Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-11-20

out his fascinated eyes did not leave
the hideous he8d among the orchids
Ihe nat eyes regarded him with coid
hatred; the ugly Tnouth grinned.
lie heard the distant shouts of Ills
Indians. Even if they had come TO
him they could not help him.
His first downward movement would
De the signal fer the beginning of the
end.
He closed his eyes and prayed. He
thought of his mother and of Alice
Blake, the girl he was to marry.
His grip loosened on the twisted
vine, so dreadfully imbued with life.
his feet slipped
The vine moved.
He looked up and saw that the ugly
head was lowered.
Again he slipped down and again
the vine moved
Cold sweat broke out on his body and
his face dripped
Now he bent his body and looked
down at the tail of the serpent. It
had loosened from the vine and was
moving to and fro like the pendulum
of clock.
Death above and death below! Well.
he would die fighting.
His hand found his revolver. and
he wriggled around until he could see
the head again.
1t had fiattened itself among the or
chids and was regarding him coldly
as before. He would wait until it lift
ed again. and when its throat was
presented to view be would try to
blow the head Off It would be diff
cult at that distance with single
shot and the death agonies of the rep
tile might involve his avn death.
Goodell closed his eyes again and
muttered a prayer as the strongest
men do in moments of danger. The
head was lifting again and resumed its
swaying movement. Higher. higher II
went. until the mottled throat was re-
vealed.
Spat!
The bullet went over it's head. HIS
arm was unsteady; he must try again.
Again he raised the automatic revolver.
and again it sounded on the heavy jun
gle air.
Spat,
The head of the reptile wagged vio-
lently and all outlines were lost as the
bullet found it's mark. The great body
trembled violently. tie tail lashed to
and fro, and the vine slipped down
ward.
Charles Goodell slipped down. his
eyes ever on the horrid specter of the
descending head.
Once he glanced below and saw that
the tail was lashing the water. He
took courage and slipped farther down.
The great body of the dying reptile
came down with him.
Three feet above the river bank he
could stand the horror no longer. and
he dropped. clutching at a young green
vine that swung harmlessly near.
The green vine held and broke his
fall. He swung violently to and fro.
and when favorable opportunity pre-
sented itself he loosened his hold and
fell upon the ground close beside his
heap of specimen cases. Then he faint
ed away for the first time in his adyen-
turous life.
He recovered consciousness almost
Immediately, for the shots had brought
back his frightened Indians. and they
gathered about him with scared looks
and pointing fingers.
He took out his emergency flask and
restored in measure his shattered
nerves. e>sent them to the river to
look at the dead carcass of the boa
constructor. but always they came back
and gazed at him as though upon
spirit from another world.
Looking at his watch. he found that
three hours had passed since he had
climbed the twisted vine. 1t had SEEM
ed like fifteen minutes. No wonder he
felt like an old man under the consum-
ing fear of those three horrible hours.
The continued wonder of his guides
excited his impatience, and be drew
out a pocket mirror and looked at him
self.
His face peered at him pale and hag
gard. His abundant hair was white
as snow.
The wondering Indians now climbed
the tree without protest. and the mauve
orchids which had hlanched Goodell's
hair to obtain were packed away in
the specimen cases. and the little expe-
dition turned down the river.
Many weeks later Charles Goodell
appeared in Philadelphia and delivered
his consignment of valuable orchids to
his employer. Put TIE case of mauve
orchids came last
How about these?" demanded MI.
Clay eagerly.
Those" said Goodell slowly, "are
the price of my nerve and portion of
my youth. l shall never hunt another
orchid. Mr.. Clay The price of the
mauve orchids is $25.OO0"
81 will pay it." said the rich man
quickly. land afterward you may tell
me the reason why you value them SO