The Washington times., 1912-07-13
CHAPTER Nv.
A Journey and Its End.

herceness. The heat would have
rendered their thirst uncomfortable had
not Blake hacked off bit after bit of
moist fish for all to mouth and chew.
In temperate climate, ten miles over
nrm ground is a pleasant walk for one
accustomed to exercise. Quite a differ
ent matter is ten miles across mud fats
covered with a tangle of reeds and
rushes, and frequently dipping into salt
marsh and ooze.
Before they had gone a mile Miss
Leslie would heve lost her slippers had
1t not been for Blake's forethought in
tying them on so securely. Within a
little more than three miles the girls
strength began to fail.
"oh. Blake" called winthrope, for
the American was some yards In the
ised, pull up bit on that knoll.
Wen have to rest a while, l fancy.
Miss Leslie Is about to faint
what's that?" demanded Blake.
We're not half way. YETI
Winthrope did not reply. II was all
ne could do to drag the girl on to the
She sank half fainting upon the dry
reeds and he sat down beside her to
protect her with the shade.
Blake stared at the miles Of swampy
Hats which yet lay between them and
the outjutting' headland Of gray rock.
q belt of trees, but the nearest clump of
green did not look more than a mile
nearer than the headland.
Not even a short four miles, NUT
tered Blake, despondently. "Mush and
sassiety girls" ''
Though he spoke to himself. the 9TH
ers heard him. Miss Leslie flushed, and
8 would have risen had not Winthrope put
his hand on her arm.
Gould you not go on. Blake. and bring
back flask of water for Miss Leslie?"
he asked. by that time she will be
rested"
water. She's going when l go, or you
can come on to suit yourselves"
'Mr. Blake, you-you won't go and
leave me here! If you have sister--if
She died of drink, and both my sis
.ers did worse
My God, man! Do you mean to say
you'll abondon a helpless young girl?'
Not bit more helpless than were
my sisters. when you rich folks guar
dians of law and order jugged me for
the winter cause / didn't have job,
and turned both girls into the street
one only sixteen and the other seven
teen. Talk about helpless young girls"'
Miss Leslie cringed back as though
she had been struck. Blake, however,
seemed to have vented his anger, for
ing more than impatience in his tone.
Come on, now; get aboard. Win
thrope couldn't lug you half mile and
longs it's the only way, don't be all day
about it. Here, Winthrope, look to the
fish"
But, my dear sir, I don't quite take
your idea. nor does Miss Leslie,
fancy ventured Winthrope.
We'll. We've got to get water or die.
on my back. It's a case of have to-"
mo. / am not!s am not! I'd sooner
dier'
endR "fssta fsssl ss a,e sensse e' ssssz
by, Winthrope, 20 help her up. DO you
hear7 Take the Knife and fish. and
lend n hand.
that neither Winthrope nor Miss Les
lie dared ,lisregnrd.
Scarlat with shame. the girl permit
ter herself to o be taken pickaback
niecky obayed his command to Gasp her
hands about his throat Yet even at
tht moraent, suca are the inconsistent
cies of human nature she could not ct
hut admire the ease with which he
rose under her weight.
Now that he no longer taG the slow
race of the girl to consider, he ad-
Vanced at his natural gait--the quick.
tireleSS stride so soon acquired by the
American railroad surveyor.
lis feet, trained to swamp travel in
Louisiana and Panama, seemed to find
the firn'est ground as by Instinct. and
hummocks or in the ankls-deep water
OF the bogs, they felt their way with
out slip or stumble.
Winthrop, though buldened only
with the half-catcn roryphene, totled
along behind. greatly troubled by the
mud and the tangled reeds, and now
and then flung down by SOME unlucky
His modish suit, already crumpled
and stained during the night. was soon
smeared afresh with coating OF
green slime. His one consolation was
that Blake, after jeering at his frs first
On the other hand, he was cut by the
seeming Indifference of Miss Leslie.
Intent on his own misery, he failed to
consider that the girl might be suf-
fering. far greater discomfort and hu-
More than three miles had been COW
mock. Releasing Miss Leslie. he
stretched out on the dry crest of the
knoll and called for a slice of the fish.
At his urging. the others took a, few
parched that even the moist flesh af-
forded scant relief. Fortunately for
them all, Blake had been thoroughly
trained to endure thirst. He rested
less than ten minutes; then. taking
Miss Leslie up again like a rag doll,
he swung away at the same quick
The trees were less than a half mile
distant when he halted for the second
time.
He would have gone on to them
without a pause, though his muscles
were quivering with exhaustion, had
not Miss Leslie CHANGED to look around
and discover that Winthrope was no
longer following them. For the last
mile the Engllshman had been lag
ging farther and farther behind, and
now he had suddenly disappeared. Al
the girls dismayed exclamation OF the
fact Blake released his hold, and she
found herself standing in a foot or
more of mud and water. The sweat
was streaming down Blake's face. AS
he turned around he wiped 1t off with
his shirt sleeve.
DO you-can it be, Mr.. Blake, that
he has had a sunstroke?" saked Miss
Leslie
"sunstroke? No, he's just laid down;
that's ALL l thought he had more
sand, confound him.!
But the sun is so dreadfully hot,
and / have his shade"
And he's been tumbling into every
other pool. No, it's not the sun. I've
half mind to let him lie7the paper
legged swell! 1t would no more than
square our aboard-ship accounts"
Surely you would not do that, Mr.,
Blake! 1t may be that he has hurt
himself in falling
In the mud? Bah! But guess I'm
IN for the pack mule stunt all around