The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-09-29
CHAPTER EiV-cortinued.

CHAPTER %iv-Cortinued.
At noon, having learned that Win
thrope's condition showed little change
| Blake ate hearty meal, and at one,
SCI Off down the cleft. He did not re
appear until nightfall: though at in
tervals Miss Leslie had heard his ste]
as he came UP the rayine with hi
loads of thorn-brush.
This course of action became tn,
routine for the following ten days. l
was broken only by three incidents
| all relating to the important matter O
food supply. Winthrope had sool
tired of broth. and showed such an in
satiable craving for cocoanut mill
that the stock on hand had becom,
exhausted within the week.
The day after. Blake took the rop,
ladder. as he called the tangle O
knOtted creepers. and went off toward.
the north end of the cleft. When HI
returned, little before dark, the
lower part of his trousers was torn t.
shreds, and the palms of his hand:
were blistered and raw; but he carried
: heavy load of cocoanuts. After Z
vain attempt to climb the giant palms
on the far side Of the river, he had
found another grove near at hand, in
the little plain, and had succeeded in
reaching the tops of two of the
smaller palms.
Under his directions, Miss Leslie
clarified bowl of bird fat-goose
grease. Blake called it-and dressed
his hands. Yet even with the band
ages which she made of soft inner
bark and the handkerchiefs. he was
unable to handle the thorn-brush the
following day Unfortunately for him
he was not content to sit Idle. During
the night he had cut a bamboo fishing
pole and heightened Miss LeSlieS line
Of plated cocoanut-fiber with a long
catgut leader. In the afternoon he
completed his outfit with a hairpiu
hook and piece of half-dried meat
He was back an hour earlier than
usual. and he brought with him a
dozen or more fair-sized fish. His
mouth was watering over the prospec
tive feast. and Miss Leslie showed her
self hardly less eager for a change
from their monotonous diet. AS the
fish were already dressed, she raked
Up the Goals and quickly contrived a
grill Of green bamboos.
When the odor of the broiiing fish
spread about in the still air, even Win
tflrope shifted and turned over, while
Blake watched the crisping delicacies
with a ravenous look. Unable to re.
strain himself. he caught up the
smallest fish, half cooked and bolted
ii down with such haste that he burnt
his mouth. He ran over to the spring
for drink, and WinthroIe cackled
derisively
Miss Leslie was too absorbed in her
cooking to observe the result of
Blake's greediness. She had turned
the fish for the last time. and was
about to lift them off the fire. when
Blake came running back. and sent
grill and all flying with violent kick.
Salt" he gasped-'where's the
salt? I'm poisoned"
"Poisoned?"
Poison fish! Don't eat! Cod
Where's the salt?"
The girl stared at him. His agony
was so great that beads Of sweat were
rolling down his face. He writhed. and
stretched out a quivering hand-"Salt.
uuick.-warm water-salt."
But there's none left! You renem-
Der. yesterday
Cod" groanei Blake. and for a
moment he sank down. overcome by
a racking CONFUSION. Then his jaw
closed like bulldogs, and gritting his
teeth with the effort, he staggered up
and rushed off down the cleft.
stop, stop, Mr.. Blake. Where are
you going?" screamed the girl.
She started to run after him, but
was halted by an outburst of delirious
laughter. WINTHROP was sitting up
right and waving his fever-blotched
hands-"Hi, hi! look at i'm run! Els
got w'atn do for i'm! Run, you swine;
you"
There followed a torrent of cockney
abuse so foul that Miss Leslie blushed
scarlet with shame as she sought to
quiet him. But the excitement had so
heightened his fever that he was in
raving delirium. 1t was close upon
midnight before his temperature fell,
and he sank into a death-like torpor.
In her ignorance, she supposed that he
had fallen asleep.
Her relief was short-lived, for soon
she remembered Blake. She could see
him lying beside the pool or out on the
bare plain. his resolute eyes cold and