The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-11-03

~~I IT.
mo. not even a hint; and he looked
so-0dd."
Winthrope slowly rubbed his soft
palms one upon the other.
DO you-er-really desire to know
his-the motive which actuated him."
he murmured.
Il should not have mentioned 1t to
you II I did not" she answered.
'Well-er-" He hesitated and
paused for a full minute. You see.
it is a rather difacult undertaking to
intimate such a matter to q lady
just the right touch of delicacy. you
know. But l will begin by explaining
that I have known it since the first"
known what?"
''Of that bound-of-er-Blake's
trouble"
"Trouble?"
"Ah! Perhaps I should have said
affliction; yes, that is the better word.
To own the truth. the fellow has some
good qualities. 1t was no doubt be-
cause he realized, when in his better
moments"
Better moments? Mr. Winthrope, /
am not a child. In justice both to my
self and to Mr.. Blake, I must ask you
to speak out plainly"
MY dear Miss Leslie, may first ask
II you have not observed how strange
" at times the fellow acts-.looks odd,'
as you put it-how he falls into mel
ancholia or senseless RACES? l may
truthfully state that he has three
times threatened my life."
'I-I-thoughth his anger quite natural,
after l had SO rudely-and SO many
people are given to brooding- But
if he was violent to you"
my dear Miss Genevieve. l hold
nothing against the miserable fellow.
At such times he is not-er-resp0n
sible, you know. Let us give the fell
low full credit-that is why he himself
built your door,"
"Oh, but can't believe it! I can't
believe it," cried the girl. Its not
possible! He's SO strong, SO true and
manly. so kind, for all his gruffness!"
"Ah, my dear" soothed Winthrope,
that is the pity of it. But when a
man must needs be his worst enemy,
when he must needs lead a certain
kind of life, he must take the conse.
quences. To put it as delicately az
possible, yet explain all, need only
say one word-Daranoia."
Miss Leslie gathered up her days
outfit with trembling fingers and went
to mount the Cliff.
After waiting a few minutes Win
thrope walked hurriedly through the
cleft and climbed the tree-ladder with
an agility that would have amazed his
companions. But he did not draw
up on the cliff. Having salts
fed himself that Miss Leslie was well
out toward the signal, he returned to
the baobab and proceeded to examine
Blake's door with minute scrutiny.
That evening, shortly before dark.
journey. Few men could have Gov.
cred the same ground in twice the
time. 1t had been one continuous
round of grass jungle, thorn scrub.
rocks and swamp. And for all his
pains he brought back with him moth.
ing more than the discouraging infor.
nation that the back-country was
worse than the shore. Yet he betrayed
no trace of depression over the bad
news, and for all his fatigue ESain.
tanned a tone of hearty cheerfulness
until, having eaten his fill, he sudden
ly observed Miss Leslie's frigid 20
likeness.
Whats up now" he demanded. |
You're not mad cause l hiked OF |
this morning without notice."
mo. of course. not, Mr.. Blake. Moth !
ing of the kind. But l."
well, WHAT" he broke in, as she |
hesitated. Il can't, for the world, think |
of anything else I've done"
you've done! Perhaps might |
suggest that it is a question of what |
you haven't DONE" The girl was trem. |
bling on the verge of Mysteries. Eyes,
what you've not done! All these
weeks, and not single attempt to get
us away from here, except that miser.
able signal; and as good as put that
up! You call yourself a man! But ]
II" She stopped short. white with
q sudden overpowering fear.
Winthrope looked from her to Blake
with sidelong glance. his lips drawn
up in an odd twist.
There followed several moments OF
tense silence; then Blake mumbled
We'll, I suppose
might have done more. I was SO dead
anxious to make sure of food and shell
Ter. But this trip to-day"
CTO BE CONTINUED
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