained
;hs summit o< the rock. and were
scfsfnbilnE oseF the Jungle. aud push
Ing between tho stems Of the bananas.
searching for me. rather ihaa for ;ac
aFs; object Of such mystery.
Ny dIsapFeaTanre alarmed them.
Can he have gone adFifi over tho
bigI." heard Ton t.smbpurnC say.
''oT Is he oaly having a game with Us
bY hiding hlmself'r
"'oh. yesI-;ha, is it, replied Pro-
hart. tho carpenter: ''he can't have
suao siuss iu;o on. of these bananas.
.ur they arc ss clear Of branches as a
spare ispmasi: so let us sheer on TO
the mate. and MT. Rodney Sill sooa
come down sfICT us.-
We'll. my lads. ;hSTc ate neither
wild men nor uiiI beasts here said
LambouTas' $50 wc shall return back
20 Master iiisiop. Who Is hanging In
the wind halfway dovn. and then be
OF TO the hut. We've earned a stif
glass Of Erpg by this bout. anyhow
My emotions became almost suffocat-
Ing when heard them turn away TO
descend and rcioin Hislop vithou, me.
saw and heard them pass and re-
pass over Us. the ereepcrs of the jun
gle yielding their weight.
The leg and foot OF one. named Hen.
~ Warren. came down through the
green network Of leaves and actually
touched me.
I drew a long. saspinE breath. and
the a;rocious Cubano. believing I vas
about to cry aloud. compressed my
,hroa, so tightly with his muscular
hands. tha, a thousand lights seemed
to Fash before my eyes, and I must
have become senseiess for some min
u,.s. as the mex, incident that d~eiis
In my memory Is seeing him sitting in
a crpuchius attitude. with his elbows
on his knees: his black-bearded chin
resting In the hollow OF his right hand.
and with his knife-his murdeFous
Aibacc,e euehilio-clenched In his
white teeth. while he surveyed me
with a strange and sardonie smile in
his deepiy-set black eyes, which gilt
tered like those of a snake in the rays
o. suniish, that struggled through the
woven roof of leaves about us.
heard no more the voices Of my
shipmates. They were gone. and was
left alone and unsrmcd with this man
or devii-as yet knew not which he
was: but knew that IL he had the will
he had sssuredly the power. to kili and
leave me in his lair. or to cast me. a
n,angied heap. to the bottom Of the
clIff whereupon he lurked.
CHAPTER NNNt11.