The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-02-04

SiQeS OF the opening. nOuSn II SIGine0
so firm. she chung to it with a con
vulsive grasp as she felt the pack
leaders fling themselves against the
outer side.
But Blake had dashed the bamboos
securely together. and none of the
beasts was heavy enough to snap the
supple bars. Finding that they could
not break down the barrier they be
gan to scratch and tear at the thatch
which covered the frame. Soon pair
of lean jaws thrust in and snapped
at the girls skirt. She sprang back
with a cry: Help! Quick. Mr.. Win
thrope! They're breaking through"
Winthrope made no response. She
stopped, and found him lying inert
where he had fallen. She had only
herself to depend upon. A screen of
sharp sticks which she had made for
the entrance was leaning against the
inner wall. within easy reach. To
grasp it and thrust It against the other
framework was the work of an in
slant
Still she tremhlcd. for the eager
beasts had ripped the thatch from the
canopy, and their inthrust jaws made
short work of the few leaves on her
screen. Unaware that even a lion or
tiger is quickly discouraged by the
knife-like splinters of broken bamboo
she expected every moment that the
iackals would bite their way through
her frail barrier.
She remembered the sharpened
stakes Of her screen, hidden under the
leaves and grass of her bed She
cropped her way across the hollow
and uncovered one of the stakes. In
her haste she cut her hand on its
razor-lke edge. Ali unheeding. she
sprang back towards the entrance She
was none too soon. One of he smaller
iackals had forced its head and one
leg between the bars, and was strug
Cling to enlarge the opening.
Fearful that the whole pack was
about to burst in upon her, the girl
grasped the bamboo stake in both
hands, and began stabbing and lung
ing at the beast with all her strength.
The jackal squirmed and snarled and
snapped viciously. But the girl was
now frantic. She pressed nearer, and
though the white teeth grazed her
wrist, she drove home a thrust that
changed the beasts snarls into howl
of pain. Before she could strike
aoaip II hod ctruOUIad haoE out De
the hole, beyond reach.
Tense and painting with excitement,
she leaned forward, ready to stab at
the next beast. None appeared, and
presently she became aware that the
pack had been daunted by the ex-
perience of their unlucky fellow. Their
snarls and yells had subsidized TO
whines, which seemed to be coming
from a greater distance. Still she
waited, with the bamboo stake up
raised ready to strike, every nerve
and muscle of her body tense with the
strain.
So great was the stress of her fear
and excitement that she had not heed
ed the first gray lessenng Of the
night. Bat now the glorious tropical
dawn came streaming out of the east
in all its red effulgence. Above and
through the bamboo barrier glowed a
light such as might have come from
great fire on the cliff top Still
tense and immOyable, the girl stared
out up the cleft. There was not a
jackal in sight. She leaned forward
and peered around, unable to believe
such good fortune. But the night
providers had skunk off in the first
gray dawn.
The girl drew in a deep, shudder-
ing sigh, and sank back Her hand
struck against Winthropes foot She
turned about quickly and looked at
him. He was lying upon his face. She
fastened to turn him upon his side,
and to feel his forehead. 1t was cool
and moist. He was fast asleep and
drenched with sweat The great
shock Of his pain and fear and ex-
element had broken his fever.
With the relief and joy of this dis
covery, the girl completely relaxed.
Not observing Winthrope's wounds,
which had bled little, she sought to
force way out through the entrance.
1t was by no means an easy task to
free the wedged framework, and when,
after much pulling and pushing, she
at last tore the mass loose, she found
herself perspiring no less freely than
Winthrope.
She was far too preoccupied. how
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 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 little She stood hesitating. But
the defeat of the iackals had given hel
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 off 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 gap, which