The Falls City tribune., 1908-12-18

80 80 11k - - $50 $50
She raised her hand to shield her
face, and sat up, sick and dizzy.
That's it," said Blake. He spoke
in a kindly tone. though his voice was
harsh and broken with thirst. You're
all right now. Pull yourself together
and Wen get to the trees in a jiffy.'
Mr.. Winthrope-?"
I'm here, Miss Geneyieve. 1t was
only a wrenched ankle. If | had a
stick. Blake, l fancy | 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 quarter-mile,
and I've got to pack him."
Tie 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
leIeu dlOnS DtSlus Dldhe, "Hdll-uucOu-
scious.
Fortunately the remaining distance
lay across q 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 a thirst which his ex-
ertions rendered even greater than
that of his companions. But through
the trees and brush which stretched
away inland in a wall of verdure he
had caught glimpsesN of a broad stream
and the hope of fresh water called out
every ounce of his reserve strength.
Ar last the nearest palm was only a
.aW faces distant. Blake elutched
>'jss % It's arm and dragged her
forward with Il 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 neal 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 a
low bank into the river. Blind to all
else, Blake raj 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
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
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 OF 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 sp&ashing and
loud snortings downstream. He
glanced about and saw six or eight
monstrous heads drifting towards
him with the tide.
What in Wheel a whole herd OF
hipposi" he muttered. That's what
the holes mean"
headed directly for him. He glared
at the huge head with sullen resent
ment. For all his stupor he perceived
at once that the beast intended to
land; and he sat in the middle of its
accustomed path. His first impulse
was to spring up and yell at the crea-
ture. Then he remembered hearing
that a white hunter had recently been
killed by these beasts on n of the
South African lakes. Instead of leap
ing up he sank down almost fiat and
crawled back around the turn in the
path. Once certain that he was hid
den from the beasts he rose TO his
feet and FASTENED back through the
jungle.
He was almost in view Of the spot
where he had left WINTHROP and Miss
Leslie, when he stopped and stood
hesitating.
81 can't do It," he muttered; ~ can't
tell her-poor girl"
He turned and pushed into the
thicket. Forcing a way through the
tangle of thorny shrubs and creepers
until several yards from the path he
began to edge towards the face of the