Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-05-02

glittering thing of metal was the 1yeanon of this
una man YET he had seen a giant lion drop dead when
MS master raised it and threw his barking voice
OF orange flame through it. 1t was well not to
60 against such being; well not to risk the
Possipillty of his wrath when pitted against
all the traditions of his ancestors
hugo Loubeque smiled grimly as he read
from IRON the humble attitude of the native in which
ureetlon ms mind was working. Through fear
ana through greed had he gathered together his
vast army of servants throughout the world and
ne knew none of them would be faithful sbould
a succession of failures appear to show that he
was not lnvincible. A giant wolf-man he ruled a
rend him. $1,000 "-N
The reflection caused his great jowls to red.
uen and the solid jaw to creep ominousy for
ward. An added ominousness of tone was in his
voice when he spoke to the native, himself NOV
ing outside the door without turning back to see
whether he had been obeyed.
swiftly he strobe through the inky black
ness OF the jungle that hemmed them in until
he came to scarcely penetrable wall of creepers
swung ike giant hammocks between the trees
twisting and writhing about themselves in hope
IeSS confusion, all deriving sustenance from
the stunted trunks to which they clung More
IKE great ropes of corded hemp they were than
anything else, their thick surface covered with
1uzzy hairs. 1t was the ,creeper Loubeque had
notced the native using when he wished to start
the nights fire, twisting about a hard sharp
pointed stick against the unyielding surface of
the ereeper till the friction started flame
he had wondered at the imperviousness of
the vine against anything but fire, had marvelled
at the rapidity with which the slightest spark
s.eNihg tne nary exterior would consume the en-
TIRE ereeper Now, he pointed to the wall of
creepers, indicating how much he wished
But half an hour suffced to satisfy the snv
and without more than nod, he turned and
moved swiftly back to the hut. There he superin-
tended the splicing of the sections of creepers
and binding together in such fashion they should
make rope fully hundred feet long. The
last fragment of the material was used and he
stared STAR, at the giant coil speculatively. A slow
satisfaction hriu nal h;- foas
curt word of command, the native glided noise
iessly from the hut, one end of the rope in his
hand.
Foot by foot, coil at a time the pile of
creeper before the international spy unfolded it,
sell, the while he prevented any knotting The
heap upon the hut floor had almost disappeared
before the constant vibrations ceased and he
knew the savage had finished his part of the
work. lie was still smiling, grimly now when the
natVe returned and he commanded him to fire
the end that was within the hut Then Hugo
Loubeque stepped swiftly out the opening and
STROBE along the line of creeper-rope that wound
like some unbelievable monstrous serpent through
the lush grass and shrubbery until he came with
in few yards of Luclle's hut He halted screen
ing himself from the chance observation of some
proving native by hiding in the shadow of
great tree that faced her abode
from far away, back in the direction from
Wnlch he had just come there in the blackness
OF the jungle tip, strange winking star seemed
suddenly to twinkle upon the ground, fade for a
moment then dance swiftly forward toward him.
At times the flame would appear to waver to
be eXtinguished, but always it would reappear
again, having made brave progress during the
time of it's apparent extinction. Hugo Loubeque
suddenly stirred to animation.
Nolseless as any cat despite his bulk, he
moved toward the girls hut, securing the end of
the creeper and tossing it upon the thatched roof
Then once more, he took up his position in the
shadow OF the adjacent tree. stray dog prowled
about the street, sniffled at him, then cringed
away without sound as though his animal in
stinct scented the diabolism of the man. The
jungle seemed breathing heavily, like some
drunken sleeper-these were the only sounds.
The only sounds save the faint, cracking one
OF the flame as it fed upon itself, creeping closer
closer to the thatched roof of the hut where it
might have royal meal. Hugo Loubeque waited
hexed in every nerve and sinew of his frame for
the result of his stratagem. And always the flame
crept closer, coming more swiftly now, famed
by the slight breeze of the open where the huts
were builded.