The Columbus journal., 1909-10-06
CHAPTER XIv.-Continued.

She was Tar TOO pTeoccupled, now
ever. to consider what this might
mean. Her first thought was of fire.
She ran to her rude stone fireplace
and raked over the ashes. They were
still warm. but there was not a live
ember among them. Yet she realized
that Winthrope must have hot food
when he awakened, and Blake had
carried with him the magnifying glass.
For a little she stood hesitating. But
the defeat of the jackals had given her
courage and resolution such as she
had never before known. She returned
into the cave. and chose the sharpest
of her stakes. Having made certain
that Winthrope was still asleep. she
set of boldly down the cleft.
At the first turn she came upon
Blake's thorn barricade. 1t stretched
across the narrowest part of the cleft
In an impenetrable wall, IL feet high.
Only in the center was a gap. which
could have been filled by Blake in less
than two hours work. The girls eyes
frightened. She herself could gather
the thorn-brush and fill the gap before
night They no longer need fear the
jackals or even the larger beasts of
prey. None the less, they must have
fire.
Spurred on by the thought, she was
about to spring through the barricade
when she heard the tread of feet on
the path beyond. She crouched down,
and peered through the tangle of
brush in the edge of the gap. Less
than ten PAGES away Blake was plod-
ding heavily up the trail. She stepped
out before him.
"You-you! Are you alive?" she
gasped.
Live? You bet your boots" came
back the grim response. You bet
I'm alive-though l had to 60 Jonah
one better to do it. The whale heaved
him up; heaved up the whale-and it
took about barrel of sea-water to do
it,
"Sea-water?"
Sure I tumbled over twice
on the way. But j made the beach.
Lord, how I pumped in the briny
deep! Guess l won't go into details
but if you think you know anything
about seasickness- Whew! Lucky
for yours truly. the tide was just start
ing out, and the wind of shore. I'd
fallen in the water, and the Jonah
business laid me out cold. Didn't
know anything until the tide came up
again and sOused me"
Il am very glad you're not dead
But how you must have suffered. You
are still white, and your face is all
creased"
Blake attempted a careless laugh.
"D5n't worry about me. I'm here, o.
K, all that's left,-a little wobbly on
my pins. but hungry as a shark But
say, what's up with you? You're
sweating like "a Good thing. though.
It'll stave off your spell of fever a
while How'd you happen to be COM
ing down here so early?"
Il was starting to find you
"Me!"
Not you-that is, I thought you
were dead. I was going to make GER
tain, and to-to get the burning
glass"
"Um-m. 1 see. Let the fire 60 out,
eh?'
do not blame me, Mr. Blake! I
was so ill and worn out, and I've paid
for it twice over, really have. Didn't
those awful beasts attack your"
Beasts? How's that?" he demanded
"Oh. but you must have heard them!
The horrid things tried to kill u.s." she
cried. and she poured out a half in
coherent account of all that had hap
pened since he left.
Blake listened intently, his jaw
thrust out, his eyes glowing upon her
with a look which she had never be-
fore seen in any mans eyes. But dis
first comment had nothing to do with
her conduct.
.How's that?-sorry Win got roust-
ed out of his nice little snooze-
Why. don't you know, we'd been all
alone in our glory by tonight If 1t
hadn't been for those brutes. He was
in the stupor. and that would have
been the end of him if the beasts
hadn't stirred him up SO lively. I've
heard of such a thing before. but l al
ways thought it was fake. Here you
are sweating, too"
4 feel much better than yesterday.
I did not tell you, but 1 have felt Ill for
nearly a week.
"Fraid to tell, eh?-and you were
so scared over the beasts Scared!
By Jimmy, you've got grit. little WON