The Columbus journal., 1909-11-17
9 ~

of her concern for him. When hi
was SO angered at Winthrope, she hat
called him Tom!
After a time he started on. pickins
his way over the remnant of the bar
ricade, without a falter in his wills
Ting. The deluge of rain had poured
down the cleft in torrent, tearing
away the root-matted soil and laying
bare the lodges in the channel of the
spring rill. But aside from an occa
sional Doggy hole, the water hat
drained away.
At the foot, about the swollen pool
was wide stretch of rubbish and
mud. He worked his way around the
edge, and came out on the plain
where the sandy soil was all the firm
er for its drenching. He swung away
at lively clip. The air Vas fresh
and pure after the storm, and q slight
breeze tempered the sun-rays.
He kept on along the cliff until he
turned the point. 1t was not alto
gether advisable to battle at this time
of day; but he had been caught out by
the cyclone in corner of the swamp
across the river, where the soil was
of clay. Only his anxiety for Miss
Leslie had enabled him to fight his
way out of the all but impossible
morass which the storm deluge had
made of the half-dry swamp. AT
dawn he had reached the river, and
swan across, reckless of the croco.
dies. The turbid water Of the
stream had rid him of only part of his
accumulated slime and ooze. So now
he washed out his tattered garments
as well as he could without soap, and
while they were drying on the sun
scorched rocks, swan about in the
clear, tonic sea-water, quite as reck-
less of the sharks as he had been of
the ugly crocodiles in the river.
For all this, he was back at the
baObab before Miss Leslie had
stitched up the last slit in the torn
flag.
She looked up at him. with q brave
attempt at a smile.
Il am afraid I'm not much of a
needle-woman," she sighed. Look at
those stitches!"
Don't fret, They'll hold all right,
and that's what we want" he reas
sured her. Give it me, now. I've got
to get it up, and hurry back for a nap
No sleep last night was out beyond
the river, in the swamp-and tonight
I'll have to go on watch. The barri-
cade is down."
"Oh, that is too bad! Couldn't
take a turn on watch?"
Blake shook his head. NO; I'll
sleep to-day, and work rebuilding the
barricade tonight. Toward morning
1 might build up the fire, and take a
nap"
He caught up the flag and its new
staff. and swung away through the
cleft.
He returned much sooner than Miss
Leslie expected, and at once began to
throw up a small kan-to of bamboos
over a ledge at the cliff foot, behind
the baObab. The girl thought he was
making himself hut, in place of the
canopy under which he had slept be-
fore the storm. which, like Win
thrope's. had been carried away. But
when he stopped work. he laconically
informed her that all she had to do to
complete her new house was to dry
some leaves
But 1 thought it was for yourself!"
she protested. Il will sleep inside the
tree"
DOC Blake says no." he rejoined-
mot till it's dried out"
She glanced at his fact, and replied,
a moments hesitancy: VERY
we'll. l will do what you think best"
That's good" he said, and went at
once to lie down for his much needed
sleep.
He awoke just soon enough before
dark to see the results of her hard
lays labor. All the provisions stored
in the tree had been brought out to
dry, and a great stack of fuel, ready
for burning. was piled up against the
while all about the tree tho
had been neatly gathered to-
sether in heaps. Blake looked his ad-
for her industry. But then
his forehead wrinkled.
You oughtn't tove done SO much"
he admonished.
I'll show you l can tote fair!" she
rejoined. During the afternoon she
had recalled to mind that odd express
sion of a southern girl chum, and had
been waiting her opportunity to ban.
.er him with it.
He stared at her openeyed, and
laughed
Say. Miss Jenny, you'd better look
out. You'll be speaking American,
irst thing"
Thereupon, they fell to chatting
ike children out of school, each han.
)y to be able to forget for the moment
hat broken figure up on the cliff ton
md the haunting fear of what another
lay might bring to them.
When they had eaten their meal.
both with keen appetites, Blake
'prang up. with a curt Goodnight"
md swung of down the cleft. The
,irl looked after him with a lingering
smile.
Il wish he hadn't rushed off so sud.
lenly," she murmured. Il was lust
going to thank him for-for every.
hing!"
The color swept over her face in a
leep blush, and she darted around to
Ter tiny hut as though some one
night have overheard her whisper.