The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1915-12-31

Neal, after rev gasps lot DIedth'
smiled at Annette forlornly
Hernandez stamped his foot i
will give you two minutes to produce
the map OF Lost Isle he said. and
II 1t is not then forthcoming.
He paused. Go on" said Neal
what them
At the end of two minutes he
thrust his watch back into his pocket.
He signed TO Ponto. The helmets,
he commanded. and the gloves"
Ponto produced two sets Of crudely-
fashioned head nets and hand gloves
made OF mosquito netting. lnez had
told him how to make them. Hern-
andez donned one set and Ponto
donned the other.
Neal and Annette each with a
guard of two behind, were forced to
leave the hut, and forced down the
trail on the farther side of the small
hill.
After fifteen minutes walk they
halted. Ponto spoke sharply to the
native who was with them.
Lead on" he commanded; you
know the way"
All" said the native, Il and mighty
few beside. Be careful now"
Ponto turned to Hernandez. This"
he said. lis the cause of all the pesti-
lence-this is the quagmire at the bot
tom of our hill-mosquito swamp
There are not so many mosquitoes
here" returned Hernandez, not
enough in fact"
The native grinned. mot now-but
at night-at night they are legion
they are fiends, foul fiends, And they
breed pestilence. On. Follow me-"
Back at the Inn of the Spanish Don
Neal Hardin's mother began to grow
restiye-Annette had not returned
Neal was nowhere to be seen. Once
the surgeon stepped in and inquired
for Neal. After that Mrs. Hardin
made inquiries of her own. No one
knew where he was-no one had seen
the little white angel.
Out in the swamp Neal and Annette
were conducted to a small, swamp
islet, green with dark growth-upon
which there was barely foothold.
This" said the native to Herman
dez, is the place of which told.
From this there is no escape.
Hernandez bowed. you have chos-
en- pests and pestilence, your friends, "
he said. Goodnight, and pleasant
dreams. Now take us back"
Back at the hut, the native was bow
ing low. Hernandez poured much
coin into his hand. "And mind" said
Hernandez, "close mouth for two days
at any rate, you dog"
In one way he was close-mouthed.
In another way he well, he
started for the nearest tavern, and
bent his elbow with great frequency
and every time he bent his elbow he
opened his mouth-and to some pur-
pose after awhile he began to
treat-and falkland show his money.
And then, to prove he was an honest
man and no thief, like others there, he
began to tell just how he had become
so very, very rich in such short space
of time they listened to him
open mouthed. Among them were
men, sober men, whose families had
been ministered to by the angel sent
from heaven-a little white angel.
One Of these men suddenly sprang to
his feet and grabbed the boaster by
the scruff of the neck-and notwith-
standing struggles, carried him, pell
nell, from the wine shop.
Back in the Inn of the Spanish Don,
the proprietor was protesting that he
had not seen Gunner Neal-had not
learned OF the whereabouts of the lit
tlo white angel-Senorita Annette IL
ington. A dozen bluejackets were on
hand-the surgeon was there. Mrs.
Hardin, wild-eyed in the glare of the
smoky lamps, was sobbing hysterical-
ly. Inez looked on calmly. Suddenly
into the midst Of this company was
propelled an intoxicated natiVe-a bag