Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-28

And then. while David slid crashing
down the bank. she had cried out in sur
prise. The golden bowl bobbed up.
white sleeve shot into the carriage.
snatched and whipped back David sprans
to the nearer step just as the groom
leaped down from the farther and sour
ried for the bushes.
oh" cried Miss Arnot. IN a mixture
OF Indignation and relief. She raised her
hands toward David. showing them
empty. See! He took it-what you gave
met"
'Tll get 1t back" painted the rescuer.
and ducking under her ponies heads. ha
ran toward the place where the groom
had jumped down into the foliage.
Half way David regained his common
sense. pulled up short in the road and
faced about.
You're more important than that
1 can't leave you here"
The white figure leaning from the my
lord gave little gesture OF disappoint-
ment
I'm perfectly safe"
David stood in q quandary.
with that coachman? He disobeys
you. And your maid there is In II.
suspect" He ground his fists together.
| Il can't can't leave you behind. alone"
A bedraggled but calm little person
stood before him.
Master. here am t. Sidin. the forgot
ten. smiled pleasantly in the twilight
Like all natives. he could follow the pam
tomime Of white strangers. ALLOW me
that drivers kriss and 1 will guard
David gave q chuckle OF content
"Sidin. you're a brick He ran to the
front wheel. jerked the coachman by the
ankle and cried up at him. fiercely:
Give this man your krisS!"
The driver stared in cunning stupidity,
then folded down q sash devoid Of weap-
ons and grtnned. But. quick as a cat.
Sidin was already climbing the spokes.
1 ND In trfo hoA y.,,l14 q
box cushion a carved hilt embedded in a
wooden sheath.
"Abis!' he grunted. thrusting the kriss
into his own sash. Ready. master.
guard: Drive on. kalang!-thou lying
chew-bacon"
Once more. but now smiling, David
turned to the white figure in the shadow.
You can trust this boy. Sidin." he be-
gan: Shall go"
"Oh. pleased" she urged. IF you can.
It was his. Gerald sent it to me-"
Good. will. Drive ahead, Sidin."
with two strides and q plunge David
had lost her. and was aware only Of
darkness. Of wet earth sliding with him,
gle and Of wet rattan scratching his face
with many dropping points. Then came
| sharp anxiety, as he rose from hands
and knees to listen through the under
brush. Which way might be Rosario's?
This perpendicular jungle was all alike In
the gloom. a vague wet forest, scented
powerfully with sulphur from the furrow
his bootheels left in volcanic earth. and
with pungent aroma like that OF camo-
mile from torn shrubs.
(which way?" thought David. 1t was
maddening to consider. while he listened,
that below somewhere the thief mean
time made flying strides down the noun
tain. No way but down: yet that way
meant q score OF different directions-to
left. to right or straight ahead-with no
trail in the dark.
'Useless! he grunted. And overcome
by this aspect Of his chase. he began to
Chamber down slowly and mechanically,
intending to regain the road and await
her carriage on its next long tack
through the woods.
Within three steps, however he was
| running and tumbling again in the soaked
| undergrowth. A new motive possessed
him, not to be denied-a chill fury. which
took the place OF reason. resolve or guild
Ing purpose. What had she said? 1T
was his" It was his, this needle In a
| haystack. 1t was for him, the godlike
young stranger buried in a palm grove
among q labyrinth Of distant islands
that she wished this turmoil to continue
Gerald-Gerald was the name always, at
every turn. Gerald. For a time, as David
fell crashing downward. the unworthy de-
spair sat heavy on him. like a weight
upon his shoulders. Then by degrees he
threw this of and ran free, urged by a
better impulse. a dogged loyalty to his
own lost cause. And at last when he
scrambled out all Unexpectedly on the
next level Of the road. ne confronted a
sight at which hope sprang up afresh,
and with hope. the full ardor Of q sports
man for the chase.
Go be continued tomorrow)