The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1914-05-21

girl he seemed surprised to know that
she was not there.
nave heard nothing unusual" he
said. But then have been uncon-
scious much Of the time"
Had It not been for the mans very
evident weakness Clayton should have
suspected him Of having sinister
knowledge Of the girls whereabouts.
out he could see that Thuran lacked
sufficient vitality even to descend. nm
aided. from the shelter. He could not
In MS present physical condition have
harmed the girl, nor could he have
climbed the rude ladder back to the
shelter.
Until dark the Englishman searched
the nearby jungle for q trace of the
missing one or sign Of the trail of
ner abductor. But though the spoor
left by the fifty frightful men. un-
versed- in woodcraft as they were.
would have been as plain to the dens.
est denizen of the jungle as a city
street to the Englishman, yet he cross
ed and recrossed it twenty times with
out observing the slightest indication
that many men had passed that way
but few short hours since.
As he searched. Clayton continued tn
call the girls name aloud, but the only
result of this was to attract Sabor. the
tiger. Fortunately. the man saw the
snadowy form worming its way to-
ward him in time to climb into the
branches of tree before the beast was
close enough to reach him. This put
an end to his search for the balance Of
the afternoon, as the tiger paced back
and forth beneath him until dark.
Even after the beast had left Clay
ton dared not descend into the. awful
blackness beneath him, and SO he spent
q terrifying and hideous night in the
tree. The next morning he returned to
the beach. relinquishing the last hope
Of succoring Jane Porter.
During the week that followed NJ.
Thuran rapidly regained his strength.
lying in the shelter while Clayton hunt
ed food for both. The men never spoke
except as necessity demanded. Clayton
now occupied the section of the shelter
which had been reserved for Jane POr-
ter and only saw the Russian when he
took food or water to him or perform
ed the other kindly Offices which COM
mon humanity required.
When Thuran was again able to de-
scend in search Of food Clayton was
stricken with fever. For days he lay
tossing in delirium and suffering, but
not once did the Russian come near
him. Food the Englishman could not
have eaten, but his craving for water
amounted practically to torture. Be
tween the recurrent attacks Of delir-
ium, weak though he was, he managed
to reach the brook once day and all a
tiny can that had been among the few
appointments Of the lifeb0at.
Thuran watched him on these occa-
siOns with an expression OF malignant
pleasure. He seemed really to enjoy
the suffering Of the man who. despite
the just contempt In which he held
him, had ministered to him to the best
Of his ability while he lay suffering
the same agonies.
At last Clayton became 30 weak that
he was no longer able to descend from
| the shelter. For day he suffered for
water without appealing to the Rus
sian; but finally, unable to endure It
longer, he asked Thuran to fetch him q
drink.
The Russian came to the entrance to
Clayton's room, dish Of water In his
hand A nasty grin contorted his fea-
lures.
"Here IS water" he said. but flrst
| let me remind you that you maligned
me before the girl; that you kept her to
yourself and would not share her with
me-
Clayton interrupted him. "Stopv' he
cried 'Stop! What manner Of cur
are you that you traduce the character
Of q good woman whom we believe
dead! God, was q fool ever to let
you live! You are not at to live even
in this vile landT
"Here is your water" said the Rus
sian. ..aIl you will get" And he raised
the basin to his lips and drank. What
W68 Iext NC tuESW Vut OpVA sAsS 6AVssuss
below. Then he turned and left the
sick man.
Clayton rolled over and. burying his
face in his arms, gave up the battle.
The next day Thuran determined to
set out toward the north along the
coast, for he knew that eventually he
must come to the habitations Of civil
lixed men. At least he could be no
worse OF then he was here. and fur
| thermore the rawlings Of the English
man were getting on his nerves.
So he stole Clayton's spear and set
| or upon his journey. He would have
killed the sick man before he left had
| # not occurred to him that It would
really have been a kindness to do so.
That same day he came to a little
cabin by the beach. and his heart filed
with renewed hope as he saw this EVIL
dence Of the proximity Of civilization.
for he thought It but the outpost of a
,,onr1u ook<loynouf Had ho known tn