The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-13
TENTH lNSTALLMENT
THE ROLLING TERROR
CHAPTER Xiv.
Across Country.

Early next morning, out of that
painless mire, strobe back the Brute,
picking his perilous way with the in.
stinct of some cunning. cautious ami.
NAL. and guiding-in fact bearing on
his shoulders half the time-the luck.
less PontO. That individual, his ugli.
ness enhanced by the clotted blood
that dressed his disheveled hair, and
decorated his countenance, was still
dazed He had vague recollections as
to what had happened. He knew that
at the command OF Hernandez. his
side partner in crime. he had plunged
once more into the deadly morass for
the purpose of finishing by violence
the deed that had commenced in Gun
ming. He had followed the Brute-he
remembered that.
He dozed off into satisfaction.
He woke with jolt 1t was a heavy
jolt When his eyes opened he was
on the ground, supine. He started to
leap to his feet, then sank back again
heavy with the pain of his wound
A laugh behind him startled him
turned swiftly, feeling for his knife
the knife that wasn't there
There was another laugh-the laugh
of his side partner Hernandez.
Fool" said Hernandez. addressing
Ponto
Ponto changed his demeanor. lie
drew himself up to his squatty height
and folded his arms.
Did ! not as you said?" replied
Ponto, 81 went into that hell and
killed them both did it single-hand.
ed, Ponto"
His answer was a sneer Herman.
dez stretched forth hand and
clutched Ponto by the shoulder
He dragged his lieutenant to the edge
of the clump of trees and mderbrush,
where they were standing. He parted
the branches OF tree. He handed
Ponto pair of binoculars.
Take one swift look. my Ponto." he
sneered only one"
Ponto took more than one-he held
his eyes glued to the glasses Then
he fell back in amazement
They live!" he cried. Both OF
them"
He stared at Hernandez almost in
alright. What does it mean?" he re.
peated.
ut means" said Hernandez. grimly,
that sent boy to do a mans job
You were quite right. should have
gone myself"
Down on the wharf Annette Ilington
and her party We're about to embark
in one OF the launches of the cruiser
Albany that lay still anchored in the
harbor. In Annotte's party were
Mademoisclle Irene Courtier, Mrs.
Hardin. Meals mother: Neal Hardin
himself, a warrant officer upon the
Albany, and the surgeon OF the crus-
er There were one or two other men
in uniform, an assistant surgeon pos
sibly. and an ensign. There were
bluejackets.
But above all, there were natives
galore. Natives by the dozens, by the
hundreds, and all in rags The whole
village had turned out to do homage
The little white angel. murmured
grateful mothers sinking down in An.
nette's path and kissing her dress as
she went by.
Unseen by any of the party-save
by Joe Welcher Inez swerved aside
and slipped note into the hands of
native, and handed him a coin.
Then she leaped lightly into the
launch and the launch steamed away,
followed by the cheers and the tears
of the Tortugans on the wharf.
Back in the Jungle, three men wait.
ed for advice. They had not long to
wait A treacherous looking native
slipped through the underground and
advanced swiftly toward Hernandez.
The epistle. Senior Captain, ne
said. 1t was the note from lnez Cas-
tro Hernandez seized it eagerly and
read:
I'VE are bound for La Plaza. Meet
me there. Meantime I shall do my
best TO secure Annette's precious
Iocket and the map. Your route lies
across the country. Adios. I. c."