The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-15

The current of the stream carried Kathyn along at
fair pace; all she had to do was to pole away from
the numerous sand bars and such powders as lifted
their rugged heads above the water
Round bend the river widened and grew correspond
lngy sluggish She sounded with her pole. Something
hldeous beyond words fat, aged crafty croco-
die His corrugated thrust quickly over the
edge OF the raft She struck him wildly with the
pole, and in fury he rushed the raft upsetng Kathlyn
The crocodile sank and for a moment lost sight If
hathlyn, who waded frantcally TO the bank up which
she scrambled. She turned in time see the croco-
dies fearful eyes staring up her from the waters
edge He presently slid back into his Shiny bed few
yellow bubbles, and he was gone
kathlyns heart became suddenly and unaccountably
swollen with she became primordal she wanted
to hurt main, kill. Childishly she stopped and picked
up heavy stones which she hurled into the water The
instinct to live famed strongly her that the crust
of civilization fell away like mist before the SUM- and
for long time the savage (which lies dormant in
us alb ruled her She would live live live; she would
live to forget this oriental inferno through she
passing.
She ran toward the jungle, all unconscious of the
stone she still held in her hand. She lost Of
time and compass; and SO Eh Esh III half circle, coming
out at the 1r.j-yysf rjyssff-aigeain again
~ The Indian twilight was rising in the east when she
found herself again looking upon the water, the
stone still cutched tightly She gazed the river
at the stone, and again the river The dropped
with thuds sat her feet. The savage in her had not
abated in the least; only her body was terribly worn
and weared and the robe, mudded and torn enveoped
her like veil of ice Above lonely yellow sky
below her the scky river; all about her silence which
held thousand Which way should she 90?
Where could she possibly find shelter for the night?
The chill reused her finally and she swung her arms
to the circulation Near by she tree the
crotch Of which reposed platform, and upon this plat
form sat shrine. few withered flowers hung about
the gross neck the idol and withered flowers lay
scattered at the base of the tree. There was also a
bundle of dry rushes which devoee had forgotten
At least, yonder platform would afford safety through
the night. So, with the last bit of strength CON-
mand, she gathered up the rushes and climbed to the
PLATFORM arranging her bed behind the idol. She COW
cred her shoulders with the rushes and drew her knees
up to her chin She had forgotten her father Bruce,
the happy days in far country she had but single
thought to sleep What the want of sleep could not
perform exhaustion could; and presently she lay still
Thus, she neither heard the pious pilgrims
who their way to Alaha to pray in that temple
known to offer protection against wild beasts. Fortu
nately they did not observe her.
The pilgrim is always pilgrim in India it becomes,
might say, a fascinating kind of sport To most
of them, short plgrimages S rabbits would
be to the hunter of lions. They will walk from Bombay
to Benares from Madras to Llassa begging and brag
ging all the Eventually they become semi-hoy,
distinguished citizens in clutter of mud huts.
They deposited and fruit the foot of
the tree and departed leaving Kathlyn in peace. But
later when the moon poured its white, cold radiance
over her face awakened her. and it took her time
to realize where she
Below belly deep in the river, stood several water
bualos their sweeping horns glstening like old ivory
in the moonshine. Presently leopard stole down to
the brink and Tapped the water greedily from time
time throwing hasty, apprehensive glance his
sleek shoulders The bufaloes stirred where they
it safe. Across the river bulky shadow
moved into the light, and fat brown bear took Ills
tthe of the water. The leopard snared and skunk off,
The bear washed his face possibly sticky with pur-
oned wild honey and betook himself back his lair
Kathyn suddenly became of the fact that she
spectator to such few human beings
permitted wi ere the wild bea
do not kill each other She interested that she
forgot hs- IN nght The tree stood only few feet