The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-09-01

crn they built n small home They gained
ia" cliffs by burning the bottom Of "A
Tree until IL fell against the heights
CHAPTER x.-Cortinued.
Tho hot ashes flew up in her face
and powdered her hair with their gray
dust: yet she persisted. blowing stead
lily until a shred of bark caught the
sparks and Jared up in tiny fame
little more, and she had a strong
ere blazing against the tree trunk.
She rested short time. relaxing
both mentally and physically In the
satisfying consciousness that Blake
never should know how near she had
come tO failing III her trust.
Soon she became aware OF a keen
feeling of thirst and hunger. She
1859. pileG fresh supply of sticks on
The fire. ard fastened back through
IN" cleft toward the spring. Around
The bIDba6 she came upon Win.hrope.
working in the shade of the great tree.
The three leopard skins had been
stretched upon bamboo frames, and
he WAS resignedIy scraping at their
inner surfaces with smooth-edged
stone Miss Leslie did not look too
closely at the operation.
Where is-he?" she asked.
Winthrope motioned down the
cleft
Il hope he hasn't gone far. I'm half
Vanished. Aren't YOU"
Really. Miss GencrIeve. it is odd.
you know Not IN hour since. the
very thought of food"
And row you're as hungry Is am.
OH. Go wish he had not some off just
at the wrong time"
He went 10 take 4 dip in the sea.
You know, he got so messed UP over
the rasties. part Of The work, which
positively refused 20 do
What's that beyond the bamboos?
There's something alivc,.'
b. Pray. don't he alarmed. II is-cr-
lis all right. Miss Gnncvicvc. l as
sure you"
But what is IT, Such queer noises.
and ! see something alive
Only the vluturcs. if you must
know. Nothing else. assure YOU
OH"
1t is all out of sight from the
s:-ing. You are not 10 90 around
the bsmboos until thc-that is. not
to-day"
Did MT. Blake say that?''
Why. yes-'o be sure. He also said
10 tel you that The outlets were On the
top she'll
You mean"
His ~ay OF ordering Won 10 cook
our dinner. Really. Miss Genevievc. /
should be released to take your place.
h:It have been told TO keep TO tris.
IL is hard to take orders from low
fcilow-very hard for gentleman,
yen know
Miss Leslie cazcd at her shapelv
hands. Three days since she could not
have conceived OF their being SO rough
and scratched and dirty. Yet her dis
gust at their condition WAS rot en-
tircly unqualified.
AT least / have something 10 show
for them" she nurmured
Il hes pardon" said Winthropc
lust look at my hands-like 4 SER
ants. And yet l am not nearly 80
ashamed OF them as l would have
farcied- Il is very amusing. but DO
you know. I actually feel proud tina:
I have done somethiuE-sorlcthi hing
useful. I mean
'Useful:-Ica:lit shocking. Miss Ger
evieve. II is simply vie that people of
or breeding shoa,d be compelled TO
30 such menial work. They write 10
ED Of ronances about caStways: but
l fail - see the romance in scraping
skins Indian fashion, as this fellow
Blake calls it,"
4 suppose. though. We should re-
member how much SIR. Blake is DOING
for US. and should try to make the
best of the situation"
1t has no best. Il is all a beastly
middle" complained Winthrope. and
he resumed his nervous scraping at
TIRE big leopard skin.
Tho girl studied hts face for a mo-
mert and turned away. Shc had been
trying so hard 70 forget.
He heard her leave, and called after.
without looking up: Please remem-
be-. He said 10 cook some meat"
She did not answer. Having salts /
fed her thirst at the spring. she took |
one O! the bamboo rods. with its haggled |
hlsckening pieces Of flesh. and re-
turned 70 the fire. safer some little |;
size contrived a way to !
Support the rod beside the fire SO tina: |
all the meat would roast without burr |
ing
At first. keen as was her hunger. |
she turned with disgust from the fab |
by sun-seared flesh: but as It began to |
roast. the odor restored her appetite !
to full viyor. Her mouth fairly wa
tered Il seemed as though Winthrope
and Blake would never come. She |
heard their voices. and took the bam-
boo spit from the fire for the meat to |
rool. Still they failed TO appear. and.
unable to wait longer, she began to |