Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-12-23
CHAPTER xlv.-continued.

She was far too preoccupied, how
ever, to consider what this might
mean. Her first thought was of a fire
She ran to her rude stone fireplace
and raked over the ashes. They were
still warm, but there was not a live
ember among them. Yet she realized
that Winthrope must have hot food
when he awakened, and Blake had
carried with him the magnifying glass
For a little she stood hesitating. But
the defeat Of the iackals had given her
courage and resolution such as she
had never before known. She returned
into the cave, and chose the sharpest
OF her stakes. Having made certain
that Winthrope was still asleep, she
set off boldly down the cleft
AT the first turn she came upon
Biakeg thorn barricade. 1t stretched
across the narrowest part of the cleft
in an impenetrable wall, 12 feet high.
Only in the center was a gap. which
could have been filed by Blake in less
than two hours work. The girls eyes
Frightened She herself could gather
the thorn-brush and fill the gap before
night They no longer need fear the
iackals or even the larger beasts of
prey. None the less, they must have
fire
Snurred on by the thought, she was
Ebout to spring through the barricade
when she heard the tread of feet on
the rath beyond. She crouched down
md poered through the tangle of
brush in the edge Of the gap. Less
than ten PAGES away Blake was plod-
.ding heavily up the trail. She stepped
out before him.
"You-you! Are you alive?" she
gaaped.
Live? You bet your boots" came
back the grim response. You bet
I'm aliye-though ! had to go Jonah
one better TO do it, The whale heaved
him up; heaved up the whale-and it
took about a barrel of sea-water to do
it,"
"Sea-wJtcr?'
"Surc ] tumbled over twice
on the way But / made the beach
Lord, how / pumped in the briny
deep, Guess / won't 90 into details
but II you think you know anything
about seasickncss- Whew! Lucky
for yours truly, the tide was just start
ing out. and the wind off shore. I'd
fallen in the water, and the Jonah
business laid me ont cold Didn't
know anything until the tide came uT
again and s0Used me-"
Il am vcry glad you're not dead
But how you must have suffered You
are sl!n white. and your face is al
creased
Blake attempted a careless laugh
Don't worry about me. I'm here, o
X. an that's loft,-a little wobbly or
ms pins. but hungry as q shark Blu
say, what's mp with you? You're
sweating like "a Good thing, though
Iru staye or your spell Of fever 4
while How'd you happen to be com
ing down here so early?'
Il was starting TO find you"
"Me,"
"Not you-that is, thought yul
we're dead / was going 10 make Ger
tain and Toto get the burning
glass"
"Umm. / aco Let the fire go out
ehe"
DO not blame me- Mr Hlake'
was so iIl and worn out. and I've. pal,
for O. twice over. really / have. Didn'
those awful beasts attack your
"Beaafs1 How th8t2' he demanded
"Oh hut gon must have heard them
The horid things tried to kill u.s." sh,
cried. and she poured oar a half IN
coherent account Of an that lad hap
pened since BE- left
BaEa listened intently his Jas
thrust bat BITS eyes glowing upon he
with aot which sbe had never bo
fore Seen ln ans mans eyes Bul hl
nrat comment had nothing 90 DO WIti
ber conduct
"noa ihaf'- sorry Win got rousi
90 out az hil uics uttle saoo4s