The Columbus journal., 1909-07-07
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down, that's all. l thought he had
more sand-confound him."
But the sun is SO dreadfully hot.
and l have his shade"
And he's been tumbling into every
other pool. No; it's not the sun. I've
half a mind to let him lie-the paper.
legged swell! 1t would no more than
square our aboard-ship accounts"
Surely. you would not do that. Mr..
Blake! 1t may be that he has hurt
himself in falling"
In this mud?-bah! But l guess
I'm in for the pack-mule stunt all
around. Now, now; don't yowl. Miss
Jenny. I'm going. But you can't ex-
pect me to love the snob."
As he splashed away on the return
trail, Miss Leslie dabbed at her eyes
to check the starting tears.
"Oh, dear-Oh, DEAR" she moaned;
what have l done to be so treated?
Such a brute. Oh, dear!-and am so
thirsty"
In her despair she would have sunk
down where she stood had not the
sliminess of the water repealed her.
She gazed longingly at the trees, in
the fore of which stood grove of
stately palms. The half-mile seemed
an insuperable distance. but the ride
on Blake's back had rested her and
thirst goaded.he forward.
Stumbling and slipping she waded
on across the inundated ground, and
came out upon a half-baked mud-flat,
where the walking was much easier.
But the sun was now almost directly
overhead, and between her thirst and
the heat she soon found herself falter-
ing. She tottered on a few steps
farther, and then stopped, utterly
spent. AS she sank upon the dried
rushes she glanced around and was
vaguely conscious of strange, double
headed figure following her path
across the marsh. All about her be-
came black.
The next she knew Blake was
splashing her head and face with
brackish water out of the whisky flask.
She raised her hand to shield her
face, and sat up, sick and dizzy.
That's it," said Blake. He spoke
in a kindly tone, though his voice was
harsh and broken with thirst. You're
all right now Pull yourself together
and we'll get to the trees in jify."
"Mr. Winthrope-?"
I'm here, Miss Genevieve. It was
only a wrenched ankle. If l had q
stick, Blake, fancy l could make
go of it over this drier ground"
And lay yourself up for month.
Come, Miss Jenny, brace up for an
other try. It's only a quarter-mile.
and I've got to pack him.
The girl was gasping with thirst;
yet she made an effort, and, assisted
by Blake. managed to gain her feet.
She was still dizzy; but as Blake
swing WinthrOpe upon his back, he
told her to take hold of his arm. Win
thrope held the shade over her head.
Thus assisted, and sheltered from the
direct beat of the sun-rays, she tot
tered along beside Blake, half-uncon.
scious.
Fortunately the remaining distance
lay across a stretch of bare dry
ground, for even Blake had all but
reached the limit of endurance. Step
by step he labored on. staggering un-
der the weight of the Englishman and
gasping with a thirst which his ex-
ertions rendered even greater than
that of his companions. But through
the trees and brush which stretched
away inland in a wall of verdure he
had caught glimpses of a broad stream
and the hope of fresh water called out
every ounce of his reserve strength.
At last the nearest palm was only a
few PAGES distant Blake clutched
Miss Leslie's arm and dragged her
forward with a rush in final outburst
of energy. A moment later all three
lay gasping in the shade. But the
river was yet another 100 yards dis
tant Blake waited only to regain his
breath; then he staggered up and went
on. The others, unable to rise, gazed
after him in silent misery.
Soon Blake found himself rushing
through the jungle along a broad trail
pitted with enormous footprints; but
he was SO near mad with thirst that
he paid no heed to the spoor other
than to curse the holes for the trouble
they gave him. Suddenly the trail
turned to the left and sloped down
low bank into the river. Blind to all
else, Blake ran down the slope and
dropping upon his knees plunged his
head into the water.
CTO BE CONTINCED.)