The Washington times., 1912-07-30
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY.
INTOTHE PRIMITIVE
Bys========= n
ROBERT AMES BENNETT
tcopyrisht. lsii. frank 4. Munsey car

of the thorny wall, and he could hear
the scurry OF fieeting animals.
stretched across the gorge without hole
or gap. But Blake grasped the trunk
of a young date-palm which projected
from the barricade near the bottom. and
pushed II out.
The displacement of the spiky fronds
disclosed the low passage which he had
made In the center of the barricade. He
placed the piece of meat on one side,
two or three feet from the hole. and
squatted down across from Il with his
club balanced on his shoulder.
Half an hour passed--an hour, and
still he waited. silent and motionless as
a statue. At last stealthy footsteps
wall, and an animal began to creep
through the opening, shifting for the
bait. Blake svaited with the immobility
of an Eskimo. The delay was brief.
With boldness for which Blake had
through and seized the meat. Even in
the dim light Blake could see that he
had lured an animal larger than any
jackal, but this served only to lend
greater force to his blow. As he struck
though hit by lighting and lay still.
Blake prodded the inert form warily,
then knelt and passed his hands over It.
The beast had whirled about just In
time to meet the descending club. and
the blow had crushed its skull, Chuck
ling at the success of his ruse, he drew
the palm back from the opening and
swung his prize over his shoulder. When
he came to the fire a glance showed him
hyena.
In the morning when Miss Leslie ap-
peared, there were two hides stretched
on bamboo frames, and the air was
dark with vultures streaming down into
the cleft near the barricade. Blake was
sleeping the sleep OF the just. and did
not waken until she had built up the
fire.
antelope meat But with repletion came
more Of fastidiouness, and Blake agreed
with Miss Leslie when she remarked
that salt would have added to the
favor. He set off Immediately after
breakfast and spent half day on the
talus Of the headland, gathering salt
from the rock ceramics.
For the next three days he left the
cleft only to gather eggs. spending the
greater. part of his time in tanning the
Meantime. Miss Leslie continued to
| nurse Winthrope and to gather fire.
| wood. Under Blake's directions she also
purified the salt by dissolving It in q
pot of water and allowing the dirt to
settle. when the clarified solution was
poured off and evaporated over the fire
In one of the earthenware pans.
At first Winthrope had been too weak
| W dp. treated 10 h liberal ulel
of antelope-broth, raw eggs, hot water
and cocoanut milk, he gained strength
| faster than Blake had expected. On the
fourth day Blake set him to work or
the final rubbing of the new skins; or
the fifth he ordered him to go for eggs
Much to Miss Leslie's surprise, Win
thrope started off without a word OF
protest. All his peevish irritability and
| childishness had gone with the fever
and the girl was gratified to see the
q t,, rryhtn tnh hA nh n
task which seemed an imposition upor
his half-regained strength. But the
very motive which seemingly prevented
him from protesting impelled her tc
Mr.. Blake,' she exclaimed, .Mr
Winthrope is going or without a word
but l can't endure 1t. You have nt
fright to send him on such an errand. i
Blake met her indignant glance with
a sober stare.
what il it does?" he said. Bette,
for him to die in the gallant service OF
his fellows than sit here and rot-eh
do not trouble yourself, Miss Gene
We've. ! hope shall pull through al
right. IT not
See here. Miss Leslie" said Blake
somewhat sternly, who's got the re
sponsibility of keeping you two aliv,
for the next month or so? I've been II
the tropics before and I know some
thing OF the way people have to liv,
to get out again. I'm trying to do my
best, and 1 tell you straight, IL yol
don't mind me I'm going to make you
no matter how much 1t hurts your feel
ings. You see how nice and meek VIII
takes his orders. I explained natter
to him last night
Il assure you. Blake, you shall hav,
no cause for complaint as to my con
however, like to observe that in speak
Ing to Miss Leslie
There you are again with your ever
lasting CAB! Cut 1t out and get busy
ses II Sg,s you can't n,n get little starch int
go on hike to the river"
AS Winthrope started off, Blake turne
to Miss Leslie with good-natured grir
he began. Then he he caught @ fss her ieoRs ieoR q
disdain and his face darkened. MAD
eh? SO that's the racket
II do not understand you. SIR"
60 at that.t6ough what in the tierr
caliente you could see in that blawsteC
bioomin' lud beats me-"
''Mr. Winthrope' is a gentle-a-ah-
very pleasant acquaintance"
'"And swell beau !
Mr.. Blake, will not have you tai
to me in. that way. Mr., Winthrope
nothing more to me than a friend. sue
for It, Miss Jenny broke in Blake, an
sprihging up, he set about his worl
.whistling like schoolboy.'
The girl gazed at his broad back an
I erect head, uncertain whether 81
|, I:should feel relieved or anxious.
The more she thought the matter owe
the more uncertain she became, and III
: more she wondered at her euncertaint,
I ECould It be possible that she was b,
D coming interested In a man who, IL ht
!. ears had, not deceived her But n,
t That could not be possible!
\ Yet what a ring there was in h
voice so clear and tonic after VIII
: thrope's precise, modulated drawl. Ar
4 her countryman's firmness! He wou
be rude, II need be. but he ewould NAL
: her do what he thought was best +,
o her health.
n Was 1T not possible that she had mi
J, understood his words on the cliff, al
a so nisjudged-wronged him? That Wi
thrope. SO eager to stipulate for h
4 Inland .E ..N p ~
4 But then. winthrope had more ths
q confirmed her dreadful conclusions as
Blakes words. and Winthrope was
q English gentleman 1t could not
= possible that an English gentleman
Il She ended in utter bewilderment.
y