, 1909-03-25

Brace up. little woman. where 8
your grit? You're out of this deal
anyway. He'll choke to death swal.
lowing me- But say; couldn't you
manage to shin up a palm, 20 feet or
so, and hang on for a couple of min.
utes?"
'1-can't novel am"
Make a try! It'll give me a run
for my money. I'll take the next ele.
vator after you. That'l bring the
buffer out or the hot-foot. I sin a
surprise between his ribs and we
view the scenery while he's passing
in his checks. Come; make a spurt,
He's around the turn and getting
nearer every step"
Il can't-Tom-there is no need
that both Of us You climb up"
He turned about as the meaning of
her whisper dawned upon him. Her
eyes were shining with the ecstasy of
self-sacrifice. 1t was only the glance
of an instant; then he was again
facing the jungle.
God! You think I'd do that"
She made no reply. There was a
pause. Blake-crouched on one knee.
tense and ABBREVIATED until the
sinister wave was advancing into the
point Of the incurved jungle. Then he
spoke, in a low. even tone: Fee! IL
my glass is there"
Her hand reached around and
pressed against the fob pocket winch
he had sewn in the belt of his skin
trousers.
Right. Now slip my club up under
my elbow-big end. Lick on the
nose1l stop a dog or a bull. It's a
chance"
She thrust the club under his right
elbow and he gripped 1t against Ills
size.
At that moment the lion bounded
from cover. with a roa like a clap of
thunder. Blake sprang erect. The
beast checked himself in the act of
leaping. and crouched with his great
paws outstretched. every hooked claw
thrust out ready to tear and mansle.
In w or three bounds he could have
leaped upon Blake and crushed him
with a single stroke of his paw. AS ne
rose to repeat his deafening roar 1t
| seemed to Blake that he stood higher
than a horse-that his mouth gaped
wide as the end of a hogshead. And
yet the beast stood hesitating, re-
strained by brute dread of the dr-
known. Never before had any animal
that he had hunted reared up to meet
his attack in this strange manner.
Lie fiat!" commanded Blake: lie
nat, and don't move! I'm going 10
call his bluf. Keep still till the poison
gets in its work. I'll keep him busy
long as / can. when it's over. hit
out for home along the beach. Keep
inside the barricade. and watch I'll
you can from the cliffs. Might light II
fire up there nights. There's sure ~
be a steamer before long"
Toni" she cried, struggling to her
knees-"Tom!"
4 ound. He was beginning to circle
slowly to the left across the open
ground, in a spiral curve that would
bring him to the edge of the jungle
within 80 yards of the lion. There was
red now showing in his eyes. His
hair was bristling, no longer with fear,
but with sheer brute fury; his lips
were drawn back from the clenched
teeth; his nostrils distended and quiv-
ering; his forehead wrinkled like that
OF an angry mastiff. His look was
more ferocious than that of the
snarling beast he faced. All the
primeval in him was reused. He was
become a man of the Cave Age. He
went to meet death, his mind and
body afiame with fierce lust to kill.
The lion stilled his roars and
crouched as II to spring. snarlins and
grinning with rage and uncertainty
His eyer unaccustomed to the glare
of the midday sun, blinked incessant'
ly. though he followed the mans every
movement, his snarls deepening into
srowls at the slightest change OF at
titude. -
In his blind animal rage Blake had
forgotten that the purpose OF MS