The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-12-10

around. Now now; don't yOwl, Miss
Jenny. I'm going. But you can't ex-
pect me to love the snOb"
As he splashed away on the return
trail, Miss Leslie dabbed at her eyes
TO check the starting tears.
oh, dear-Oh dear" she moaned:
what have l done to be so treated?
Such brute.' Oh, dear,-and l am so
thirsty"
In her despair she would have sunk
down where she stood had not the
sliminess of the water repealed her.
She gazed longingly at the trees. in
the fore OF which stood a grove of
stately palms. The half-miie seemed
an insuperable distance, but the ride
on Blakes back had rested her and
thirst goaded her forward.
Stumbling and slipping she waded
on across the inundated ground, and
came out upon a half-baked mud-fiat.
where the walking was much easier.
But the sun was now almost directly
overhead, and between her thirst and
the heat she soon found herself falter-
ing She tOttered on a few steps
farther, and then stopped utterly
spent. AS she sank upon the dried
rushes she glanced around and was
vaguely conscious of strange, double
headed figure following her path
across the marsh. All about her be
came black
The next she knew Blake was
splashing her head and face with
hrackish water out of the whisky flask
She raised her hand to shield her
face, and sat up, sick and dizzy.
That's it," said Blake. He spoke
in kindly tone, though his voice was
harsh and broken with thirst You're
all right now. Pull yourself together
and well get to the trees in a jiffy."
Mr. Winthrope-?"
I'm here Miss Gerevieve. 1t was
only a wrenched ankle. If | had a
stick, Blake, I fancy I could make a
go of it over this drier ground"
And lay yourself up for a month.
Come, Miss Jenny brace up for an
other try. It's only a quartermile,
and I've got to pack him"
The girl was gasping with thirst;
yet she made an effort. and. assisted
by Blake, managed to gain her feet
She was still dizzy; but as Blake
swing Winthrope upon his back. he
told her to take hold of his arm. Win
thrope held the shade over her head
Thus assisted, and sheltered from the
direct beat of the sun-rays. she tot
tered along beside Blake halfuncon.
scious.
Fortunately the remaining distance
lay across stretch of bare dry
ground, for even Blake had all but
reached the limit of endurance Step
by step he labored on. staggering I'M
der the weight of the Englishman and
gasping with thirst which his ex-
ertions rendered even greater than
that OF his companions. But through
the trees and brush which stretched
away inland in wall Of verdure he
! had caught glimpses of a broad stream
and the hope of fresh water called out
every ounce of his reserve strength.
At last the nearest palm was only a
| few PAGES distant Blake clutched
Miss Leslies arm and dragged her
forward with a rush in a final outburst
of energy A moment later all three
lay gasping in the shade, But the
river was yet another 100 yards dis
tant. Blake waited only to regain his
breath; then he staggered up and went
on. The others, unable TO rise, gazed
after him in silent misery
Soon Blake found himself rushing
through the jungle along a broad trail
pitted with enormous footprints; but
he was so near mad with thirst that
he paid no heed to the spoor other
than to curse the holes for the trouble
they gave him. Suddenly the trail
turned to the left and sloped down
low bank into the river Blind to all
else. Blake ran down the slope and
dropping upon his knees plunged his
head into the water
At first his throat was so dry that
he could no more than rinse his mouth
With the first swallow his swollen
tongue Knocked him with the salt.
bitter taste OF sea-water The tide
was flowing He rose, suffering and
I choking and gasping He stared
around There was no question that
he was on the bank of a river and
would be certain of fresh water with
the ebb tide. But could he endure the
agony of his thirst all those hours?
He thought of his companions.
Good Cod" he groaned, they're
goners, anyway"
He stared duly up the river at the
thousands of waterfowl which lined its
banks. Within close view were herons
and black ibises, geese, pelicans, fla.
mingoes, and a dozen other species of
birds of which he did not know the
names. But he sat as though in a
stupOr, and did not move even when
one Of the driftwood logs on a mud
shOal a few yards upstream opened
an enormous mouth and displayed two
rows of hooked fangs 1t was other,
wise when the noontime stiffness was
broken by a violent splashing and
loud snortings downstream. He
glanced about and saw six or eight
mons rous heads drifting towards
him with the tide.
What in Whee, a whole herd of
hippos!" he muttered. That's wha