Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-11-17
EIGHTH INSTALLMENT
THE SUN W0RSHIPERS
CHAPTER xxxIv.
The JunnIe Trail.

Blindfolded and stumbling. Neal was
led for miles over an almost untrod
path.
AS he went he listened. and twice
he could have sworn he heard wom-
ans voice. a voice that he knew well
the voice Of Annette Ilington. Once
he heard her scream.
Suddenly there was a halt. There
was much whispering and the low
toned chattering of many people. And
then Neal heard another scream
meal! Neall"
There was the trampling of a heavy
body through the underbrush and then
the rafting of heavy chain and what
seemed to be the unlocking of door
There was another Shrek, then ST.
lence
Finally without warning Neal was
seized in a gigantic pair of arms,
tossed lightly over a huge shoulder
and was carried rapidly along An
other door was opened and Neal felt
himself flung-a bit too violently
into the corner of stone-walled apart
ment. A door changed to behind him
and was locked and bolted. A voice
assailed his ears.
Senior" said this voice, az you
would be relieved of bonds and blinds
approach me-"
Neal-not without apprehension
started up and staggered IN the d.
rection of the voice A hand swung
him about Upon his head and wrists
he felt the pressure of cold steel-the
back of sheath knife. His bonds
fell at his feet. He swung about,
stretched his arms and looked Grin.
ming sardonically at him through the
bars was the face of Hernandez and
behind Hernandez with blinking eyes
stood the ever-present brute.
I'VE keep you merely for safety,
senior" said Hernandez.
He swung on his heel thrust the
brute out of sight and disappeared.
Neal noted now that he was con
fined in store cell--dingy, dirty, mis-.
cradle. He jumped at once to the
correct conclusion. This was a fort.
He examined his cell critically. The
mortar was disintegrating. The fort
was very old. He took out his knife
they had still left him that-and
stabbed viciously at the space in be-
tween the stones.
There was a rattle at the door Of
Meals cell. A native insurrecto
opened the door and set upon the floor
jug of water and a loaf of disreput-
able looking bread. Almost at the
same time there was rattle at the
door of Annettes dungeon cell. She
ceased her tapping suddenly and
turned. The brute was entering-also
with refreshments, such as they were.
Instead of disposing OF these at
once, he strobe forward his huge body
towering above her and held them out
TO her with a strange CLEAN in his
eyes. She took the food and drink and
laid them down upon the bench, star
ing at the brute the while. The huge
anomaly took this as an invitation.
He shambled closer TOWARD her, never
once removing his glance from her up
turned wondering face. Then with
out warning he thrust forth hand
and stroked her hair
Annette was startled. Yet there was
so much doeility in the expression oi
this half man. half animal, that sh
instinctively submitted TO his touch,
And there was something else-some-
thing struggling for expression in
those strange. wide open eyes.
There was a quick step behind the
brute and Hernandez entered. An
nette shrank back into a corner OF
the cell
Toe brute gazed at him, but still
stood his ground. Hernandez in a
rage struck aim sharply on the shoul-
der and thrust hin toward the door.
The Brute, cringing in his turn, half
fell, half shuffied out of the cell, fol
lowed by Hernandez raining blows
upon his back.
Hours passed Suddenly an omi-
nous whisper spread through the fort
"a whisper of apprehension. There
was much hustle.
During an interval of comparative
quiet there was waited into the range
Of Meals hearing the one word
'Americanos." Then with two sue
cessive clangs the cell doors. Nears
and Annette's. were flung back.
They were bound and once more
blindfolded. Then. each in the CEN
ter of an ample escort, they stumbled,
plunged and staggered once more
through the jungle trail.
Go Be Continued.