The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-01-29
EIGHTHsINSTALLMENT
THE SUN WoRsHIPERS
CHAPTER XXXlV.
The Junale Trail.

Inc jung Ie I rail-.
Embodied and stumbling, Neal was
led for miles over an almost urtrod
path.
AS he went he listened, and twice
he could have sworn he heard a WON.
ans voice, voice that he knew we'll
the voice Of Annette >Ilington. Once
he heard her scream.
Suddenly there was halt. There
was much whispering and the low
toned rchattering ofemany people. And
then Neal heard another scream
Meal! NEAL"
There was the trampling of 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 81
lence.
Finally without warning Neal was
seized in gigantic pair of arms,
tossed lightly over q huge shoulder
and was carried rapidly along. An
other d. r was opened and Neal felt
himself flung-a bit too violently
into the corner of Observation-Disclosures
ment. A door changed to behind him
and was locked and bolted. A voice
assalled his ears.
"Senor," said this voice, If 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 hiszhead and wrists
he felt the pressure Of cold, steel-the
back of g. 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 .everspreaent, brute.
1--WE keep you merely for safety,
senor,"- said Hernandez.
He swung on. his heel, thrust the
brute out OF sight ana. disappeared.
Neal noted now that he was con-
fined In stone cell-dingy, dirty, mis-
cradle. He jumped at once to the
correct conclusion. This was fort.
He examined his cell. critically. The
mortar was idisintegrating. The. fort
was5yeEy1 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
sazjug ofswater and q loaf Of disreput-
able looking bread. Almost at the
same time there was a. rattle at the
door of Annette's 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 a hand
and stroked her hair.
Annette was startled. Yet there was
so much docility in the expression OF
this halt man, half animal, that she
instinctively submitted to his touch.
And there was something else some
thing struggling for expression In
those strange, wide open eyes.
There was q quick step behind the
brute and Hernandez entered. An
nette shrank back into corner Of
the cell. ~. -,
The brute gazed at him, but still
stood his ground Hernandez In q
rage struck him sharply on the shout
Ter andsthTust him etowefdzt saooEa