Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-24

WTV.
Y Asa.e
"ouioIt, young felIahI ouiok!" he
cried. Every moment counts"
had left him calm in his bearing, cor
rect In his person, prim in his dress.
Now he was pale and wild eyed, gasp
ing as he breathed like one who has
run far and fast, His gaunt face was
scratched and bloody, his clothes were
hanging In rags, and his hat was gone.
l stared in amazement, but he gave
me no chance for questions. He was
grabbing at our stores all the time he
spoke.
"Qulek, young fellah! Qulckw he
cried. every moment counts. Get
the rifles, both Of them. l have the
other two. Now all the cartridges you
can gather. Fill up your pockets. Now,
some food. Half dozen tins will do.
That's all right! Don't wait to talk
or think. Get a move on or we are
dOnel"
Still half awake and unable to i'm
agine what 1t all might mean, l found
myself hurrying madly after him
through the wood, a rifle under each
arm and pile Of various stores in my
hands. He lodged in and out through
the thickest OF the scrub until he came
to dense cIump Of brushwood. Into
this he rushed, regardless Of thorns,
and threw himself into the heart Of it,
pulling me down by his side.
"There," he painted. 81 think we
are safe here. They'll make for the
camp as sure as fate. 1t will be their
first idea, But this should puzzle
EN-"
what is It all?' l asked when had
got my breath "Where are the pro-
fessors, and who is it that is after us?"
"The ape men" he cried. my God,
what brutes! Don't raise your voice,
for they have long ears-sharp eyes,
too, but no power Of scent so far as l
could Judge, 50 l don't think they can
sniff us out. Where have you been,
young fellah? You were well out
Of it."
In few sentences I whispered what
had dope.
Then he told what had happened in
my absence.
ut was In the early mOrnin'. Our
learned friends were just stirrin'.
Hadn't even begun to argue yet Sud
denly it rained apes. They came down
as thick as apples out of tree. They
had been assemblin' IL, the dark, l sup
pose, until that great tree over our
heads was heavy with them. | shot
one Of them through the belly, but be-
fore we knew where we were they had
US spread eagled on our backs. call
them apes, but they carried sticks and
stones in their hands and jabbered talk
to each other and ended up by tyin'
our hands with creepers, so they are
ahead Of any beast that l have seen in
my wanderin's. Ape men-that's what
they are-missln links, and | wish
they had stayed missin. They carried
Off their wounded cOmrade-he was
bleedin' like a pig-and then they sat
around us, and If ever saw frozen
murder it was in their faces. They
were big fellows, as big as a man and
Il deal stronger. Curious CLASSY gray
eyes they have, under red tufts, and
they just sat and glOated and gloated.
Challenger Is no chicken, but even he
was cowed. He managed to struggle
to his feet and yelled out at them to
have done with 1t and get It over.
think he had gone a bit Off his head at
the suddenness Of 1t, for he ragged and
cursed at them like a lunatic. II they
had been row OF his favOrlte press
men he could not have slanged them
worse"
Il thought 1t was the end Of us, but
instead OF that 1t started them on
new line. They all jabbelcd and chat
] tered together. Then one of them stood
out beside Challenger You'll smile.
young fellah, but 'pon my word they
might have been kinsmen. l couldn't
have believed 1t II hadn't seen It with
my own eyes. This old ape mamie
was their chlef-was sort OF red
Challenger, with every one OF our
friends beauty points, only just triae
more so. He had the short body, the
big shoulders, the round chest, no neck,
a great ruddy frill OF beard, the tuft-
ed eyebrows, the what do you want
hang you" look about the eyes and
the whole catalogue. When the ape
mau stood by Challenger aud put his
paw GU his shoulder the thing was
complete. Summerlee was bit hys-
terical. and he laughed till he cried
The ape men laughed, too, or at least
they put up the devil OF a Cackln'. and
they set to work to drag us or through
the forest They wouldn't touch the
guns and things thought them danger
Gus, expect-but they carried away
all our loose food Summerlee and
got some rough handlin' on-the way
there's my skin and my clothes to
prove it-tor they took us a bee line
through the brambles, and their own
hides are like leather. But Challenger