Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-01
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TTNHE sun was well UP the following
i morning before the girl awakened, and It
was several minutes before she could re-
adjust herself to her strange surroundings.
AT first she thought that she was alone, but
finally she discerned a giant figure stand
ing at the opening which led from their
mountain retreat
It was the mucker and at sight OF him
there swept over the girl the terrible peril
OF her position--alone in the savage noun
tains Of q savage island with the murderer
OF Billy Mallory, the beast that had kicked
the unconscious Theriere in the face. the
mucker who had insuted and threatened TO
strike her. She shuddered at the thought.
And then she recalled the mans other
side, and for the life OF her she could not
tell whether to be frightened of him or
mott all depended upon what mood gov
erned him 1t would be best to propitlate
him.
She called n pleasant good morning.
Byrne turned. She was shocked at the
pallor of his haggard face.
Good morning" he said. How did yeh
sleep2"
"Oh, just splendidy, and you?" she re.
piled.
"So.so" he answered.
She looked ct him searchingly as he
approached her.
why, don't believe that you have slept
at allr' she cried
''t didn't feel very sleepy" he replied
evasively.
You sat up all night on guard" she
exclaimed. You know you did,"
THE chinks might O. been shadowln' us
lit wasn't uafe to sleep" he admitted.
but I'll teal Off a few dis mornin' after
we find a feed of some kind"
What can we find TO eat here?" she
asked
IBIS crlck u full o. FISH" he explained
AN Of youse tot a pin I guess we kin rig
up a scheme to hook n couple"
The girl found a pin that he said would
answer very nicely and with a shoe lace
for line and n big locust as bait the
mucler set forth TO angle in the little
mountain torrent. The fish. unwary and
hungry thus early in the morning, proved
easy prey, and two casts brought forth two
splendid specimens.
"T could eat dozen of dem mInnows,"
announced the mucker, and he cast again
and again. until in 20 minutes he had
goodly mess OF plump shiny trout on the
grass beside him.
With his pocket knife he cleaned and
scaled them between two rocks he built
fire, and passing sticks through the bodies
of his catch, roasted them ALL
They had neither salt, nor pepper, nor
butter nor any other Wand than the fish
but it seemed to the girl that never in her
life had she tasted so palatable meal, nor
had II occurred to her until the odor Of the
cooking fish filled her nostrils that no food
had passed her lips since the second day
before. Nd wcnder that the two ate raven.
ously, enjoying every mouthful of their re-
past.
AN now" said Billy Byrne, "T t'ink I'll
poun' my ear fer few. You kin keep yer
lamps peeled fer de chinks. an de first
phoney noise youse hears, wy be sure to
H. IN.l
upon the grass, asleep almost In an instant
The GIRL to while away the time explored
their rock-bound haven. She found that 1t
had but single means OF ingress. the
narrow pass through which the brook found
outlet Beyond the entrance she did not
venture, but through II she saw, beneath. a
wooded slope, and twice deer passed quite
close to her, stopping at the brook to drink.
1t was an ideal spot, one whose beauties
appealed to her even under the narrowing
conditions which had forced her to seek
its precarious safety. In another land and
with companions of her own kind she could
well imagine the Joy or n fortnight spent
in such Il sylvan paradise.
The thought aroused another--how long
would the mucker remain a safe compan-
ion? She seemed to be continually falling
from the frying pan into the fire. with
returning strength, and the knowledge Of
their utter isolation, could she expect this
brutal thug to place any check upon him
self?
Why, there were few men OF her own
station in life with whom she would have
felt safe in spending a fortnight alone upon
a savage. unciviliZed islands
She glanced at the man where he lay
stretched in deep slumber. What huge
fellow he was
Yet his very size yes. and the latent
brutality she feared were her only saliva
tion against every other danger than the
man himself.
He was physically natural protector
for he was able to cope with odds and
dangers that an ordinary man would long
since have succumbed to. So she Won
dered II she were both safer and less safe
because the mucker was her companion
AS she pondered the question, her eyes
roved toward the slope beyond the opening
to the amphitheater. with a start she
came to her feet, shading her eyes with
her hand and peering intently at some
thing that she could have sworn moved
among the trees far below.
No, she could not be mistaken-it was
the figure OF a man.
Swiftly she ran to Byrne, shaking him
roughly by the shoulder