The Glasgow courier., 1915-09-03
CHAPTER ".
Tho Dream Mate.

but the truth or the UNlteT was ludt
she dreaded to meet Curtiss and under
90 the ordeal which she knew con-
fronted her.
How was she to explain to him the
effect that the subterranean rumblings
and the shaking Of the outer crust had
had upon her and her sentiments to-
ward him!
When her brother came in to see her
she drew his head down upon the pill
low beside hers and whispered some
thing of the horrible hallucinat atoms that
had haunted her since the previous
evening
"Oh, Barney" she cried. what can 1t
be? What can it be? The first deep
grumblings that preceded the shock
seemed to awake me as from a leth.
argy, and as plainly as see you beside
me now l saw the half naked creature
of my dreams. and when I saw him
knew that l could never wed Mr.. Cur
tiss or any other.
ut is awful to have to admit 1t. even
to you. Barney: but IL knew when l
saw him that l loved him-that was
his. Not his wife. Barney, but his
woman-his mate-and I had to fight
with myself to keep from rushing out
into the terrible blackness of the night
to throw myself into his arms.
1T was then that l managed to con,
troll myself long enough to run to you.
where l tainted. And last night, in my
dreams, saw him again-alone and
lonely-searching through strange
and hostile world to find and claim me
"You cannot know. Barney. how real
but instead l really see him-the satin
texture of his smooth. bronzed skin.
the lordly poise Of his perfect head
the tousled shock of coal black hair
that l have learned to love and
through which know l have lovingly
run my fingers as he stopped to kiss
me.
HE carries a great spear, stone tip
ped-I should know it the moment that
l saw it-and a knife and hatchet Of
the same flinty material. and in his left
hand he bears the severed head OF a
mighty beast.
HE is noble figure. but of another
world or Of another age. Somewhere
he wanders. so lonely and alone that
my heart weeps at tie thought of him
Oh. Barney. either he ia true and I
shall find him or l am gone mad. Tell
me. Barney. for the love Of heaven.
you believe that am sane!'
Barney Custer drew his sisters face
close to his and kissed her tenderly.
"Of course you're sane. VIC" he
reassured her. you've just allowed
that old dream Of yours to become a
sort OF oDsession with you, and now
it's got on your nerves until you are
commencing to believe it even against
your better Judgment. Take a good
grip on yourself. get up and join Cur
tiss In long ride.
"Have it out with him. Tell him
just what you have told me. and then
tell him you'll marry him. and I'll
warrant that you'll be dreaming about
him instead of that young giant that
you have stolen out of some fairy
tale"
I'll get up and take ride. Barney"
Nplied the girl. but as for marrying
Mr.. Curtiss-well, I'll have to think
it over"
She did not join the party. however.
that were riding toward the hills that
morning, for the thought Of seeing the
torn and twisted stratum of bygone
age that lifted its SCARED head above
the surface Of the plain at the base OF
the mountains was more than she felt
equal to. They did not urge her. and
as she insisted that Mr.. Curtiss ac'
company the other men. she was left
alone at the bungalow with Lady Grey
stoke. the baby and the servants.
As the party trotted across the roll
ing land that stretched before them tc
the foothills they sighted herd Of
zebras coming toward them In mad
stampede.
"Something u hunting ahead Of u.s.
remarked one Of the men.
I'VE may get shot at lion from
the looks Of It." replied another.
A short distance farther on they
came upon the carcass Of q zebra stal
Hon. Barney and But1ow dismountet
to examine It In an effort to deter
mine the nature Of the enemy that hat
dispatched it.
At the first glance Barney called t.
one Of the other members Of the party
an experienced big game hunter.
what do you make Of this, Brown7
he asked. pointing to the expose'
haunch.
1T is a mans KILL" replied tn
other. Look at that gaping hole owe
the heart. that would tell the stor
were it not for the evidence Of tn
knife that cut away these strips fror
the rump. The carcass il still warn
The kill must have been made With
the past few minutes"
."Then It couldn't have been a man.
spoke up another, ''or We should hav
heard the shot. Wait. here's Grey
stoke; lets see what he thinks Of It"