Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-07-22

IN some one whom he had not seen,
yet Of whose hidden presence hs wa
vaguely aware In some way this I'M
known individual reminded him Of
Nat-uI. the beautiful girl with whom
be had walked but yesterday beneath
the shade Of the tree ferns-Nat-ul,
the girl he loved.
Through the windows he could zee
people moving about within the lighted
interior, but he was not close enough
to distinguish features. He saw men
and women sitting about q long table,
eating with strange weapons upon
which they impaled tiny morsels Of
food which lay upon round. Dat stones
before them.
There was much laughter and talk
ing, which 6oated through the open
windows to the cave mans eager ears,
but throughout 1t all there came to
him no single word which he could In
terpret.
After these men and women had eat
en- they came out and sat in the shadows
before the entrance to their strange
cave. and here again they laughed and
chartered. for all the world. thought
M. like the ape people; and yet,
though it was different from the ways
Of his own people. the troglodyte could
not help but note within his own
breast strange yearning to take part
in tia longing for the company of
these strange. new people.
He had crept quite close to the We
randa now. and presently there aoated
down to him upon the almost stagnant
air message as clear as word OF
mouth, which told him that Nat-ul. the
daughter of Tha. sat among these
strange people before the entrance to
their wonderful cave.
And yet M could not believe the
evidence Of his own senses. What
could Nat-ul be doing among such as
these? How, between two suns. could
she have learned the language and the
ways Of these strangers?
It was impossible. And then man
upon the veranda. who sat close be-
side Victoria Custer. struck a match
to light cigarette and the fare of
the blaze lit up the girls features. At
the sight Of them the cave man in J.
UNFAIRLY sprang to his feet. A b f
smothered exclamation broke from mis-
lips, "Nat-ulv'
what was that?" exclaimed Bar
ney Custer: Il thought | heard some
one speak out there near the rose
bushes"
He rose as though to investigate. but
his sister laid her hand upon his arm.
Don't go, Barney" she whispered.
he turned toward her with Ques-
tioning look. Her eyes were dilated
with wonder and fear. her hands were
trembling and she was SO agitated her
brother was deeply concerned about
her. remembering as he did the strange
to which she was SUBJ
ject.
'whyT' he asked. cycling her fixed.
~. There Is no danger. Did you
not hear 1t too?'
YES" she answered In a low voice.
II heard it. Barney. Please don't
leave me-"
He felt the trembling Of her hand
where It rested upon his sleeve. One
Of the other men heard the converse.
ton. but Of course he could not guess
that 1t carried any peculiar signi6-
canoe It was merely an expression
Of the natural timidity of the civilized
white woman in the midst OF the say,
age African night.
TITS nothing. Miss Custer" he said
''l'll just walk down there to reassurs
you-a prowling hyena, perhaps, but
nothing more"
The girl would have been glad to
deter him. but she felt that she had
already evinced more perturbation
than the occasion warranted, and %
she but forced laugh. remarking that
It was not at all worth while. Yet in
her ears rang the familiar name that
had SO often fallen from the lips Of her
dream man.
When one Of the others suggested
hat the Investigator had better take
IN express rifle with him on the
:hance that the intruder might be Old
Rames. the sheep thief, the girl start
ID up as though to object, but 70
llizing how ridiculous such an atti-
ude would be. and how impossible to
explain, she turned instead and en-
cred the house.
Several Of the men walked down
nto the garden. but though they
about for the better part Of
,alf an hour they came upon no indi-
alton that any savage beast was lurk-
ng near by.
Always In front Of them silent ng-
ire moved just outside the range Of
heir vision. When they returned
gain to the veranda it took up its
position once more behind the rose
pushes. nor until all had entered the
bungalow and sought their beds did
he figure stir.
(To Be Continued.)
Poisonous Mushrooms.