Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-26

like the rest--that l am free to admit
But now do not want t.. / had intended
taking advantage of the first opportunity
| to return Miss Harding to civilizatton un-
harmed and without the payment OF a penny
| to any one.
THE reason for my change is my own
| AFFAIR. In all probability you would not
believe the sincerity or honesty of my mo-
| tives should I disclose them. / tell you
/ these things only because you have accused
me of double dealing, and do not wish the
man who saved my life at the risk of his
| own to have the slightest grounds to doubt
| my honesty with him. ! have been fairly
bad egg. Byrne, for q great many years
| but, pardleu, am not entirely rotten yet"
Byrne was silent for few moments He,
| too. had recently come to the conclusion
| that possibly he was not entirely rotten
either and had In a vague and half-formed
sort of way wished for the opportunity to
demonstrate the fact. Thus he was willing
to accede to another that which he craved
| for himself.
''Yeh listen, all right, cul" he said at
| last, IAN I'm wlllin to take yeh at yer own
say-so till learn different"
Thanks" said Theriere tersely. Now
we shall work together in the search for
Miss Harding. But where, in the name Of
| pipe, shall we start7"
wy, where we seen her last, OF course"
replied the mucker. fright here on top of
desc bluffs"
Then we can't do anything until day
light" said the Frenchman.
Not ting, and at daylight well most
likely have scrap on our hands from be-
low" and the mucker jerked his thumb In
the direction OF the cove.
IT think" said Theriere, that we should
spend an hour arming ourselves with sticks
and stones. We have a good position up
here-one that we can defend with ease
from an assault from below. If we are pre-
pared for them we shall hold them off for
a while and may take the time to search
about UP here for clues to the whereabouts
OF mademolselle."
And so the party set to work. to cut stout
bludgeons from the trees about them and
pile loose fragments of rock in handy places
near the clifftop. Therlere even went so
far as to throw up a low breastwork across
the top of the trail up which the enemy
must climb to reach the summit of the cliff.
When they had completed their prepara-
tions. three men could have held the place
against ten times their own number.
Then they lay down to sleep, leaving
Blanco and Divine on guard for 1t had been
decided that these two. with Bony Sawyer,
should be left behind on the morrow to hold
the clifftop while the others were hunting
for traces of Barbara Harding. They were
to relieve one another on guard duty during
the remainder of the night
Hardly had the first suggestion of dawn
lightened the eastern sky than Divine, who
was again on guard, awakened Theriere
In n moment the others were aroused and a
hasty raid was made on the cached pro-
visions.
Tho lack of water was keenly felt, but
Il was too far to tho spring to chance
taking the time necessary to fetch the
much-craved fluid, and those who were
to forge into the jungle in search of Barbara
Harding hoped to find water further inland
while 1t was decided to dispatch Bony
Sawyer to the spring for water for those
who were to remain on guard at the
clfftop.
hurried breakfast was made on ships
biscuit. Theriere and his party stuffed
their pockets full of them, and a moment
later the hunt was on.
First the men traversed the trail to-
ward the spring, looking for indications
of the spot where Barbara Harding had
ceased to follow them. The girl had worn
heelless buckskin shoes at the time she
was taken from the Lotus, and these left
little or no spoor in the well-tramped
earth of the narrow path.
But careful and minute examination on
the part of Theriere finally resulted in the