Morris tribune., 1901-10-12

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tered apology.
At that moment Algie strolled
on the lawn, tremendously raised
his big linen cap and said in that
deliberately courteous voice of his,
"Good morning, Miss Jessie. Can |
be Of any use9"
"I am going for some orchids
down in Deaths Head valley" she
said. "You can come with me if
you are not afraid"
81 slept there last night" said
Algie calmly.
Jessie gave a look at the other
two, who were glaring with hate at
Algie, then turned to the young
American and started off with him
down the hill.
| Pedro Kissed an oath at Fernan-
do, who shouted back curse. Then
the two closed and fought each
other with knives till Mr.. Ogilvie
came out and drove them away with
a whip.
Only those who have been in
Deaths Head valley know what sort
Of a place it is. At the bottom Of
it the Rio Cauca runs rapidly along
between it's banks and powders,
kissing and foaming and roaring,
and in the quiet backwater of the
river lie hungry alligators, waiting
for something feshy to take a snap
at. Snakes Of all lengths between
six inches and fifteen feet lie sleep
ing in the long, moist grass; mos
quitoes in myriads buzz and sting;
long lizards skurfy up and down
the smooth trunks of the trees, and
the monotonous sss-k-rrr Of the
scissor grinder" sounds all day in
the thick roof of foliage overhead.
It is not a nice place for a Sunday
school picnic, and long before Jessie
had reached the bottom she had be-
gun to wish she hadn't come, but
the calm young man beside her
made her feel ashamed of owning
up. =,
They walked beside the river, and
little, lobsterlike black insects
craWled up their limbs and gave
both Of them agony. They entered
an open glade, and ferdilance
snake suddenly reared up before
them and was only lodged with
difficulty, Algie giving him crack
on the head with his stick as he
passed that left him powerless for
all further malice in this world.
Wherever they went they encoun-
tered fresh dangers, and all the
while, unseen and unknown by
either of them, big leopard was
stealthily logging their steps, keep
ing artfully in the shadow, but with
eyes that ever burned and glared-
two circles Of green malignant fire.
At last they reached the tree on
whose topmost branches were
blooming the orchids Jessie had
seen.
GLOW high they are!" said the
girl, looking up. 81 thought the
tree was quite short one"
''Not too high for me-" answered |
Algie, preparing to climb.
''No, no; don't attempt it," cried
the girl. "Half the branches seem
rotten. You might fall and be
killed"
"And what if we're? Who
would miss me? Not SOUL" And
be gave short laugh that was lit
tie bitter.
''Do you say that because /
brought you down here ?" asked yes-
lie slowly. t
"I never dared to think of you as
,aking the smallest interest in me
me way or the other"
"Why ?" asked Jessie, making the
Joft eyes at him. And the leopard
seeing them thus absorbed
n one another, crept a little nearer.
'Don't look at me like thatp
,ried Algie, as her face suddenly
oaled and her eyes opened wide with
lorror.
"Turn quickly" whispered Jes-
lie. But she was too late. The
'east was upon him, its claws in his
houlders, and its teeth in his neck.
lie turned and writhed, but the
,rute stuck to him; he gave the
tick to Jessie, and, with scream up
N scream, she struck it on the (
lead again and again, while the {
'lood poured down the lads shout
Lers, and his strength was visibly {
bling away. At last she brought !
he cudgel down upon the animals (
cad with force that broke its
kull, and 1T relinquished its hold |
nd fell to the earth dead, and AL {
lie fell back upon it in a swoon. Ec
Jessie knelt beside him, wiped the i
lood from his face and neck and
h I