The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-01-28

we've, now can you stand by and see
him abuse me like this?"
Blake was grinning as he turned to
Miss Leslie Her face was flushed
and dOwncast with humiliation for her
friend. 1t seemed incredible that a
man of his breeding should betray
such weakness. A quick change came
over Rlake's face.
Look here he muttered, L guess
I'm enough of a sport to know some
thing about fair play. Wins coming
down with the fever. and's no more to
blame for doing the baby act than
he'll be when he gets the delirium
and gables"
q will thank you TO attend to your
own affairs" said Winthrope.
You're entirely welcome. It's what
I'm doing Do you understand. Miss
jenny"
Indeed, yes; and I wish to thank
you. I have noticed how patient you
have been"
Pardon me, Miss Leslie" rasped
Winthrope. Can you not see that for
fellow Of this class to talk of fair
play and patience is the height OF
impertinence? In England, now, such
insufferable impudence-"
"Thatll do" broke in Blake. "Tts
time for us to trot along"
But, Mr. Blake if he is ill"
Just the reason why he should keeT
moving. No more of your CAB, Win!
Give your jaw lay-off, and try wig
Cling your legs instead"
Winthrope turned away. crimson
with indignation. Blake paused only
for a parting word with Mss Leslie
IF you want something to do, Miss
Jenny try making yourself a pair OF
moccasins out of the scraps of skin
You can't stay in this gully all the
time, You've got to tramp around
some, and those slippers must be about
done for"
They are still serviceable. Yet il
you think"
You'll need good tough moccasins
soon enough. SINCE off the hair. and
make soles Of the thicker pieces. Ii
you do q fair job, maybe I'll employ
you as my cobbler, soon as l get the
hide off one Of those skittish antelope e
Miss Leslie nodded and smiled in re
Spouse TO his testing tone. But as he
swung away after Winthrope, she
stood for some time wondering at her
self. A few days since she knew she
would have taken Blake's remark as
an insult Now she was puzzled tc
find herself rather pleased that he
should SO note her ability to be OF
service.
When she reused herself, and began
singing the hair from the odds and
ends of leopard skin, she discovered
a new sensation to add to her list OF
unpleasant experiences. But she did
not pause until the last patch OF hair
crisped close to the half-cured surface
of the hide Fetching the penkniie
and her thorn and Catgut from the
baobab, she gathered the pieces OF
skin together, and walked along the
cleft to the ladder-tree There had
been time enough for Blake and Win
thrope to set up the signal, and she
was curious to see how it looked.
She paused at the foot of the tree
and gazed up to where the withered
crown lay crushed against the edge
of the cliff The height of the rocky
wall made her hesitate yet the men,
in passing up and down, had so
cleared away the tWigs and leaves and
broken the branches on the upper side
of the trunk, that it offered a means
of ascent far from difficult even for a
young lady.
The one difficulty was to reach the
lower branches. She could hardly
touch them with her tinger-tips. But
her barbaric costume must have in,
spired her. She listened for a mo-
mant, and hearing no sound to indicate
the return of the men, clasped the
upper side of the trunk with her
hands and knees, and made an en-
ergetic attempt to climb. The posture
was far from dignifed, but the girls
eyes sparkled with satisfaction as she
found herself slowly mounting.
When, flushed and breathless, she
gained foothold among the branches,
she looked down at the ground, and
permitted herself merry little giggle
such as she had not INDUCED in since
leaving boardng-school. She had
actually climbed a tree! She would
show Mr.. Blake that she was not so
helpless as he fancied.
At the thought, she clambered on
up, finding that the branches made
convenient steps. She did not look
back, and the screen of treetops be
meath saved her from any sense of
giddiness. AS her head came above
the level of the cliff, she peered
through the foliage, and saw the sig
mailbag far over near the end of the
headland The big piece Of white
duck stood out bravely against the
blue sky, all the more conspicuous for
the focks of frightened seafowl which
wheeled above and around it.
Surprised that she did not see the
men, Miss Leslie started to draw her
self up over the cliff edge She
heard Winthrope's voice a few yards
away to her left. A sudden realization