The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-02-19


seeing Annette's plight, "quick-re-
storatives-succor for this young girl
Hernandez took advantage of the
confusion-though he himself was Cd
fused beyond all peradventure. Lis
ten," he said to Inez, leave her with
the Brute-go at once. 4sIM do the
rest" p -
Unnoticed, 1nez and the Brute
obeyed. They left the room, hurried
across the courtyard and disappeared.
Hernandez watched them go. His
GOODNESS returned. Swiftly, with one
bound, he was upon Brother Anselmo
and had seizedtthe iron box in his iron
grasp r.#4 80 " u
Imam instant he was across the
room. (
Z But; Brother Anselmo had done
something more than pray and sleep
in his quiet existence. He was an &C
tive, we'll trained individual With p
loud cry he leaped across the inter
vening space, and bounded upon the
shoulders of Hernandez ~ ssss&,
Help, help, brothers" he command
ed. : 3 r
There was help aplenty. Hernandez"
fought like mailman, but the broth
ers chung to- him like leeches. Slowly,
however, he worked his way, toward
the nearest exit---an then with a
mighty wrench, he:threw off all his as
sailants including Brother Anselmo,
and darted, with a mighty leap out
through the doorway. r..a%.
He bounded into the arms of Neal
Hardin and his squad.
Neal saw at glance what had hap
pened. He seized Hernandez wrist
the wrist of the hand and arm that
held the iron boz, and twisted It sud
denly, painfully. Hernandez dropped
the bcx-but jerked away from Neal,
spTang to a window and disappeared.
behind him he heard the steady
p1uI-i,!'lp OF many footsteps the
steady Iope Of marines that eats up
the long miles in less time than it
takes to tel! it. ~
Damn them" said Hernandez, ~
beat them to it yet
There was report-a ping. Herman
dez had reached the edge of the green
oasis. He screamed with pain. It
was as though a red hot iron had
scared him. he had been hit in the
arm.
Damn you he screamed in pain,
I'll beat you to it, yet
With almost unseeing eyes he tore
across the small green space-and
then he stumbled, and slid, slid, slid
into what seemed a bottomless pit.
He just escaped stake-a bloody
one And he fell-or rather slumped-
upon something soft and Yielding
With another oath he rose to his feet
and peered about him. Then he drew
back in terror. ''
There lay Ponto-his mate-dead,
distorted. r.
Hernandez screamed in terror-he
was only human. This thing was hor-
rible A shadow startled him. He
looked upward. The Brute was peering
down-he was doing more-he slowly
slid down into the pit and caught Her.
nandez in his grasp. Then, somehow,
using his broad shoulders and his
arms and knees he worked his way
back again to terra firma, and drew
Hernandez grooming with the pain of
his wound-up after him. Then with
the nimbleness of deer, the Brute
after singing Hernandez upon his
back-trotted off into the safety of the
beyond
Back at the monastery, Annette III
ington opened her eyes and looked in
to the face of Brother Anselmo.
Il am Annette nington," she ex-
claimed, 81 am the heiress of the
Lost Isle Of Cinnabar.'' .....-.sr:
Brother Apselmo turned to Ensign
Neal Hardin 80 20 - i
Does she speak truth?" he queried.
"She does" said Neal, "and my gov
eminent will back her to the limit.
She is what she says she is. We all
will vouch for that"
"Ah," unused Brother Anselmo.
what a wonderful thing is prayer
what wonderful thing is Sleep L.
He stopped. Il have prayed" he
went on, slowly, puzzled, 'but not yet
have solved the mystery of the eyes
of that big man-the eyes"
He stopped again. the eyes of
Annette Ilington were riveted upon
him.
GRO BE coNr1NuED.)