The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-06-24

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the blacks ready palm
The man says he came from H..
jungle yonder-it is half n days Jnur
ney to his hut" T.ulz hcSitatcd aS u
at loss for words; III II. clutchine o.
money tightly in his hInd. he adGr
hurriedly: THE fever the fever h
mother Is dying of the fever, and e..
Graves that one of the learned scno
will return and cure with the bitl,u
root"
At call from within the hotel thu
black man picked up his tray and dc.
parted, while the engineers stared N
each other with uncertain eyes.
Burton's lean jaws had snapped shut
at the word fever" His dark eyes
were fixed on the form Of the wild
Indian. now standing dejectedly in the
hot sun.
He said fever" remarked Stevens
with sickly smile. 81 shouldn't
think they would allow the fellow
around, you know"
His mothers dying" said Lester
coldly
There was an uncomfortable pause
Suddenly Burton leaped to his feet
and disappeared inside. When his
footsteps had ceased Stevens laughed
his little cackling utterance of amnSp-
ment
by Jove. but Burton has certainly
got 'em bad. | suppose he'll try 10
drown that bad impression with
quart or two"
As If by mutual consent the group
of men dissolved, and only Lester was
left He seemed to he waiting for
some one. and while be waited he
case. satisfied himself that there wins
plenty of quinne and other necessary
remedies. went into the bar for flask
of whisky and waited.
All at once Burton appeared in the
doorway, a straw covered bag in one
hand. On his head was a pth helmet
His eyes met Testers straightly, con
f1dently.
I'm going" he said shortly.
Il knew it," nodded Lester. II was
waiting for you because I'm going too
! haven't forgotten that time when. as
we were surveying In the Adirondacks
and Leets broke his leg, you carried
him for miles. Oh. well. If you object
to reimbursement
ITS his mother you know" ex.
planned Burton
81 understand" said the other gen.
tly. "Shall we startY''
Ready. I've got water bottle In
my bag"
They went down into the road and
signified to the Indian that they would
accompany him. The look of Joy that
overspread his face moved the white
men strangely.
As they followed his impetuous lead
the manager Of the hotel ran down to
intercept their journey and to say that
he regretted that he could not accom-
mOdate them ON their return from the
fever district. If he did he would lose
all his patronage. and as they knew
they were taking a risk,
''Pack our things and hold in readi
ness for orders" said Lester as they
"ONC Oll Az IL tue FEVER were MOI
already among u.s." he added
The Indian moved ahead at slow |
trot, and the Americans followed him |
at moderate pace until at last the |
outer walls of the jungle closed be- |
hind them. Here they wound along n |
sinuous trail overhung with creepers
that dropped from the tall trees. |
There was rank damp smell of |
tropical growth and the occasional
fash Of bright hued parrakeet or
the gorgeous raiment Of a flower
Hours passed. They stopped for
rest and luncheon from Burton's
magic basket. hut the Indian waved
aside all food. but occasionally he
drank from water hottie that hung
from his waist.
Just as the. sun was setting and the
forest was all but stepped In twilight
they came to its end Before them
stretched a white curve of shell
strewn beach indented by a tiny bay
Near them was n small matched hut
AS they paused. looking at the lone
ly scene gorified by the gold and rose
or the setting sun, the Indian dropped
to his knees and made demonstrations
of gratitude.
Lester pointed TO the hut. and the
Indian led the way. II was empty.
but the mars smiled hopefully in their
astonished faces and pulled from his
ragged garments bit of paper
The Americans scanned 1t carelessly
and then with interest. There was a
rough penciled map of the little bay
and curving beach, and written In
English was a terse command
"In straight line thirty feet south
west of the big mahogany. twelve
feet north Of the dead cataipa. Dig"
They did not stop to question the
Indian where he had found the pen.
cfled map which he had inteligently
taken TO the white men for transa
ton. He had understood the map and
Its suggestion They found shovels
and large turtle shells. and the three
dug with will, and they found some
thing In a small oaken keg sunk In the
sand