The daily sentinel., 1914-06-03


And in the midst of the fight within him
self, Hugo Loubeque would cry aloud at the birth
pains of affection for the girl struggling against
the demons of hate and revenge which had so
long dominated his very soul. And often in the
self inflicted agony of fighting to continue his
nve-long efforts toward annihilating General
SumPter Love, her father, he would roughly or
der his servant to rise and take up the dreary
march more.
Forcing his marches in mad desire to weary
his body So at night, his brain would succumb
to the utter weariness that gripped him Hugo
Loubeque tried to fight away this change that
was struggling to take place within himself He
knew that 1t could not come, knew that the habit
OF lifetime, such thought he had concen-
trated on his revenge could not be beaten down
by anything, and still there was something with
IN him which taunted him with his inability TO
put the girl out of the way where she would no
longer be u hindrance In the working out of his
plans.
He noticed a growing sullenness on the part
OF MS servant, sulky obedience which came
only grudgingly after rage had. tipped his mas
ters tones with menacing decisiveness. He de-
cided TO watch the fellow more carefully though
at the same time laughing at himself for the
nervousness which was growing upon him. 1t
was as though he could sometimes feel a shadow
quite different from the dark shadow of the
jungle, between his shoulder blades where he
could not reach nor nor identify 1t but which
he knew for the shadow of impending calamity
And what calamity there, what calamity had
there been In all his eventful life to compare to
the shadow of the frai girl-woman who shared
with him this jungle? Enemies, each sworn TO
overcome the other no odds at what cost thew
occupied this great, damp beast-ridden Jungle
themselves the most ferocious of all the beasts
within Its boundaries when II came to the ac-
complement of a mutual purpose-the holding
or securing of the papers that to one meant re-
venge, the other love
1t was late In the fourth night that he final
iy saw to the fire his servant had prepared and
stretched out, sinking almost instantly into pro-
round sIunber He had fought against heavy
sleep for the actions of the native had been un-
usually furtive and restless all day There had
been times when he would stop, retrace their
path always though studying their trail How
long he had slept he had no means of knowing.
The wakening was of the most abrupt
He started bolt upright, looking instinctively
toward the place where his servant should have
oeen. But the man had gone and the fire was
scattering wildly about, as though someone had
intentionally intent disturbed it that the jungle beasts
upon him. He heard the cracking of twigs under
feet too swift to be other than those of man in
Terror caught a glimpse of wavering, flashing
mans voice.
Grasping his revolver Loubeque sprang to his
Ieet Instantly wide-awake For just second he
waited there then drew a steady aim upon the
leaPing torch The gun spoke, followed almost in
stanty by the shrill voice of Lucille.
Don't shoot It's lion"
Louoeque allowed the revolver to drop to his
side Suddenly the wonder of her being at his
camp site struck him and simultaneously his hand
sought the sack about his neck. 1t was gone dis
appeared. "
Even as he darted forward fighting madly
against the black tangle of vegetation that barred
MS way he was withheld by feeling within
from firing the revolver at that torch He could
hear the low growls of a wild animal. caught
stray glimpse of Lucille standing over dark,
shapeless figure of beside the bank OF
little stream while. before the waving torch she
had snatched from the campfire of her eneIny,
great lion was silently retreatng.
Loubequs caught glimpse of this, then In
ms EFFORTS to reach her side. he shut from
sight completely. He tried to stumble back to
her when the ground seemed to kick up its heels
and slide backwards. He clutched vainiy for sup
port, his hands encountering the arm of man.
Cold water closed upon him and, still cmtching
the arm, he allowed himself to float down the
stream for ways. Then, In turn, he managed
to secure footing and drag the body of his dead
servant, horribly mutilated by the claws of the
hon, to shore. But search though he would, the
little bag that contained the papers was not to
be found.
Loubeque fought his way back to the spot
where he had made his fire, readily locating the
spot where Lucille had driven away the lion from
his prey But Lucille had disappeared, vanished
as completely as though the earth had swallowed
her up The international spy stood long time
In silence beside the place where he had the
waving torch. And there that In the eyes
that looked down at the revolver in his hand
which told that next time he would not hesitate
ta Rse IL