The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-07
THE NEWS DEMOCRATS DAILY STORY
To be published in daily instalments on this page
IHE
SLAVE SQUADRON
A THRILLING TALE OF ADVENTURE
By HARRY CoLLINGwOOD
CHAPTER X.

In this basin we laved our hurts untii
they were thoroughly cleansed from the
dry. hard. coagulated blood, and then we
set about the task OF bandaging them up.
7 Daphne. who. by the way, seemed TO have
little or no idea OF surgery, made herself
OF great use TO US I'm the bathing process,
when once she understood what was re-
Quired: but when II came TO bandaging
she found herself unable 10 help US fur
ther. and sorrowfuliy confessed herself
beaten. We were compelled TO convert
our shirts. the only linen in our posses
sion. into bandages: and poor Daphne. to
her evident extreme sorrow, had no linen
| 20 sacrifice to our necessities, or indeed
any clothing at all to speak OF.
The costume OF a Congoese belle, ac-
cording TO her rendering OF IL. was a pet
ticoat of parti-colored bead fringe about
twelve inches deep depending loosely
from the hips the rest OF her clothing
consisted entirely-as Mike Flanaghan
would have said--of jeweiry, OF which she
wore a considerable quantity / may as
well here enumerate her ornaments. for
the information and benefit of those who
have never enjoyed the acquaintance OF
an African beauty.
In the first place she wore a circufa,
band OF metal. about two inches wide.
round her head and across her forehead.
This band, or coronet. had a plain border
this border for about an inch In wirth
throughout its length, the metal was cut
away In very fine lines. forming an IN.
tricate and really elegant lace-iike pat
tern. Then she wore also very largo
pair OF circular earrings. similarly orna-
mented. eosethrnargf kwodgfarkwodgfa
mented these ornaments being so large
and heavy that they had actually stretch
ed the 'lobes. and so spoiled the shape OF
what would otherwise have been a very
pretty pair OF ears.
Upon each OF her plump. finely shaped
arms, between the shoulder and the ell
bow, she wore four or FIVE massive arm
lets OF peculiar but by no means unskilled
workmanship: and lastly. round each
ankle she wore single anklet of similar
workmanship. On the previous night,
when this rather lavish display OF jewel
uy had first attracted my caspal notice, 1
had imagined it 10 be brass; but now,
seeing II again in the full light OF day,
discovered IL TO be gold. almost or quite
pure. as l judged from It's softness.
To return 10 our subject. Daphne's
first task on our arrival at the pool had
been TO kindle another fire; and, after
helping us as far as she could To doctor
our wounds, she next undertook an ex-
ploration OF the forest in our immediate
neighborhood returning In about an
hours time with three long, thin, straight
shafts OF n kind OF bamboo, and three
small uprooted sapling
These articles she forthwith plunged
into the fire, and after an hours diligent
work manipulated the bamboos into three
very effective lances or javelne. and the
saplings into three truly formidable clubs.
the knotted roots being charred and trim
med until they formed rounded heads as
large as ones two fists put together.
one OF each of these weapons she pre-
ntnt
ing one OF each for herself; and thus
armed, we were ready TO set out once
more upon our travels.
But IL was high time that out wander
ings should be conducted with something
like method. Our object was. OF course,
20 rejoin the ship with the leas, possible
delay; and before making n fresh start
smelle thought IL would be Just as well
20 acduant our companion with this our
desire. He accordingly undertook TO do
go. and a very amusing scene resulted;
but he succeeded at last In making his
wish clearly understood. and this achiev-
ed we once more resumed our march.
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.
BY the time that we were finally ready
70 start IL was about noon. and the heat
had become intensely oppressive. The re-
freshIng zephyrs OF the morning had died
completely away, and the motionleSs at
rnosphere rarehed by the burning rayS
of the sun. was all a-uuiver. Not n beast.
bird or insect was stirring throughout
the whole length and breadth of the far
stretching forest aisles. The grass. the
eowers the leaves OF the trees. the grace
yuI festoons OF parasitic creepers, were all
ne still as though cut out of iron. The
stagnant air was saturated to oppressive
moss with a thousand mingled perfumes;
ord not a sound OF any kind broke IN
unon the deathlike stiffness OF the scene
~ was Natures silent hour. the hour OF
irtensest heat; that short interval about
noon uben all living things appear TO re-
t,ro into the most sheltered nooks-the
DARKEST coolest shadows; the one hour
out ~ the twenty-four when absolute, un-
bro,sen silence reigns throughout the Atri-
can forest. .-,,oI "a,
Irnder Daphne's leadership We s,ruck on
on n westerly course through tne sreen
.hadows OF the forest and tolleu avo
ousiv forward until the dusky 'wie"s
rr,rned us OF the necessity for seehins
resting place wherein TO pass the Cv''',,s ,,
.tah, This was found at length ln IN
renter of n wide clearing or preak ~ ~.
Soro,,. ana smellie and l. al DaPnns
.xnressiyely-conveyed pantomlmc .s.
sos,,o, forthwith set about gatherins .ne
s,hsror,,thal 70 build a fire. whiis. w
damsei herself undertook ,ne 49, ,ask
viding a supper for the parry -. auskv
was barely completed wnen ~ ,arro,s
iadv.hip returned with three gres as
and A pair OF green pigeons, q st.h NE
large eourd OF water. from ,,s-
eventually managed TO me~'e