The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-11-28
CHAPTER XVII.
A Man of Nerve


splendid point Of vantage he could look
far to the east, west, north and south.
He calmly raised pair of field-glasses
to his eyes and scanned with seeming
indifference, the horizon On all sides
Of him.
Not far distant man, clad in leath-
ern jacket and great boots, knelt on
the ground piling up some fagots of
dried wood he had collected, and I'M
der them he placed a handful or two
OF long, dry grass. Then, taking a
matchbox from the pocket of his
leathern Jacket, he proceeded, solemn
~ and with an air of performing a
most important duty, to light a fire.
Close by his side lay the carcass of a
deer, and not far away, tethered to a
short, thick tree, were two horses.
The man with the field-glasses. hav-
Ing finished his survey of his vast sur
roundings calmly let them fall to the
length of the strap that passed over
his stalwart shoulder, and taking a
leathern pouch from his pocket, pro-
{ ceeded to extract enough tobacco
therefrom to fill short black pipe
which he also drew forth from the
same convenient pocket.
William. a MATCH" he said, turning
toward his companion and standing
with outstretched hand.
Yes. yes, me lord" was the reply,
and William leaped to his feet, whipped
out his matchbox again, and proceed
ed to light his masters pipe.
did you see hanythink hof them,
me lord?" he asked, returning to his
task Of cutting roast from the car
cass Of the deer.
The man addressed, who was no
other than the renowned sportsman
and globe-trotter Lord Chugmough, of
Chugmough Heath, pulled at his pipe
a moment, so that the light obtained
from William might be made to hold.
mo, William" he replied at last,
speaking with the inimitable drawl
that had made him famous in London,
New York, Algiers, Australia, Africa,
and every other spot on the footstool
where wealthy, eccentric and adven-
turous Englishman is likely to be
found. "No, William, I do not see
them" Then, eying critically the cult
nary performances of William, Lord
Chugmough leaned against a stumpy
tree and puffed contentedly on his p pc.
William" he drawled again, edo
you know fear they may be lost?'
William, who was by that time turn
ing the savory hunk of venison over
the fire, nearly lost it, but by an effort
sSof his will retained his composure,
n which at all times he endeavored to
h.nake equal to that Of his world-re-
nowned master.
" Every well, me lord" he said.
The fact was that Lord Chugmough
and William were lost themselves.
Now, Lord Chugmough had hunted
elephants in India, gorillas in Africa,
and had been, in his turn, hunted by
the mammas of manageable young
ladies in England until his tranquil
soul rebelled, and hearing that the I'M
tried forests south of the Orinoco
teemed and swarmed with animal life,
and were, in fact, a veritable paradise
for sportsmen, he had forthwith set
sail in his yacht, Cheerway, with as
could collect.
z The Cheerway had put in at La
Guayra; Lord Chugmough and his
party had visited Caracas, and endeav-
; cred to obtain there guide to the
southern forests, and failed for much
the same reason that sportsman
wishing to hunt the few remaining
bison on the American prairie would
fail to find a suitable guide in Wash
tngton or New York.
So the Cheerway set sail again, Lord
) Chugmough having satisfied the gov
eminent that he was not engaged in
. filibustering, and after pleasant sail,
assembled the Orinoco to Bolivar,
where the party landed, obtained
guides and horses, and started for the
mountains and forests far to the south.
But before they reached the noun
tains they enjoyed some sport, and it
was not many miles from the Castle
of Salvarez that the party had espied
deer, and Lord Chugmough, in fol-
lowing 1t, had become separated from
his party; but, needless of that fact, he
kept on. covering mile after mile, fol-
lowed by William, until his compan-
ions were no longer to be seen.
The deer was at last killed, but so
far had Lord Chugmough travelled and
SO many ways had the deer turned that
Lord Chugmough had not the least
idea in which direction he ought to
go to find his friends.
Therefore, having first gained pos
session Of the dead deer, he went up
on the summit of hill of which he
had come within a short distance, to
survey the country, and learn, If pos
.sible, where the remainder of his party
vas; but not a sign Of them could he
see.
Thus 1t may well be understood how
difficult it was for William to restrain
his mirth when his master uttered his
solemn announcement that he feared
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