The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-12-10
CHAPTER VIII.
Loubeque Fights Down Strange
Enretjan

luOuSuL LuuL LuCille still pUS-
"a sessed the mystic amulet given
her by the savage chief for saving his
daughters life and which had served
in such good stead against his machi-
nations worried him more than & 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 precious
papers. But he was worried. He felt
himself at times almost wishing to be
rid of the qualms which had forbade
his serving her with a death sentence.
She had the mystic amulet still and.
always plotting in advance those
not to know exactly how great the
power of that amulet was.
Together with the uncertainty of his
position. with realization Of the in
tense loneliness his inability to speak
the language of any people he might
chance to meet. the international SPY
fought his way through the jungle in
experienced before. Nights, when he
would build fires to fend off wild
beasts that gathered in circle and
stared with their blazing eyes from
out the blackness. he would find her
face emerging from the flames.
rs it possible that / love her as I
loved her mother?" he asked himself
But he fought against the thought.
Forcing his marches in mad desire
to weary his body so at night his brain
would succumb to the utter WEAKNESS
that gripped him, Hugo Loubeque tried
to fight away this change that was
struggling to take place within himself.
He noticed growing srllenness on
the part of his servant. Il sulky obedi-
ence which came only grudgingIy aft
er rage had tipped his masters tones
with menacing decisiyeness lie de-
cided to watch the fellow more care
fully. though at the same time laugh
ing at himself for the nervousness
which was growing upon him.
1t was late in the fourth night that
be finally saw to the fire his servant
had prepared and stretched out. sink
ing almost instantly into profound
slumber. He had fought against heavy
sleep, for the actions Of the native
had been unusually furtive and rest
less all day. The Weakening was of
the most abrupt
He started bolt upright, looking in
stinctively toward the place where his
servant should have been. But the
man was gone. and the fire was scat
wildly
one had Intentionally disturbed it that
the jungle beasts might lose their fear
of this man and pounce upon him.
lie heard the cracking of twigs under
feet too swift to be other than those
CT man in terror. caught Il glimpse of
Wavering. flashing fare of torch
light, heard the piercing wall of a
mans voice.
GraspinS his revolver. I.oubeque
sprang to his feet. instantly wide
awake. For just a second he waited
there. then drew a steady aim upon
the leaping torch. The gun spoke, fol-
lowed almost instantly by the shrill
voice Of Lucille
Don't shoot. It's a lon"-
Loubeque 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.
Even as he darted forward. fighting
! madly against the black tangle Of veg
citation that barred lis way. he was
Withheld by some feeling within from
lli1ng the revolver at that torch. He
could hear the low grow!s Of wild
animal, caught stray glimpse of I.u-
ellie standing over Il dark. shameless
figure of a man beside the bank of a
little stream. while. before the waving
torch she had snatched from the camp
! IRE OF her enemy. great lien was
silently retreating.
Loubeque caught a glimpse of this:
then in his efforts to reach her side
lie was shut from sight completely,
he tried to stumble back to her when
the ground seemed to kick up it's heels
and Slide backward. He clutched vain.
~ Tor support, his hands encounterin.
the arm of Il man. Cold water closed
upon him. and. still clutchiny the arm
1AS ttiioN GU ~ IOHI GOWN The
stream for way Then, in a turn
he managed to secure footing and drag
the body Of his dead servant, horribly
mutilated by the claws of the lion. 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, read
lily locating the spot where Lucille had
driven away the lion from his prev
But Lucille had disappeared, vanished
rs completely as though the earth had
swallowed her up. The international
epy stood long time in Silence besid
the place where he had seen the wav
Ing torch. And there was that in th
eyes that looked down at the retolye
in his hand which told that next tim
he would not hesitate to use it.
|
For three days Lucille kept very nea
that campfire light, furtive as any q
the animals that prowled about. guarf
ing herself against them BY the sam