The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-08-16
CHAPTER ".


II was while they were makinI
their way toward the other elf
which Miss Leslie had suggested
scaling that she found the magnify
ing glass In the pocket OF Blake
coat. This meant fire and Hlak.
was almost Wild with delight. How
Il had remained there all this tim.
none Of them could imagine. unless
1t had been caught Ia the lining.
However. there II was. and al
three we're duly thankful. Ever
Winthrope. who took every oppor
tunity 10 assert his contempt foi
Blakc's lack OF social training
Much OF his sarcasm was covert
however. for he had a wholesome
respect for Blake's physical de
velopment at least. But ho lost nc
chance to regret TO Miss Leslie In
private that Blake was not a gentle
man.
A for the girl herself--it wa,
impossible for her not TO have mis-
givings. In spite OF W1nthrope',
many assurances and references q
tho fact that he was gentleman
she could not forget that he had
been her unwelcome sutton on
board ship. and her distrust OF him
was not wholly overcome. She was
alone In an absolute wilderness
with two practically unknown men
But even her natural fears were
somewhat forgotten with the build
ing OF their first fire. Instead ol
trying to find a way TO scale the
other ridge. Blake led them all back
to the ieopard's den. where the two
men built n great fire. II was not
long before they succeeded In suf
locating the old cat and her pups
These were skinned with infinite
difficulty By Blake with the aid oi
the penknife and some sharg
stones. while Winthrope and Miss
Leslie built an immense fire in the
cave itself and fumigated II.
When at last they had made Il
lit shelter for the girl. Blaks
called them TO a meal OF brollec
leopard steaks. Even this rude
food was delicious after their cocoa
nut diet.
During the next few days. sew
eral important things were &C
complished, not the least being ths
burning thru. near the base. a tai
tree growing near the cliff wall
This tree. Just before II fell. the
two men pushed over against the
cliff. thus making a sort OF tree
ladder by which they we're able "a
reach the top. Here they gathered
the sea-fowl eggs which Blake had
coveted. These made a welcome
change In their diet. as did the
tender bamboo sprouts which Miss
Leslie found.
This last find was a great dis
covery. not only in the way OF food
OF the stout bamboo Blake was able
TO make sharp knives, bows and ar
rows, spears. racks on which to dry
the leopard skins, and a stout
screen for Miss Leslle's cave.
Meantime the girl proved the
stuff she was made OF by inslstinl
upon taking over her share OF the
work. She learned to broil steaks
and when Blake brought clay from
the river bed with which to fashion
some rude cooking utensils, hel
knowledge OF the firing OF hand
painted china was useful. They
succeeded In producing several un
cracked vessels In which food eoulc
be boiled or stewed. This was very
necessary. as Blake explained, for Q
diet Of meat alone was apt 10 caus,
various serious illnesses, especial,
In that tropical climate. But Will
this problem solved they had littl,
to fear since they had come into
sole ownership OF the clear spring
The days slipped by almost un
needed. Blake saw to It that moi
only himself but his companions
had work TO occupy every hour o.
daylight. When not engaged II
cooking and fuel gathering, Miss
Leslie was learning by painful ex
perience the rudiments OF dress
making.
At the start she had all bu
ruined the beautiful skin OF thu
mother leopard before Blake
CHANGED to see her and took Owe
the task OF cutting IL into shap'
for a skirt. But when II came e
making a waist OF the cub fur. HI
said that she would have 10 puzzle
out the pattern from her other one
Between cooking three meals da,
over an open fire, gathering severa
armfuls OF wood, and making
dress with penknife. thorn and cat
gut, the girl had little time TO thinl
OF other matters than her work.
Her own skirt OF white cloth wa