The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-04-01
CHAPTER VI.-(Continued.)

AS they Walkcu LOWdiu ~N
Rayburn's eyes fell on the dark pnlk
o. the dead hyena beside it. A curl
ous expression passed over his lace.
He touched the dead beast with his
foot.
whats this, Cleland-a dead dog?'
"Rather a dangerous kind OF dog
answered Cleland, smiling. 1T is a
hyena. and would have made short
work OF me If | had not happened to
be beforehand with my rife"
Lucky for you. l thought I heard
a shot as l came round: but fancied
had made a mistake afterwards"
said the other, with a peculiar inton-
alton. can ugly customer to deal
with, and you're lucky to have es-
capped. Well, are you ready?"
They went out into the moonlit
night. Cleland led the way up from
the camp.
Il was tempted by another fellow to
take a look around before We turned
in" he said, as they walked on as
quickly as the sand would permit. I'VE
thought we might happen to fall on
some traces OF the Baggara. We got
into a jungle, and had the greatest
difficulty in finding our way out. In
the thickest part of it the other fellow
tripped and lell, his rifle went off, and
he shot himself right through the
shoulder. It's a nasty wound, and,
though I did the best l could to ban
/ do on ~ Tbro nathan afraid hn won't hn
able to keep 1t still. / ran all the way
back, and have not reused anyone, l
was in such a hurry to get you up to
him."
Cleland thought this account a little
inconsistent with the leisurely way in
which he had seen Major Rayburn
wandering round the camp; but he
said nothing, and the two men hur-
ried on together.
The ground became less arid as they
did SO. An occasional mimosa-bush
dotted the sand. Presently they came
In view of what was evidently the
jungle.
You are lone up, I can see," said
Rayburn, suddenly pausing to look at
the other. II have a flask with me.
Will you take a little?"
II am all right, thank YOU" said
Cleland, quietly. II do not take alco-
hol, you know"
The 9th i made no remark, but
steppe' ca, Cleland following. In a
few minutes they were in the very
heart OF the scrub. An almost impene-
trable jungle it was, whose sharp mi
mosa-spears caught the incautious
traveller by the clothing, pierced it
through, and pierced the flesh with q
thousand sharp, thorny pricks, owe
whose rough half-grass his feet STUN
bled and tripped at every step, and
whose huge twisted ropes of creeper
flung down struggling tendrils I'VE
his neck and shoulders so that he was
caught like a fly in a spiders web.
This is becoming almost impassa.
ble!" Cleland exclaimed. Where is
your wounded man, Major Rayburn
Is he anywhere near here?"
I'VE were quite as far as here, but
looks to me as If / had lost my bear,
ings," said Rayburn. He paused anc
seemed lost In thought; then started
suddenly. "Ah, / see now! This
palm tree was our guide, | remember
that. This is the way, DR.. Cleland."
He turned aside to the left, leading
Cleland more into the heart or the
Jungle than ever; then he paused
again.
Twill you stay here for a few min
utes while I run on in this direction
doctor, and see II there is any trace OF
my poor companion? I begin to fee
quite uneasy. Have a cigar while !
am away; they are the best Havanas.'
Cleland agreed, and stood waiting
while the other went on, and soo dis
appeared from sight. Cleland heard
him calling "Vanburgh! V~anburgh!
where are you, mann" for a few min
utes; then his voice died away and
there was complete silence all around.
CHAPTER VII.
How long he waited he never after
wards knew. It might have been halt
m hour, 1t might have been more.
But suddenly q strange sensation be-
gan to creep over him, q sensation
Of most extraordinary drowsiness.
which he seemed unable to combat.
He had taken n Of Rayburn's prof
fered cigars, thinking it would be I'M
gracious to refuse, and feeling, more
over, that he would be the better for
one after that long tramp and the ia
tiguing scramble through the jungle.
He was smoking it as the feeling OF
drowsiness crept owe him.
He made a courageous effort to
shake 1t oil by trying to move about
as well as his limited space would al
low. Once or twice he shouted Ray
burns name at the pitch Of his voice:
but no answer came back.
II may as we'll sit down." he thought
at last. Il feel as II my limbs would
scarcely support me-"
= little knoll OF the rough half
grass formed a temptation; he yielded
to It and sat down. In a few minutes
the whole OF his surroundings-the
Jungle, the thought Of Rayburn and
III hiG wounded friend-faded away into