The Delta independent., 1916-08-04

ing cries. and then, lying down. wrltn-
ed in agony for some minutes before it
also stiffened and lay still. With yells
of triumph the Indians came fiocking
down from their caves and dancedsa
frenzied dance of victory around the
dead bodies, in mad joy that two more
of the most dangerous of all their enc
mics had been slain. That night they
cut up and removed the bodies, not to
eat, for the poison was still active, but
lest they should breed pestilence-
The great reptilian hearts. however,
each as large as cushion. still lay
there, beating slowly and steadily.
with a gentle rise and fall. in horrible
independent life. 1t was only upon
the third day that the ganglia ran
down and the dreadful things were
still.
One fact we had very speedily dis
covered-the Indians would do moth
ing to help us to reach the outer world.
In every other way they were our
friends-one might almost say our de-
voted slaves-but when it was suggest
ed that they should help us to make
and carry plank which would bridge
the chasm or when we wished to get
FROM them thongs of leather or Llama to
weave ropes which might help us we
were met by good humored but an
invincible refusal. They would smile.
twinkle their eyes, shake their heads.
and there was the end of 1t. Even the
old chief met us with the same obsti-
nate denial, and it was only Maretas,
the youngster whom we had saved,
who looked wistfully at us and told us
by his gestures that he was grieved
for our thwaEted wishes. Ever since
their crewning triumph with the ape
men they looked upon us as supermen.
who bore victory il the tubes of strange
weapons, and they believed that so
long as we remained with them good
fortune would be theirs. A little red
skinned wife and a cave of our own
were freely offered to each Of us If we
would but forget our own people and
dwell forever upon the plateau. So
far all had been kindly. however far
apart our desires might be, but we felt
well assured that our actual plans OF
a descent must be kept secret, for we
had reason to fear that at the last they
might try to hold us by force.
In spite of the danger from dino
saurs (Which is not great save at night.
for, as / may have said before, they
are mostly nocturnal in their habits,
| have twice in the last three weeks
been over to our old camp in order to
see our negro, who still kept watch and
ward below the cliff. My eyes strain
ed eagerly across the great plain in the
hope of seeing afar off the help for
which we had prayed But the long.
cactus strewn levels still stretched
away. empty and bare. to the distant
line of the canebrake.
"They will soon come now, Massa
Malone. Before another week pass In
dian come back and bring rope and
fetch you down" Such was the CHEEKY
cry of our excellent Zambo.
had one strange experience as l
came from this second visit which had
involved my being away for night
from my companions. I was return
ing along the well remembered route
and had reached a spot within a mile
or SO of the marsh of the pterodactyls
when i saw an extraordinary object
approaching me. 1t was a man who
walked inside framework made Of
bent canes, so that he was inclosed
on all sides in a bell shaped cage. AS l
drew nearer / was more amazed still
| to see that 1t was Lord John Roxton.
When he saw me he slipped from un-
der his curious protection and came
toward me laughing and yet, as l
thought with some confusion in his
manner.
"Well, young fellah," said he, "who
would have thought Of meetin' you up
hereT'
what in the world are you doingT
. asked.
"visitin' my friends, the pterodac-
tyls," said he.
But whyr'
"Interestin' beasts. don't you think?
But unsociable-nasty rude ways with
strangers. as you may remember. So
j rigged this framework, which keeps
them from bein' too pressin' In their
attentions"
But what do you want in the
swampT
He looked at me with a very ques-
tfoning eye. and / read hesitation in
his face.
Don't you think other people be-
sides professors can want to know
thingsT he said at last. I'm studylD'
the pretty dears. That's enough for
you"
mo offense," said /.
His good humor returned, and he
laughed.
mo Onense, young fellah. I'm goin'
to get young devil chick for CbaI.
lenger. That's one of my Jobs No.