Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-11-29
CHAPTER XIII.
PerlIous Places.


now called the little white angel even
by the shore squad from the cruiser,
felt her skirts plucked by q clptching
hand. She looked down. A native-a
mere bag of bones in a tumble of rags
--crouched at her feet
Little white angel" whined the ma
tive in Spanish-and Annette had
learned enough of the tongue to listen
to appeals for help-"my daughter
Just like you-so kind, and pretty.
She lies at deaths door. You have
food, you have medicine-and you can
lay your hand on her. She will get
we'll What you have done for 9th
ers you can do for her"
An officer from the Albany turned
The man was Neal Hardin.
Neal she cried, listen to him
talk to him for me. Ask him where
his daughter is-I1l go unless it's too
far.
Neal spoke to the man in his native
language. The man jabbered back
eloouently
only a short distance out of town.
said Neal, over that HILL"
'T'll GO" said Annette.
Neal pondered for a moment. "All
right, he said. "aad I'm free Just
now. I'll so with you"
The native leaped to his feet with
alacrity and ran crookedly ahead of
them. Outside OF the town they
plunged into underground and then
through woods-but the ground was
dry and the trail was fairly good.
At the door of hut the native
paused and motioned them in.
Neal and Annette entered side by
side. In a dark corner was a huddled
shape under filthy cloth. Annette
sprang toward it. AT that instant the
native dropped to the ground and
clutched Meals ankles tightly in each
hand At the same instant the hud-
died figure in the corner Ieaped to its
feet--it was no stricken girl-it was
Hernandez, with the light of triumph
in his eyes. And at the same instant
Ponto and the brute sprang into the
fray.
~
before Annette and Neal found them
selves bound and lying on the floor.
Neal, after few gasps for breath,
smiled at Annette forlornly.
Hernandez stamped his foot Il
viii give you two minutes to produce
the map of Lost ISLE" he said, land
if it 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, land the gloves
Ponto produced two sets of crudely-
fashioned head nets and hand gloves
made of mosquito netting. Inez 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"
Ah. said the native. Il and mighty
few beside. Be careful now"
Ponto turned to Hernandez. This,
he SAID. is the cause of all the pesti.
lence--this is the Quagmire at the bot.
tom OF cur hill-mosquito swamp"
There are not so many mosquitoes
here, returned Hernandez, not
enough in fact"
The native grinned. Not now-but
at night-at night they are legion
they are fiends, foul ficnds. And they
breed pestilence. On. Follow me-
Back at the Inn of the Spanish Don
Neal Hardin's mother began to grow
restive-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.