The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-10
BY tie MASTER PE.N''
- the y%.a ia" N e..s s'


was not the sort to trust trail along which she
might follow. To right and left was the mys-
terry of the Jungle In that jungle was the man
of power, the indomitable spy. In which direc-
ton she must leave to the power that had guided
her steps so far, but she knew she must make
quick choice.
As though her question was to be answered
for her, she noticed the chatter of the monkeys
suddenly changing, observed wild alarm in
their voices and, looking up, a host, an
army of them huddled close together, then slip
ping swiftly, in wild disorder from tree to tree.
For some reason, perhaps the note so closely kin
to terror of human beings in their every action,
Lucille felt thrill of something more than I'M
easiness coming upon her she stared into the
blackness to make out the reason for their
alarm. Swiftly she shrank back before the baz-
ing balls of fire that were fastened upon her
from the heavy wall of vines and creepers.
She seemed to swim in those great, blazing
eyes, those eyes that did not move from hers
but sent forth flames though they were fed
from some unquenchable fire. cracking of
twigs and the beast disappeared. But the rustic
overhead, the wild screeches of the monkey tribe
did not diminish in volume 1t struck Lucille as
incongruous that from the hatred she had felt
moment before for the gibbering little creatures
with their aged faces, she should now be ex-
Periencing friendliness, almost sense of COM
radeshdp in this mutual danger.
Again that cracking Of twigs this time in
greater volume, and where before but one pair
of wild eyes had stared at her, there were now
friends had built of night that the jungle beasts
might not disturb them. But she had no means
of lighting a fire. She was alone, with nothing
to assist her save her own ingenuity. She re-
treated slowly, fear hanging upon her feet hold
ing her back even low grovvls indicated that
her retreat was observed and would probably be
taken for a sign OF fear.
At the sound the trees were shaken violently
by another rush of the little tree-men. It gave
her an idea instantly Even as the eyes grew
miraculously into long, graceful bodies, Lucille
reached UP and grasped the thick walls of creep
ers dangling from giant-trunlsed tree. Came a
rush, SO silent and sure-footed she could hear
but the faint pdt-pdt OF the leopard's feet, fol-
lowed by heavy click Of jaws. Instinctively she
drew her feet up under her and fear lending
impetus to her movements, clambered swiftly up
the vines until the welcome crotch OF the tree
supported her.
Below her gathered the leopards their sleek
bodies twining restlessly round and round the
tree where their quarry was, now and then leap
ing high in the air, their bodies convoluting as
they sprang toward her, trying fruitlessly to find
some method Of reaching that tree-crotch.
Their undiminished ferocity sent a chill
through her. Higher and higher she climbed
climbed until the terrifying sight was shut from
her eyes by the heavy foliage beneath, climbed
until her muscles ached climbed until even the
crunching of twigs beneath failed to reach up to
her. =
Beneath her swayed the Jungle. Above her
fickered myriad OF stars Like peep-holes in
some great theater-curtain they were through
which the master-player might watch what was
going on in his world. They thrilled Lucille with
their familiarity. So long she had been here in
this jungle she seemed to have forgotten the
existence Of stars, regarded them as old friends.
These same stars that looked down upon her
now, were looking down upon Manila, upon her
father upon her sweetheart. These same stars
were candles of Truth that would not, could not
unblushingly look upon such a disaster as threat
ened her being contaminated.
The reflection loaned her courage from
without herself. She felt great weight lifted
from her eyeballs at being once more in a nat
ural light. She strained her sight in every direc-
ton, revealing in this glimpse OF a world she
knew well, rejoicing at the realization that
even the vast jungle with its menacing breath
was but shallow thing that reached but lit
tie way and only specifically closed out the
heavens, the same heavens that looked down
upon her home.
And then her eyes were halted, stayed in
their review BY the sight of long, thin spiral
of smoke rising and reaching up toward the
stars in wispy fragility 1t came from miles to
the westward. But Lucille knew that smoke for
fire and the fire to be that lighted by human
hands
She lifted her eyes toward one glowing.
long-wicked star that seemed So close she had
but to reach up her finger tips to snuff its light.
And the flame OF the star seemed to bend to-
ward her, incline gracefully toward her as
though acknowledging the gratitude that glowed
in her own star-like eyes and encouraging her
and cheering her with its luster.
CHAFIEh ANllI
LoubeQae Fights Dozen q Strasge Emotion
7 DUBUQUE could not have explained why had
he tried, but the thought that Lucille still
possessed the mystic amulet given her by the Z
savage chief for saving his daughters life and
which had served in such good stead against his
Vaccinations worried him more than a little
True, his plot had succeeded the pit his servant
dug across the trail had swallowed her up, and
the old native crone had brought him the pre-
cious papers. But he was worried This Jungle
was a menacing thing, a something which he
could not command it had been his custom
to command things animate. Here, his position
was but little stronger than that of the relent-
less girl. He felt himself. at times, almost wish
ing to be rid Of the qualms which had forbade
his serving her with death sentence.
She had the mystic amulet still and always
plotting in advance those things he wished done,
it bothered him not to know exactly how great
the power of that amulet was. He attempted to
question his servant but the fellow ALWAYS
crouched away from him in terror at being ques-
TONED, evidently more frightened Of even the
mention Of the thing than he was of his master.
Together with the uncertainty of his posi-
ton, with realisation Of the intense loneliness,
his inability to speak the language of any peo-
pie he might chance to meet the international
spy fought his way through the jungle in more
of q spirit OF terror than he ever experienced
before. Nights, when he would build fires to
fend will heaS hat thorod t.