The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-02-12
TENTH INSTALLMENT
The ROLLING TERROR
CHAPTER Xiv.
Across Country,

Early next morning, out of that
painless mire, strobe back the Brute,
picking his perilous way with the in
st1nct Of some cunning, cautious ami
NAL, and guiding-in fact, bearing on
his shoulders half the time-the luck
less Ponto. That individual, his ugli-
ness enhanced by the clotted blood
that dressed his disheveled hair, and
decorated his countenance, was still
dazed. He had vague recollections as
to what had happened. He knew that
at the command IL Hernandez, his
side partner in crime, he had plunged
once more into the deadly morass for
the purpose of finishing by violence
the deed that had commenced in cum
ming. He had followed the Brute-he
remembered that.
He dozed off into satisfaction.
He woke with a jolt. 1t was heavy
Jolt. When his eyes opened he was
on the ground, supine. He started to
leap to his feet, then sank back again,
heavy with the pain of his wound.
A laugh behind him startled him
and brought him to his senses. He
turned swiftly, feeling for his knife
the knife that wasn't there
There was another laugh-the laugh
of his side partner, Hernandez.
"Fool," said Hernandez, addressing
Ponto.
Ponto changed his demeanor. He
drew himself up to his squatty height
and folded his arms.
did I not as you said?" replied
Ponto. II went into that hell and
killed them BOTH did it single-hand-
ed, Ponto."
His answer was sheer. Herman
dez stretched forth hand and
clutched Ponto by the shoulder.
He dragged his lieutenant to the edge
of the clump of trees and underbrush,
where they we're standing. He parted
the branches of tree. He handed
Ponto a pair of binoculars.
Take one swift look, my Ponto," he
sneered, "only one."
Ponto took more than one-he held
his eyes glued to the glasses. Then
uO l041 UdCh Ill dlAtSA0A0Ats
"They Hve!" he cried. Both Of
them!"
He stared at Hernandez almost in
alright. What does it mean?" he re-
peated.
1T MEANS" said Hernandez, grimly,
that I sent boy to do mans job.
You we're quite right. I should have
gone myself"
Down on the wharf Annette Ilington
and her party were about to embark
in one Of the launches of the cruiser
Albany that lay still anchored in the
harbor. In Annette's party were
Mademoiselle Irene Courier, Mrs.
Hardin, Meals mother; Neal Hardin
himself, a warrant officer upon the
Albany, and the surgeon of the cruis-
or. There we're one or two other men
in uniform, an assistant surgeon pos
Slbly, and an ensign. There were
bluejackets. !,
But above all, there were natives
galore. Natives by the dozens, by the
hundreds, and all in rags. The whole
village had turned out to do homage.
THE little white angel" murmured
grateful mothers, sinking down in An
nette's path and kissing her dress as
she, went by. -
Unseen by any of the party-save
by Joe Welcher, Inez swerved aside
and slipped a note into the hands OF
native, and handed him coin.
Then she leaped lightly into the
!! launch and the launch steamed away,
! followed by the cheers and the tears
Of the Tortugans on7the wharf.
Back in the jungle, three men wait.
ed for advice. They had not long to
lwatt. A treacherous looking native