Charlevoix county herald., 1909-07-03
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same, | guess We'll be ready for callers
tonight"
"How's that?"
Show you later, Pat. me by. Now
trot out some nuts. Well feed before
we move camp"
Miss Leslie is still sleeping"
Time, then to roust her out. Hey,
Miss Jenny, turn out! Time to chew"
Miss Leslie sat up and gazed around
in bewilderment
ITS all right, Miss Genevieve," re-
assured Winthrope. Blake has found
safe place for the night, and he
wishes us to eat before we leave here"
Save Juggling the grub" added
Blake. Get busy, Pat"
AS Winthrope caught up a nut the
girl began to arrange her disordered
hair and dress with the def and grace
full movements of a woman thoroughly
trained in the art of self-adornment.
There was admiration in Blake's deep
eyes as he watched her dainty preen-
ing. She was not beautiful girl-at
present she could hardly be termed
dy dress she retained all the subtle
charms of culture which appeal so
strongly to a nam. Blake was sub
dued. His feelings even carried him
so far as an attempt at formal polite
ness when they had finished their
meal.
Now, Miss Leslie" he began, cts
little more than half an hour to sun
down; so, if you please, if you're ready,
we'd best be starting"
rs it far?"
mot so very. But we've got to
chase through the jungle. Are you
sure you're quite ready?"
Quite, thank you. But how about
Mr.. Winthrope's ankle?"
He'll ride as far as the trees. I
can't squeeze through with him,
though"
Il shall walk all the way" put in
Winthrope.
mo, you won't. Climb aboard" re-
piled Blake, and catching up his club
he stopped for Winthrope to mount his
back. AS he rose with his burden
Miss Leslie caught sight of his coat,
which still lay in roll beside the
palm trunk.
How about your coat. Mr.. Blake?"
she asked Should you not put
it on?"
mo; I'm loaded now. Have to ask
you to look after it. You may need
it before morning, anyway. II the
dews here are like those in Central
America they are d-darned liable to
bring on malarial fever"
Nothing more was said until they
had crossed the open space between
the palms and the belt of jungle
along the river. At other times Win
thrope and Miss Leslie might have
been interested in the towering screw
palms, festooned to the top with
climbers, and in the huge ferns which
they could see beneath the mangroves
in the swampy ground on their left.
Now, however, they were far too con-
cerned with the question of how they
should penetrate the dense tangle of
thorny brush and creepers which
rose before them like a green wall.
Even Blake hesitated as he released
Winthrope and looked at Miss Leslie's
costume. Her white skirt was Of
stout duck; but the flimsy material Of
her waist was ill-suited for rough
usage.
Better put the coat on unless you
want to come out on the other side in
full evening dress" he said. There's
no use kicking, but / wish you'd hap
pened to have OH some sort of jacket
when we got spilled"
as there no path through the thick
et?" inquired Winthrope.
"Only the hippo trail, and it don't
go our way. We've got to run our
own line Here's stick for your
game ankle"
WINTHROP took the half-green
branch which Blake broke from the
nearest tree and turned to assist Miss
Leslie with the coat. The garment
was of such coarse cloth that as Win
thrope drew the collar close about her
throat Miss Leslie could not forego a
little grimace of repugnance. The
crease between Blakes eyes despened.
and the girl fastened to utter an ex-
planatory exclamation: Not so
tight, Mr.. Winthrope, please! 1t
scratches my neck"