Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-01-30

L
Charley said, pointing to
PoOnga- Poonga man whose
shoulder had been scratched
| by an arrow an hour before.
The boy was sitting down and groan
ing, his arms clasping his bent knees
his head dropped forward and rolling
painfully back and forth. For fear OF
poison. Sheldon had Immediately scari
fed the wound and injected perman
ganate Of potash; but in spite Of the
precaution the shoulder was swelling
rapidly.
We'll take him on to where Tudor
Is lying" Joan said. 1.-The walking
will help to keep up his circulation
and scatter the poison. Adamu Adam
you take hold that boy. Maybe he will
want to sleep. Shake him up. II be
sleep he die"
The advance was more rapid now
for Binu Charley placed the captive
bushman in front Of him and made
him clear the runway Of traps. Once
at a sharp turn where mans shout.
der would unavoidably brush against
screen Of leaves. the bushman dis
played great caution US he spread the
leaves aside and exposed the head Of a
sharp pointed spear. so set that the
casual passerby would receive at the
least nasty scratch.
The sun sinking behind lofty west
ern peak brought on an early but lin
gering twilight. and the expedition
plodded on through the evil forest
the place of mystery and fear, Of
death swift and silent and horrible.
Of british appetite and degraded In
stinct. Of human life that still wallOw-
ed in the primeval slime. Of savagery
degenerate and abysmal.
They turned aside from the runway
at a place indicated by Binu Charley
and came to an immense banyan tree
half I'm acre In extent that made In
the innermost heart Of the jungle q
denser jungle Of its own. From out OF
its black depths came the voice Of a
man singing In cracked eerie voice
"My word. that big fella marster he
no dier'
The singing stopped. and the voice.
faint and weak, called out hello.
Joan answered. and then the voice ex-
planned:
I'm not wandering. / was just sing
ing to keep my spirits up. Have you
got anything to eat"
Tudor, having pulled through the
fever and started to mend. was still
frightfully weak and very much starv-
ed So badly swollen was he from
mosquito bites that bis face was un-
recognizable. Joan had her own oin!-
ments along and she prefaced their
application by fomenting his swollen
features with hot clothes. Sheldon.
with an eye to the camp and the
preparations for the night, looked on
and felt the pangs Of jealousy at ev-
cry contact Of her hands with TudOrs
face and body. Somehow. engaged In
their healing ninistratiOns. they no
longer seemed to him boys han'ls.
Tie mornings action had been set.
tied the night before. Tudor was to
stay behind In his banyan refuge and
gather strength while the expedition
proceeded. On the far chance that
they might rescue even one solitary
survivor Of Tudor's party. Joan was
fixed In her determination to push on.
With Tudor, Adamu Adam and Arahu
were to stop as guards.
Hinu Charley led tile way, by proxy,
however, for by means Of the poison
ed spear he drove the captive BUSH
man ahead. They plodded on, pant
Ing and sweating in the humid, stag.
nant air. They were immersed In a
sea of wanton. prodigal vegetation.
Caught by surprise fifteen feet In
the air above the path In the forks Of