The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-12-03
cHAP1ER vi.
oubeaue Watches a Tiny Flame.

A n HllGu Will SOuIOeA 1iSul- |
Now and then they would shift toward
the squatting, evil faced native in the
corner. !
Loubeque's thoughts were upon the
girl, Lucille. who had thwarted him so
many times. He was only just begin
| ming to realize that destiny was work
| ing in her behalf, protecting her from
him, urging her on to the desperate
| chances she had already taken, giving
her courage and confidence to go even
further than she had already.
Was it possible that he could fail.
could be beaten by this pretty slip of a
girl. no more than out of her teens; he.
who, judging nations to be no stronger
! than the weakest individual, had
brought about the wreck of nations:
he. who had worked through the civ
iIized and unciviiized world to prepare
himself for his great act OF vengeance
and always worked successfully. should
finally deal the eliminating blow
against his enemy only to find this
fragile Lucille more than counteractins
his sturdiest efforts?
II shall regain the papers, from her"
he told himself. But how" At
times in bordering the question he
would grow SO enraged that he thought
of taking them from her by sheer
force. But always there was her face.
the face of her mother whom he had
loved, still loved in memory, to rise up
and deter him. No, she must be trick
ed into disclosure of the precious docu-
ments herself.
That she carried them upon her per-
son he knew The scheme he had
worked out through the evil eyed ma
tive he had picked up in the jungle
and frightened into supenstitious awe
and implicit obedience had shown him
that much. The big snake working
his sinister length through the thatch-
ed roof Of her hut had frightened her
away a sufficiently long time for him
to make such a search as permitted of
no hiding place for them.
His native had brought him word of
the way Lucille had saved the chiefs
daughter from death and in conse
quence been presented with the sacred
amulet of the country. He realized
that the ignorant savages regarded her
as something in the nature of Il deity
They would permit 10 harm to befali
her so long as she remained with them
Night had long since fallen when he
stirred from his motionless position
before the somber light was burned
from his eyes by the kindlng flame OF
action. While no visible symbol be
trayed exuitation. there was Il stealthy
! sureness to his stride that showed he
was about to work, that the time for
reflection was past.
Get up!'' he told his savage follower
: The native swiftly rose and waited
/ his commands. Fear Still! lay heavily
upon him because of his two failures.
: and he was willing to dare anything
+ how. risk even the proclamation of the
sacred amulet. rather than face again
/. the flame of this mans wrath, this
G man he had stumbled across upon the
q beach and who, though helpless, had
Il sIat at him farther than his blow pipe
could carry and shivered the spear us
r he held it uplifted in his hand, ad
+ vancing with murdcrous design upon
q the man. small glttering thing OF
q metal was the weapon Of this man
y yet he had seen a giant lion drop dead
p when his master raised it and threw
4 its barking voice of orange fame
It through it.
: Swiftly Loubeque strobe through the
inky blackness of the jungle that hem
e med them in until he came to Il scarce
e ly penetrable wal! OF creepers. swun:
e like giant hammocks between the trees
It twisting. and writhing abvt;t them
:; selves in hopeless confusion. all t!o
IS irving sustenance from the stuntet
e trunks to which they clung. More likt
v great ropes of corded hemp they wer.
y than anything else. their thick sIi9fac,
+ covered with fuzzy hairs. 1t WAS ths
g creeper Loubeque had noticed the na
d tive using when he wished to start til,
IS nights fire, twisting about hard
sharp pointed stick against the TN
le yielding surface Of the creeper till tn,
V friction started flame. Now he point
q, ed to the wall of creepers, indicatin.
ar how much he wished.
n But half an hour suf1iced to satisfy
lg the spy, and, without more than noe
he turned and moved swiftly back t.
&c the hut. There he superintendent tin
splicing of the sections of creepars an
v binding together in such fashion the,
1e should make rope fully 100 feet Ions
ID The last fragment of the material wa
"a used. and he stared at the giant col
le speculatively. At curt word OF CON
y mand, Cor the native glided noise
!. lessly from the hut. one end Of tn
81 rope in his hand
{! Foot by foot. a coil at time, the pill
!. Of creeper before the International sp
81 unfolded itself, the while he prevent
81 ed any knotting. The heap upon til
81 hut floor had almost disappeared be-
81 fore the constant vibra tionS ceased an
81 he knew the savage had finished hi
Fl part Of the work. He was still slniin:
81 grimly now, when the native returned
81 and he commanded him to fire the en-
81 that was within the hut. Then Hug
&: Loubeque stepped swiftly out the opel
5! ing and strobe along the line OF Greer
81 er rope that wound like some unb,
ST lievable monstrous serpent through tt
81 lush grass and shrubbery until he can
SCI within a few yards Of Lucille's hu
81 He halted, screening himself from tt
81 chance observation Of some prow,il