The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-13
ArlILLION
Gy Hudson ouSlas
CHAPTER lIl.-(continued.)
earYNSry IssS Sr H|bsTy-

] AApih VIC tOdSNs anu
! found a letter awaiting me.
IT was from my precious uncle. a
post norton message, forwarded by
my own lawyers. and had been fol
lowing me about for a long time.
wish II had never found me.
My uncle was dead. and dying he
wanted TO purchase dissolution by pay
/ ing blood money to me. the son OF the
mar he had murdered
! And that wasn't all. There was a
condition attached I'm the shape OF his
adopted daughter, the orphan child OF
a southern soldier. whom must marry
| IN order TO inherit his millions And
he Informed me that, If | failed To com
! ply with his wishes within Il twelve
month. the money he had amassed
would all go to charity. while the girl
whom he had brought up In luxury,
would be left penniless.
There was an Internal arrange
ment for you, He was as cunning as
! he was cruel He must have known
/ that nothing would tempt me TO touch
a penny OF his. and how II would hurt
me to harm an innocent girl.
Il wanted TO get back into the wilds
/ by myself and think The life | had
been leading had left me half saw
age In my hurry | got together a
worse gang OF rascals than those who
had just deserted me, and set on with
them for the lake north OF Palla
1t was most damnable going but
kept them AT II until We had crossed
the CAMERON border and there thes
IN turn went back on me, boiling one
night with all my trade goods, leaving
me only my canoe with my personal
effects and a few provisions in the
Cruellest corner In Africa.
The natives round there are can
nibals, as you know. and | didn't do
much travelling by daylight. | got
across To the western bank one night
and drew in under the growth by the
river edge SOS 10 escape observation.
1t was steaming hot and the place
stank couldn't sleep. tired out as |
was so | ran through my uncle's let
ter again. just to pass the time.
although | had thought ii threadbare
already But | couldn't think what J
was going TO do about it-l mean for
the girl.
Il knew nothing OF her. and she less
OF me. but she at least had never done
me Ol llliit Hdi anu ~ oN'ii iNh i'N' =
that she alone should be the scape-
goat. | was independent financially
| had sight drafts with me for all |
possessed. and the two rose diamonds
as well. So long as | scraped through
alive with these ! need never want.
But with the girl II was quite differ
ent. and that through no fault OF her
own.
We'll. was lying there in the
shade. sweating, body and brains
when | saw a canoe coming down
river round the bend, and dropped the
letter TO pick up my rife. ] was hali
afraid that | had been spotted. But
no more followed It. and there was
only a single man in the one Mad
sighted. He was sitting bolt upright,
drifting.
when he came a little nearer | saw
he was wearing a helmet. which gave
me a Jolt. | couldn't conceive what a
white man could be doing there alone,
hut. in any case. hailed him several
times-and he paid not the slightest
attention An eddy caught the canoe,
end IL went sagging away toward mid
stream. on the spur OF the moment
| put out after him.
II raised my voice as | ran along
side. but still he did not reply. AMI a
single glance showed me that he was
dead. The black devils had done
things To him as well as killed him,
for-he had no face lie was held IN
position by two short spears. one
under each shoulderblade, a HIATT made
fast to each eunwale felt sick, very
sick. O'Ferral
But he had been white man,
and | was bound TO do something. !
drove both canoes back among the
! branches. and picketed them with my
paddles while held an inquest on
/ him lie was raggedly dressed could
not have been either s6leier, skypiiot
or trader. and II wasn't nice Thing
| To have to do, but | did IL. wanted
some Glow. found none.
AS soon as I'd finished | Topped
down I'm nv own craft. and my fingers
/ fell on my uncle's letter.
THAT gave me my cue like a fash.
! Miles QualntanCe had left me one
/ loophole There was provision In
/ his viii to the effect that. II ! should
die during the IL months grace he
allowed me, his money would go To
/ the girl
Il may have been half mad then,
but Il seemed quite simple All had
I TO do was 20 shift my Identity on Ia
the shoulders OF this poor fellow and
! then | would be perfectly free IN
choose a fresh one for myself There
was not a soul in the wide world "a
wear mourning for me. and ! could see
no reason whatsoever against the eX
change,
so | set 10 work and did the thing
| thoroughly When | was through with
It. even you would have sworn from
the evidence that 1t was Stephen