The Falls City tribune., 1909-01-15

tne middle.
Hello" said Blake, the lower part
of this will do for a bowl, Miss Jen-
ny. When you've eaten the cream,
put 1t in your pocket. Say, Win, have
you got the bottle and keys and"
"All safe-everything."
Are you sure. Mr.. Winthrope?"
asked Miss Leslie. Mems pockets
seem SO open. Twice I've had to pick
up Mr.. Blake's locket."
"Locket?" echoed Blake.
THE ivory locket. Women may be
curious, Mr.. Blake, but | assure you,
l did not look inside, though
Let me-give it he~re-quicki"
gasped Blake.
Startled by his tone and look, Miss
Leslie caught an oval shaped object
from the side pocket of the coat, and
thrust it into Blake's outstretched
hand. For a moment he stared at 1t,
unable to believe his eyes; then he
leaped up, with a yell that sent the
droves Of Zebras and antelope flying
into the tall grass.
ooh! OH" screamed Miss Leslie.
rs it a snake? Are you bitten?"
"Bitten?-Yes, by John ~Barleycorn!
Must have been fuzzy drunk to put 1t
in my coat. Always carry 1t in my
fob pocket. What a blasted Internal
idiot I've been! Kick me, Win,-kick
me hard!"
Il say, Blake, what is it? I don't
quite take you. If you would only
"Fire!-ire! Can't you see? We've
got all hell beat! Look here"
He snapped open the slide of the
supposed locket, and before either of
his companions could realize what he
would be about, was focusing the
lens of a surveyors magnifying-gla
upon the back of Winthrope's hand.
The Englishman jerked the hand
away
COW! That burnsi'
Blake shook the glass in their be-
wildered faces.
Look there!" he shouted, there's
fire; there's water; there's birds
eggs and beefsteaks, Here's where we
trek on the back trail. Well smoke
out that leopard in short order!"
You don't mean to say, Blake"
NO; | mean to do Don worry.
You can hide with Miss Jenny on the
point, while | engineer the deal. Fall
in"
The day was still fresh when they
found themselves back at the foot of
the cliff. Here arose a heated debate
between the men. Winthrope, stung
by Blake's jeering words, insisted
upon sharing the attack, though with
no great enthusiasm. Much to Blake's
surprise, Miss Leslie anne to the sup.
port of the Englishman.
But, Mr.. Blake" she argued, you
say it will be perfectly safe for us
here. If so, it will be safe for myself
alone"
Il can play this game without him
NO doubt. Yet if, as you say, you
expect to keep off the leopard with a
torch, would it not be well to have
Mr.. Winthrope at hand with other
torches, should yours burn out?'
Yes; if I thought he'd be at hand
after the first scare
Winthrope started off almost on a
run. At that moment he might have
faced the leopard single-handed. Blake
chuckled as he swung away after his
victim. Within ten PAGES. however, he
paused to call back Owe his shoulder:
Get around the point, Miss Jenny,
and if you want something to do, try
braiding the cocoanut fiber"
Miss Leslie made no response; but
she stood for some time gazing after
the two men. There was SO much that
was characteristic even in this rear
view. For all his anger and his haste,
the Englishman bore himself with an
air of well-bred nicely. His trim,
erect figure needed only a fresh suit
to be irreproachable. On the other
hand, a careless observer, at first
glance, might have mistaken Blake,
with his flannel shirt and shouldered
club, for a hulking navy. But there
was nothing of the navy in his swing.
ing stride or in the resolute poise OF
his head as he anne up with Win
thrope.
Though the girl was not given to re.
Election, the contrast between the two
could not but impress her. How well
her countryman-coarse, uncultured,
but full of brute strength and courage
fitted in with these primitive sur
roundings. Whereas Winthrope-and
herself
She fell into a kind of ~disquieted
brown study. Her eyes had an odd
look, both startled and m%editative-
such a look as might be expected of
II who for the first time is peering
beneath the surface of things, and
sees the naked Realities of Life, the
real values, barred of masking conven-
tons. 1t may have been that she was
seeking to ponder the meaning OF her
own existence-that she had caught a
glimpse of the vanity and wasteful-
ness, the utter futility of her life. At
the best, it could only have been a
glimpse. But was not that enough?
"Of what use are such people as II"