Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-01-25
TENTH INsTALLMENT
THE ROLLING TERROR
CHAPTER Xiv.
Across Country.

E1I1y next morning, OUT OF I08t
painless mire, strobe back the Brute,
picking his perilous way with the In
rstnct Of some cunning, cautious ami
NAL. and guiding-in fact, bearing on
his shoulders half the time-the luck
less Ponto. That individual, his ugli-
ness enhanced by the clotted blood
that dressed his disheveled hair, and
decorated his countenance, was still
dazed- He had vague r~ecollections as
to what had happened. He knew that
at the command of Hernandez. his
side partner In crime. he had plunged
once more into the deadly morass for
the purpose Of finishing by violence
the deed that had commenced in cum
ming. He had followed the Brute-he
remembered that.
He dozed OF into satisfaction.
He woke with q jolt 1t was a heavy
Jolt. When his eyes opened he was
on the ground, supine. He started to
leap to his feet, then sank back again.
heavy with the pain Of his wound.
A laugh behind him startled him
and brought him to his senses. He
turned swiftly, feeling for his knife
the knife that wasn't there.
There was another laugh-the laugh
Of bis side partner. Hernandez.
/, FOOL" said Hernandez, addressing
,Ponto.
Ponto changed his demeanor. He
drew himself up to his squatty height
and folded his arms.
did ! not as you said?' replied
Ponto. Il went into that hell and
killed them BOTH did it s~ingle-hand.
ed, Ponto."
His answer was a sneer. Herman.
dez stretched forth a hand and
clutched Ponto by the shoulder.
He dragged his lieutenant to the edge
OF the clump of trees and underbrush.
where they were standing. He parted
the branches of a tree. He handed
Ponto a pair of binoculars.
Take one swift look, my Ponto." he
sneered, only one"
Ponto took more than one-he held
his eyes glued to the glasses. Then
he fell back in amazement-
They live!" he cried. Both Of
them!"
He stared at Hernandez almost In
alright. What does It mean?" he re-
peated.
1T means" said Hernandez. grimly,
that I sent a boy to do q mans Job.
You were quite right. should have
gone myself"
Down on the wharf Annette Ilington
and her party were about to embark
In one Of the launches Of the cruiser
Albany that Lay still anchored in the
hsrbor. In Annette's party were
Mademoiselle Irene Courtier, Mrs.
Hardin, Meals mother; Neal Hardin
himself. a warrant ofncer upon the
Albany. and the surgeon OF the cruis-
or. There were n or two other men
In uniform, an assistant surgeon ros-
sibly. and an ensign. There we're
bluejackets.
But above all, there were natives
galore. Natives by the dozens, by the
hundreds. and all in rags. The whole
village had turned out to do homage.
The little white angel" murmured
grateful mothers. sinking down in An
nettsis path and kissing her dress as
she went by.
Unseen by any Of the party-save
BY Joe Welcher. Inez swerved aside
and slipped . note into the hands Of
. native. and handed him q coin.
Then she ieaped lightly into the
launch ans the launch steamed away.
followed BY the cheers and the tears
OF the Tortugans on the wharf.
Back IN the Jungle. three men wait.
ed for advice. They had not long to
wait A treacberous looking native