The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1909-12-04

Salt" he gasped-"where's the
salt? I'm poisoned"
Poisoned"
Poison fish! Don't eat! Cod
Where's the salt?"
The girl stared at him. His agony
was so great that beads Of sweat were
rolling down his face He writhed. and
stretched out quivering hand-"Salt,
quick.-warm water-salt!"
But there's none left! You remem.
Der. yesterday"
God" groaned Blake. and for =
moment he sank down. overcome by
a racking CONFUSION. Then his jaw
closed like bulldogs, and gritting his
teeth with the effort. he staggered up
and rushed of down the cleft.
stop! stop. Mr.. Blake! Where are
you going?" screamed the girl.
She started to run after him. but
was halted by an outburst Of delirious
laughter. Winthrope was sitting up
hands-"Hi, hi! look at i'm run! Els
got w'at'll do for i'm! Run you swine:
you"
There followed torrent Of cockney
abuse SO foul that Miss Leslie blusheti
scarlet with shame as she sought to
quiet him. But the excitement had 10
heightened his fever that he was in a
raving delirium. 1t was close upon
midnight before his temperature fell,
and he sank into death.like torpor.
In her ignorance she supposed that he
had fallen asleep.
Her relief was shortlived, for soon
she remembered Blake. She could see
him lying beside the pool or out on the
bare plain, his resolute eyes cold and
CLASSY. his powerful body contorted in
the death agony. The vision filled her
with dismay. With all his coarseness.
the man had showed himself SO re-
sourceful. 80 indomitable. that when
she sought to dwell upon her reasons
to fear him. she found herself admir-
ing his virile manliness. He might be
a brute but he did not belong among
the jackals and hyenas. Indeed. as
she called to mind his strong face and
frank. blunt speech she all but disbe-
lieved what her own ears had heard.
And anyway. without his aid. what
should she do7 Winthrope had already
become as weak as child. The
emaciation Of his jaundiced features
was a mockery Of their former plump
ness. Blake had said that the fever
might run on for another week. and
that even II Winthrope recovered. he
would probably be helpless for several
days besides.
What was NO less serious. though
she had concealed the fact from Blake.
she herself had been troubled the past
week with the depression and lassitude
which had preceded Winthrope's At
tack. II Blake was dead. and she
should fall Ill before Winthrope recov-
cred. they would both die from lack OF
care. And II they did not die OF the
fever. what Of their future. hero on
this desolate savage coast!
But the very keenness OF her mental
anguish so exhausted and numbed the
girls brain that she at last fell into .
heavy sleep. The IRE burned low. and
shadowy forms began to creep from
behind the bamboos and the trees and
rocks down the gorge. There was no
sound: but greedy. wolhsh eyes
cleaned In the starlight.
Only the day before Blake had told
Miss Leslie to store the last rack OF
cured meat inside the baobab. The
two slccpers lay between the hre and
the entrance to the hollow. Slowly
the embcrx Of the nre died away into
gray ashes. and slowly the night
providers drew nearer. The boldest OF
the pack crcpt close TO Miss Leslie.
and. with teeth barred and back
bristlink. shifted At the edge Of her
skirt. Whether because Of her heavy
breathing or the odor OF the leopard
skin. tho beast drew away. with An
uneasy whine.
There was q pause: then. backed
by three others. the leader approached
Winthrope. He was still lying In the
deathlike tospor. and he lacked the
protection which. In all likelihood. the
leopard skin had given Miss Leslie.
The cowardly brutes took him for
dead a dying. They shifted at him
from head to foot. and then. with Q
fcrocious outburst Of snarls and yclls.
nunG themselves upon him.
Had Il not CHANGED that Wlnthrope
was lying upon his side. with one arm
thrown M. he would have been fatally
wounded BY the hrst sisshing bites Of
his assailants. The two which sought
to tear him were banned BY the thick
folds Of Biakc's coat. while their lead.
cr's slash At tho victims throat wss
barred BY the appraised arm. with Q