Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-16
CHAPTER XXXIr

| CHAPTER XNNIT.
| A SHARP attack of fever followed
4 Gerry's exposure and immersion. The
OLD woman of the inn knew no medica- =
ments, but she knew fever. She piled
blankets on Gerry and let him sweat II
out on the third day nature, assisted by
| ms magnificent physique, finally routed
| the attack. Gerry began to feel hungry.
lie called the old woman and ordered food.
| tor once food in Piranhas was plentiful
Mandioc' sweet potatoes, pumkins as we'll
as iowl, marooned on trees and wreckage,
| mad stocked the town as 1t had never been
stocked before Gerry ate heartily.
Then he began to think. The night
mare was all true. From his window he
looked out on the slowly receding waters
OF the greatest flood the San Francisco
had ever seen. Fazenda Flores was no
more. With It three years of his life
mad been wiped out. Outwardly he was
back where he had begun. But inwardly
he was cons away from the starting point
OF three years ago Alix had waited for
him. but he had not waited for her He
had given himself to Margarita and to
Margarita's son. Margarita and the Man
were dead. but the fact of his gift of
himself remained. What had he but the
shell. the husk Of himself, to take back
to Alx?
He called the old woman. He asked
her If she remembered him. She peered
at him. NO, master" she said, "I do not
remember you. You are like the foreigner
who was drowned, but he is dead"
Gerry shook his head. mot dead" he
said, only disappeared"
you are not he" said the old woman
"IIe could not talk words that one could
understand
Gerry nodded gravely. He felt as though
words pOIl1 mn lya him
81 have learned" he said. Now tell me
what became of the things l left here ?"
He went through the list.
The old woman checked off each item
and thnn shrugged her shoulders. She
led him to n little dark room whose only
light came from the interstices of the tiled
roof AS his pupils expanded he began
to make out one after another of the
bags that had made up his travelling kit.
"There is q letter." she said, and went
off to fetch it. Gerry dragged the bags
out into the light. Their locks were all
sealed with the seal of the American Con-
sulate at Pernambuco. He started knock
ing off the brittle wax. The old woman
came back with the letter and handed 1t
to him. He tore it open. 1t was a note
from the consul saying that by order of
Gerry's wife his things had been sealed
and left at the inn, and telling him where
to find the keys. The room, he learned
from the old woman, had been paid Tor
regularly at first by the month, then by
the year. She felt no resentment at his
return. only resignation You are the
only guest I've had since YOU went away"
she said quantity and with a sigh.
Fear nothing" said Gerry kindly.
"You have been faithful. You may con-
slider the room engaged by me for the
next 10 years"
He carried his bags into the room over
looking the river and then lay down. He
was too tired after the fever to open
them He knew that the opening of those
dust-covered bags with their rusted metal
fittings was going to be another ordeal.
The next day Gerry sat before his un-
packed bags. He had turned out all their