Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-23
wEDNEsDAY-THE ROCK ISLAND ARGUs-AUGUsT

Again It was blank We looked ut
each other in a bewildered silence.
which was broken by discordant
burst of derisive laughter from Pro-
lessor Summarize.
1T is an open admission he cried.
What more do you want? The fellow
is a self confessed humbug. We have
only to return home and report him as
the brazen impostor that he is
May | come in?' doomed a voice
from the veranda.
The shadow Of squat figure had
stolen across the patch of sunlight.
That voice. that mOnstrous breadth
Of shoulder. We sprang to our feet
with n gasp of establishment as Chal-
Ienger. in a round. boyish straw hat
with a colored Observation-Disclosures with
his hands in his jacket pockets and his
canvas shoes daintily pointing as he
walked-appeared in the open space be
fore us. He threw back his head and
there he stood in golden glow with all
his old Assyrlan IuXuriance OF beard
all his native insolence of dropping eye
lids and intolerant eyes.
watch. that / am n few minutes too
late. When I gave you this envelope
I must confess that had never intend
ed that you should open it. for 1t had
been my fixed intention to be with you
before the hour. The unfortunate de-
lay can be apportioned between blum
dering pilot and an intrusive sand
bank I fear that it has given my col
league, Professor Summerlee, occasion
to blasphene. You need no chart of di-
rections now, since you will have the
inestimable advantage of my own
guidance. From the first I had deter
mined that l would myself preside over
your investigation. The most elaborate
charts would, as you will readily ad-
NIT, be a poor substitute for my own
intelligence and advice. AS to the
small ruse which 1 played upon you in
the matter of the envelope. it is clear
that had I told you all my intentions
should have been forced to resist I'm
welcome pressure to travel out with
you"
1t was Aug. . when we snapped our
last link with the outer world by bid
ding farewell to the Esmeralda, a
steam launch which Lord John Rox-
ton chartered to take us up the river.
Since then four days have passed. dur
ing which we have engaged two large
canoes from the Indians, made OF so
light a material skins over a bamboo
framework that we should be able to
carry them around any obstacle.
These we loaded with all our effects
and have engaged two additional In
dams to help us in the navigation. l
understand that they are the very two
-Ataca and Ipetu by name-who &C
companied Professor Challenger upon
his previous journey. They appeared
TO be terrified at the prospect Of re
peating it. but the chief has patri-
archal powers in these countries. and
If the bargain is good in his eyes the
clansman has little choice in the mat
ter.
SO tomorrow we disappear into the
unknown. This account | am trans
hitting down the river by canoe. and
it may be our last word to those who
are interested in our fate. | have. ac-
cording to our arrangement. addressed
it to you, my dear Mr.. McATdle, and l
leave it to your discretion to delete.
alter or do what you like with it.
From the assurance of Professor Chal-
lengeTs manner and in spite of the
continued skepticism of Professor
Summerlee | have no doubt that our
leader will make good his statement
and that we are really on the eve of
some most remarkable experiences.
When l wrote last we were about to
leave the Indian village where we had
been deposited by the EsmeraIda.
have to begin my report by bad news,
for the first serious personal trouble II
pass over the incessant chickering's be
tween the professors occurred this
evening and might have had a tragic
ending. l have spoken of our English
speaking half breed Gomez-a fine
worker and a willing fellow, but aff1ict-
ed, fancy, with the vice of curiosity,
which is common enough among such
men. On the last evening he seems to
have hid himself near the hut in which
we were discussing our plans, and. be-
ing observed by our huge negro Zambo,
who is as faithful as a dog and has
the hatred which all his race bear to
the half breeds he was dragged out
and carried into our presence. Gomez
whipped out his knife, however, and |
but for the huge strength of his captor,