The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-10-31

"See here. Mr.. Reeves" he an
nounced. swinging q great war club.
heavily carved and richly worked in
with gold and colors. I've made .
great find"
81 see" nodded Reeves. but seri-
ously.
1T was near q tree, and it's only
one of q dozen different weapons like
spears and darts, with gold handles.
Come along, we'll get the rest. But
Reeves put out staying hand.
Get that thing back to where you
found it quick as you can" he d.
rected. :.
"why. what fort" inquired the sur.
prised Ronald.
m you had looked up into that
tree you would probably have seen
q burial platform. These are the
trophies Of some big chief" ex.
planned Reeves. For any one to even
touch them is held a. sacrilege BY
these superstitious natives. Missing
that memento. the war club. they
would trail you to the end Of the
earth to recover II. I advise you to
take 1t back at once"
This Ronald did. He replaced the
object just where he had found 1t and
turned to retrace his steps to his
friend. half . mile away. Just
then wild uproar greeted him. Fierce
yells rent the air. From behind q
score Of bushes AZ many dusky natives
sprang into view.
Donald was surrounded, seized. his
arms bound. and dragged along by his
angry-faced captors. He was led past
an encampment Of rude huts and into
q large spreading cave in the noun.
tain side.
This seemed to be a sort Of tenn.
pie Of the savages. for it was hung
with skins upon which was daubed in
crude colors the picture Of four.
headed idol. There was q stone pill
lar in the center Of the cavern, and to
this Ronald was securely tied.
He noted that overhead an open
space ran up like q natural funnel,
and about the post he fancied he dis
covered ashes a. II this was the. spot
where the natives offered up their
prisoners and enemies % human sacri-
ices.
His captors squatted in . circle and
3abbered away at furious rate. They
made menacing motions toward him,
and Ronald could readily discern that
they were discussing his fate.
Finally after several hours DELHI.
GRAFTON they appeared to arrive 1t
definite conclusion. Most OF them
went away, leaving two Of their mem.
bers to pile up arewood about the
post.
TITS good-by Nellie! sure" dolefully
ruminated Ronald, and Mr.. Reeves
will never know what has happened to
me-"
1t grew dusk. and some lighted
torches were placed around. The
natives came back In solemn process
sion led by man beating q hideous
tom-tom. They paraded around their
victim. Ronald felt that his doom was
drawing nigh.
Suddenly he strained his case. Away
back in the gloom Of the cave he
noted q quick sparkle Of. light. This
grew to q sudden binding radiance.
A rushing whirlwind form. emitting Q
thousand dazzling sparks Of fire ap.
preached.
It must have been . weird and
thrilling sight for the natives. To
their unaccustomed eyes an angry "flre
god" was bearing down upon them. All
over the onrushing figure there were
spouts Of binding fire. They turned
and fed to q man.
"Quick. now, and follow!" shouted
the IRE god to Ronald, cutting his
bonds and leading back the way he
had come.
"Those sparklers," explained Reeves
a. they gained the open air. and "a.
gaining their traps. started to get
speedily away from their present nest
Of peril. II found out they had cap
tured you. happened to think Of
those two boxes Of sparklers., I stuck
them all over me and Lit them. Il was
. narrow escape, but the scheme
worked fine"
So fine that the awed natives did
not even attempt q pursuit, and two
months later they reached home-and
Nellie!
Copyright. 1914. by W. q. Chapman)
cAanss u aa,nsnc