The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-05-27
BY MAcDA 2. WEST

with the horses, staked a few rods dis
! tant. Benoni produced healing salve
and showed his two companions how
| to relieve the worst of their distress.
The tropical incoming sped in heat. ST.
lence and half-slumber. At o'clock
Benoni reused the little caravan, and
| after a hasty supper, told them to
make ready for long hard ride. All
| night they journeyed. Through desert
wastes and over rocky Businesses, up
| steep mountains and across half-stag-
| nant, shallow rivers. And even when
| the dawn came there was no resting.
The horses, jaded and covered with a
| coating of dust and sweat, stuck their
feet weariedly into the sand or chung
listlessly to the hilly slopes. Larry
was weak as a woman, and Johnny
too worn to talk. The sun centered the
sky when Benoni let them halt. They
were just past strip of desert waste.
and near tiny oasis of parched grass
| and scrawny palms. A murky pool of
| water Knocked them with resemblance -
\ OF Apollinaris. settlers. ice-flushed
| lemonades and carbonated beverages to
be quaffed in the blessed land at home.
| Johnny, exhausted. had dropped from
his horse and was trying to drag him
self towards the muddy pool
Benoni was as mistaken as the palm
tree standing motionless In the desert
calm. He pulled Johnny up. bolstered
him along with a draught from his
flask. and set him to rights generally.
| How are you, Morris?" he asked.
ooh. fair" replied Larry. This gaunt
American found it hard to admit ply
steal inferiority to the black.
| I'VE can rest but an hour or two"
volunteered Benoni. CURLY. Then We
must go on"
| But where?" asked Larry. Il con-
fess I wanted to go into darkest Afri-
ca, but this affair is growing too shad-
owy for me. l don't care about being
handled like a packinghouse GOVT"
Benoni turned a reproachful eye
upon him. Il have promised to help
you find the girl you seek, can you
not rely upon me? I know my Africa,
I am trusting you, and trying to repay
you for aiding me to escape from that
cafe mob-that corral filled with worse
than the beasts of the jungle-drunken,
Infatuated swine that once were men,
| Hello, what's this?" asked Johnny.
I'm always finding things-now amt
I? Look at this, and in the desert,
tool" He held up to view a plump
pigeon. Apparently it had been hurt
in fight with some heavier denizen of
the air. For it was quite dead, and its
head was severed almost from it's body.
Benoni reached out his hand for the
bird
Doves like that nest in but one
place in all this continent" he remark
ed, and his face became ashen gray as
he noted the odd markings of purple
and brown on it's snowy breast. "Only
one place" he repeated.
Johnny had been turning the bird
over and over, rumpling up the help
less wings. Something caught his eva,
and he held the dead dove out with up
raised wing for the others to see.
Scratched on its wing in rude letters
they read:
Betty Lancey. Africa"
Betty" cried Larry. Then he seiz-
ed Benoni by the wrist. IF doves like
that nest in but one place on this con-
tinent, take us there, take us at once
What place is it? Where? Would she
be safe? Or in the hands of savages %
THAT is where we have been trav-
cling to, my friend" answered Benoni
Il had suspected, but had not GER
tainly known. We will not even res.
for the hour, If you wish
Il must" answered Johnny. Safety
razors! I'm beat out. I'm not a camel
in the legs, if l can go without drink
for six months!''
Tell me, tell me something" plead
ed Larry.
But the sands were not more silent
Benoni made but one reply. Il dare
not. 1t might destroy all hope!"
Day after day, clinked off this ardu-
Gus travel. Once they met a caravan
and Benoni bargained for fresh horses
The erstwhile novelty was succeeded
by a feverish unrest. Both Americans
were dead with fatigue. the little Araf
stood the journey well. and Benon
was in the pink of condition. Ten day.
later they found second pigeon
This one was alive and fluttered t
their very luncheon table. Larry Gov.
l
back fiercely only to find bitter dis.
appointment, for there was no messag.
traced upon the wing.
, Two days later they reached nativ,
village, hanging tassel-lilke upon tn,
borders Of an immense jungle. Benon
hired heaters to break the way fo
them. and for week they journeyed ii
a setting Of tropic grass and dusk,
skins. One morning Larry awoke t,
; find the camp deserted Of all but Be
noni and Johnny. The horses wer,
gone and even the little Arab had dis
, appeared.
What! are we lost in this Jungle
> Betrayed and dessrted?" qusstione'
> Larry.
e No. indeed. sent them away. w
I cannot leave here till nightfall. d
4 sleep again or lounge till return re
piled Benoni Il will be back In fey
8 hours
Divesting himself of his garments
Benoni swathed his loins with q girdl