The Dermott news., 1916-01-13

Struggling with her captors. An
nette stumbled on blindly through the
| jungle. Behind her she heard the NUT
tered oaths OF the male members of
| her party. Just once she heard a
| whisper
Don't tell the women-for Gods
| sake don't tell the women. They'll be
| knowing, soon enough
At that moment there was a distant
shout that grew stronger and stronger.
! The cannibal crew answered tit roll
licked back and forth. Then in the
near distance Annette heard the break
! ing OF bodies through the underground
and fresh crowd of savages APP
peared. yelling like mad. This new
| crowd seized Annette and swung her
to their shoulders. and with her, ran
through the underground like deer.
And then-they dashed into the
clearing. They daTtcH across the open
space. still with Annette in their
clutches and laid her down before the
| Brute-who still sat on hts crude dais.
staring. always staring into space.
Annette struggled to her feet and
looked wildly about her Her foot
touched something and she started
back-looked down.
The object was n skull.
Annette shrieked in terror-she
tried to hide her face but could not
She saw the fire-she looked into
the eyes of her fellow captives. Upon
| 10 cfnnH IN
beads-cold sweat. the sweat of fear
She asked question of them with
her eyes, but they turned their heads
away
Then. understanding at last. Annette
swooned -slumped into heap at the
feet of the Brute
The Brute staring, always staring.
rose to his feet He stopped down.
But before he could touch the girl
the chief interviewed The chief him
self lifted her. and held her where the
god man could look upon her. lie
mouthed and smacked his lips.
And the Brute, recognizing Annette,
nodded his head and smiled with that
vacant smile OF his.
"Eye-yah." yelled the multitude Of
sayages. the god is hungry he will
eat
"All-all will eat" cried tho chief in
triumph. This white girl first.
He made another sign. and dozen
| savagcs broke away and came back
with huge logs. which they swung in
to the dying fire. sending its sparks
high into the air. They seized one
of the long poles. and tied Annette TO
it-tiel her with green, strong vines
They waited for moment to let
the fire gain Roadway.
They clustered round her. danced
about her touched her
Down on the beach. two merry mon
| leaped out OF lifeboat and drew
her we'll upon the shore.
The gang began the mate. Then
he stopped With wild yell he dart
ed up the beach, Neal by his side,
What's happened, stammcred
| Neal. where are
lie said no more. by this dime they
were standing on the blaekened ON
bers OF scattered hrc-by the rude
! hut shattered and broken-and by two
or three red splotches that stained the
white sand and soaked it.
Neal, his face gone white with ter
ror. clutchcd the mate by the arm.
| Blood" he gasped blood. Whose
| blood? You tell me that.
Then the tive men-only two-still
/ III a., l. RI Ia
/ gle The footprints led that way. At
the grove Of palms they stopped. They
| glanced about uncertainty.
Here" cried Neal. darling forward
"A bit Of Annettc's dress Come on.
| II was easy now. following this trail.
| comrade
Whose blood" he demanded. tell
! me that
And the two men-only two-went
| on.
| At last. guided now by shouts and
cries OF triumph they reached the
clearing and peered across ii.
My God" cried Neal aloud. look
look
Two savages two at first and then
a dozen had seized the long pole and
| had begun To swing il out across the
fire Upon il. limp unconscious tight
ly bound, lay the form OF Annette.
Neal was across the clearing in n
bound.
Like a maniac. Neal charged into
the group OF warriors who held enc
end OF the long pole and stripped them
from IT, With the same fearful energy
he charged into the gang at the other
end and knocked them down. Then.
! bestriding the PROSTATE form OF An
uettc=a and he knew not whether she
was alive or dead he squared himself
and howled defiance
Come on" h. cried. the whole
4 bunch OF you. Come on
over IN hut, crouched and COVER
/ ing. was laez Castro-watching with
eyes wide with fear.
! oh, cb