The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-03-28

sheer and smooth. and dense forest
lay 200 or 300 feet below him. A mo-
ment's reflection, and the sound of
foaming waters, opened Quin's eyes to
the truth.
by Jove, here's queer conci-
dence!" he exclaimed. I've tumbled
over into the baron's valley. but what
am | going to do? | can't scale the
cliff. that's certain. | must get to the
bottom somehow, and try TO find the
inner mouth of that cave.
He clung like a cat to the rocky wall,
| advancing inch by inch. foot by foot,
his body at times swaying out over
the dizzy chasm. 1t was an hour before
he drew near the end. Then the shelf
J widened, and as he pushed on rapidly.
with IA light and grateful heart, he
came to a triangular black hole in he
cliff. a peep inside chilled his blood,
for he met the gaze Of two fiery eyes
and heard the mutfled snarl of wild
! beast.
As he looked back great tawny
creature ~ a magnificent Algerian
| panther-wriggled out Of the hole.
An angry, rasping scream broke the
silence, and ere the echo died away
Quin had taken to his heels. The for
est was dense and dark, primeval in
! fact, but he tore a passage through
the luNuriant underground as if it
were bracllen, The roar Of the stream
was audible and he headed in that di-
reCtion
| Of sudden, emerging on a little
open glade. a fresh peril confronted
| him. From the opposite thicket rose
grizzly old wild boar with yellow
tusks and foam-hecked jaws. Quin
! lodged behind a tree on the left and
! the next instant the pursuing pan
Their bounded into the clearing. At
once, obliNious to the presence of the
! man. the two savage creatures en-
gagged in desperate combat.
It was q brief combat The pam
ther pierced and ripped in a dozen
places. bleeding profusely from its
wourCs. relaxed its struggles. It
tried TO escape, but a vicious thrust
tore its throat and neck open. and its
life ehbed swiftly as il lay squirming
on the crushed grass.
The boar then swung round alert
". shifted the air and gazed with
prcked-up ears. not at Quin. but in
the direction of the stream. 1t was
about to charge when rifle cracked
sharply from the thicket \ second
shot followed the first. and over went
the boar kicking i'm its death strug-
gles.
\ man stepped into view. holding
his weapon in one hand, and the hid
den watcher behind the tree rccog-
nized Antcnia Silva. The Portuguese.
it seemed, had lost no time in proving
the accuracy of his ill-gotten chart.
At sight Of his treachcrous bctray-
er. whose guilt was no longer in
doubt, Quin's wrath was uncontrol-
able
You traitor," he cried
With that he leaped across the glade.
through the still drifting wreathS of
powdrr-smoke. and so sudden was the
attack that he easily wrested the rifle
rom the Portuguese. The latter
eyaded a swinging blow and then.
having no other weapons, he turned
and fled for his life. with Quin in hot
pursuit.
The chase led to the middle Of The
valley, where it turned along the
high, ragged bank of the stream
which was a swift torrent racing
among submerged rocks.
-. ]
ed. Silva tripped and fell heavily. his
arms dangling on the edge Of the
stream and as Quin came up with
linn both were precipitated into the
water by a part p the overhangino
lank giving way. Clinging to each
1ther, they were swept off by The
furious current and borne towards
he subterraneau channel.
Before they could realize their peri
hey were sucked into the cayernous
role, and dragged on at dizzy speec
through the fearful darkness
a rounded bowider just beneath the
surface forced them apart \ foam
ng wave submerged Quin. and as he
,ose he heard wild, despairing cry
Then, as he struck out with arms anC
legs, he grasped a pinnacle of rocl
and chung to il for a short time. while
ne gained breath and strength.
When he could hold fast no longer
he trusted himself to the stream. anc
after several anxious minutes h,
coated ont from beneath the grea'
mountain. into the fresh air and sun