The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-06-08


serous limb. II was with q deep sigh
OF relief that I saw him reach forth
and gain q higher branch in safety.
And then the brute did that which
froxe US both anew with horror.
Grasping the trees stem with his
powerful paws he dragged down with
all the great weight Of his huge bulk
and all the irresistible force Of those
mighty muscles.
slowly but surely the stem began
to bond toward him. Inch by inch he
worked his paws upward AZ the tree
leaned more and more from the per-
pendicular. Perry chung chattering
In a panic OF terror. Higher and
higher into tho bending and swaying
tree no clambered. More and more
rapidly was tho tree top inclining
toward the ground.
saw now why the great brute was
armed with such enormous paws. The
use that he was putting them to was
precisely that for which nature had
intended them. The sloth-like crea-
ture was herbivorous, and to feed
that mighty carcass entire trees must
be stripped Of their foliage.
The reason for Its attacking VI
might easily be accounted for on the
supposition Of an ugly disposition
stupid rhinoceros Of Africa possesses.
But there were later reflections.
At the moment I was too frantic
with apprehension on Pcrry'a behalf
to consider aught other than a means
to save him from the death that
doomed 10 close.
Realizing that I could outdistance
the clumsy brute In the open, I
dropped from my leafy sanctuary In
tent only on distrasting the things
attention from Perry long enough
70 enable the old man to gain the
safety Of q larger tree. There were
terrific strength OF that titanic mon
ster could bend.
As I touched the ground I snatched
a broken limb from the tangled mass
that matted the jungle like moor Of
tho forest, and. leaping unnoticed be-
hind the shaggy back. dealt the brute
. terrific blow.
My plan worked like magic. From
the previous slowness Of the beast
had been led to look for no such
marvellous agility an he now dis
played. Relocating his hold upon the
tree. he dropped on all fours and at
the same time swung his great.
wicked tail with a force that would
have broken every bone In my body
had It struck me: but fortunately I
had turned to nee Mt the very instant
that felt my blow land upon the
towering back.
A. II started in pursuit OF me I
made the mistake Of running along
the edge Of the forest rather than
making for the open beach. In q
moment was knee deep In rotting
vegetation. and tho awful thing be-
hind me was gaining rapidly a.
foundered and fell In my efforts to
extricAte myself. .r.... /! q r.
A fallen log gave me an instant's
advantage. for. climbing upon II,
leaped to another a few PAGES further
on. and In this way was able to keep
clear Of the mush that carpeted the
surrounding ground. But the sigsas
course that this necessitated waa
placing such q heavy handicap upon
me that my pursuer was steadily
gaining upon me.
Suddenly from behind heard .
tumuit OF bowls. and sharp piercing
barks-much the sound that q pack OF
wolves raises whom In full cry. In
voluntarily glanced backward to dis
cover the origin Of this new and
menaoing note with the result that l
missed my footing and went sprawl
deep muck.
My mammoth enemy was 90 close
by this time that I know ! must feel
the weight of ono OF his terrible paws
before I could rise, but to my surprise
the blow did not fall upon mo.
Tho bowling and swapping and
barking OF the now element which had
been Infused into the melee now
seemed centred quite close behind me.
and az I raised myself upon my hands
and glanced round I saw what II was
that had distracted the "dyryth." a.
afterward learned tho thing 10
called. from my trail. .
II was surrounded by . pack OF
some hundred wolf-like creatures
wild dogs they seemed-that rushed
growing and swapping In upon IL
from all sides. 30 that they sank their
white fangs into tho slow brute ana
were away again before II could reach
them with Its huge paws or sweeping
tail.
But these were not all that my
startled eyes perceived. Chattering
and gibbering through tho lower
branches OF the trees came COM
pany OF man-like creatures evidently
urging on the dog pack.
They were to all Appearances strik-
ingly similar In aspect to the negro OF
Africa. Their skins were very black.
and their features much like those OF
tho moro pronounced negroid typo.
except that the head recedsd moro
rapidly above the eyes. leaving little
or no forehead.
Their arms were rather longer and
their legs shorter In proportion to the
torso than In man. and later ! noticed
that their great toes protruded at
right angles from their feet-because
OF their arbOreal habits, presume.
Behind them trailed long. slender
tails which they used In climbing
quite AZ much as they did either their
hands or feet.
had stumbled to my feet the
moment that I discovered that tho
wolf dogs were holding the dyryth at
bay.
At sight of mo several OF the saw
age creatures left of worrying the
great brute to come sinking with
barred fangs toward me. and az I
turned to run toward tho trees again
to seek safety among the lower
branches ! saw a number of tho man
apes leaping and chattering In the
foliage OF the nearest tree.
Between them and tho beasts behind
me there was little choice, but at
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