The Delta independent., 1916-07-21

cried. EVERY moment counts"
my hand feeling for rifle. gave a
cry of joy as in the cold gray light l
saw Lord John Roxton kneeling be-
side
1t was he, and yet 1t was not ne.
had left him calm in his bearing, cor
rect in his person, prim in his dress.
Now he was pale and wild eyed. gasp
ing as he breathed like one who has
run far and fast His gaunt face was
scratched and bloody. his clothes were
hanging in rags. and his hat was gone.
l stared in amazement, but he gave
me no chance for questions. He was
grabbing at our stores all the time he
spoke.
"Quick, young fellah. Quick" he
cried. Every moment counts. Get
the rifles. both of them. l have the
other two. Now all the cartridges you
can gather. FIJI up your pockets. Now.
some food. Half dozen tins will do
That's all right! Don't wait to talk
or think. Get move on or we are
done!"
Still half awake and unable to i'm
agine what It all might mean. found
myself hurrying madly after him
through the wood. rife under each
arm and a pile of various stores In my
hands. He lodged In and out through
the thickest OF the scrub until he came
to a dense clump of brushwood. Into
this he rushed. regardless OF thorns.
and threw himself into the heart Of 1t.
pulling me down by his side.
There" he painted. II think we
are safe here. They'll make for the
camp as sure as fate. 1t will be their
first idea. But this should puzzle
EN-
What is it ally' | asked when ! had
got my breath. Where are the pro-
fessors. and who is it that is after us?'
The ape men, he cried. MY God.
what brutes. Don't raise your voice.
for they have long ears-sharp eyes.
too. but no power OF scent. 50 far as I
could judge. so don't think they can
sniff us out. Where have you been.
young feilah? You were well out
Of it
In few sentences ! whispered what
| had d.ne. -
Then he told what had happened In
my absence.
1t was In the early mornin. Our
learned friends were just siirrin
Hadn't even begun TO argue yet. Sud
denly it rained apes. They came down
rs thick as apples out of a tree. They
had been assemblin' In the dark. | sup.
pose. until that great tree over our
heads was heavy with them. I shot
one Of them through the belly. but be-
fore we knew where we were they had
MS spread eagled on our backs. I call
them apes. but they carried sticks and
stones IN their hands and iabbcrcd talk
to each other and ended up by tyin
our hands with creepers. so they are
ahead of any beast that have seen In
my wnnderin's. Ape men-that's what
they are-missin' links. and wish
they had stayed missin They carried
Off their wounded comrade-he was
bleedin' like u pIg-aDd then they sal
around us. ana II ever I saw frozen
murder II was In their fnces. They
were big fellows. ns big ns n mnn and
II deal stronger. Curious glycsy gray
eyes they hive. under red tnfts. and
they just sat and gIOnted ard gioatcd.
Challenger IL no chicken. hut even lie
was cowed lie managed to struggle
to his feet. and yelled out NJ them to
have done with II and get II over |
think he had gone n bit or his head NJ
ties suddenness OF H. for he rngcd and
cursed at them like II Iunatir. " tbcy
had been a row or his fnyoritc press
men he could not have slnnged then,
worse"
~ Thought II was the eDd OF ns. bnI