The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-12-06

themselves III his jugular, his head
whirled in the sudden blackness which
rims eternity.
A moment later the ape rose from
his PROSTATE form. But Conlol did
not know-he was quite dead.
The lad, Mortified, sprang from he
bed to lean low W. the body of the
man. He know Akut had killed hhn
in his defense, as he had killed Pau
witch. But here in savage Africa, far
from home and friends, what would
they do to him and his faithful ape?
The lad knew that the penalty Of
murder was death. He even knew that
an accomplice might suffer the death
penalty with the principal. Who was
there here who would plead for them7
All would be against them. 1t was
little more than a half civilized com
munity, and the chances were that
they woul4 drag Akut and him forth
in the morning and hang them both TO
the nearest tree. He had read of such
things being done In America, and
Africa vas worse even and wilder
than the great west Of his mother 5
native land.
Yes, they would both be hanged Ia
the morning.
Last evening he had been determined
to start for home at the first oppor-
parents for this mad adventure. Now
he knew that he might never return
TO them. The blood Of q fellow man
was upon his hands. In his morbid re-
Election he had long since ceased to at.
tribute the death Of Conlon to the ape.
The hysteria of panic had fastened the
guilt upon himself.
Now he turned toward Akut,
Gomez he said In the language Of
the great apes. Forgetful of the act
that he wore only a thin pajama suit,
he led the way to the open window.
Thrusting his head out, he listened at
tentively. A single tree grew a few
feet from the window.
Nimbly the lad sprang to its bole,
cllnging catlike for an instant before
iN tihiiDNi'h luittiJ W tIC Sioullu DG-
low. Close behind him came the great
ape. Two hundred yards away u spur
of the jungle ran close to the strag.
Cling town. Toward this the lad led
the way.
No n saw them, and a moment
later the jungle swallowed them, and
John Clayton, future Lord Greystoke,
passed from the eyes and the knowl.
edge of men.
1t was late the following mOrnins
tt;l a native house tuan knocked t',ou
the door Of the room that had ben u.-
signed to Mrs. Billings and her graaa-
son. Receiving no response, he insert
ed his pass key in the lock, only to dis
cover that another key was already
there, but from the inside.
lie reported the fact to Herr SkOpf,
the proprietor, who at once made his
way to the second floor, where he, too.
pounded vigorously upon the door.
Receiving no reply. he bent to the key
hole in an attempt to look through
into h room beyond. In so doing,
being portly, he lost his balance, which
necessitated putting a palm to the floor
to maintain his equilibrium.
AS he did so he felt something soft
and thick and wet beneath his fingers.
He raised his open palm before his
eyes in the dim light of the corridor
and Peered at 1t. Then he Shuddered,
for even In the semidarkness he saw a
dark red stain upon his hand.
Leaping to his feet, he hurled his
shoulder against the door. Herr Skopf
was "A heavy man. The frail door col
lapsed beneath his weight, and Herr
Skopf stumbled precipitately into the
room.
Before him lay the greatest mystery
of his life. Upon the floor at his feet
was the dead body of a strange man.
The neck was broken and the jugular
severed as by the fangs of a wild
beast. The old lady and her grand