Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-06
CHATTER NIN=lContinnedl

| MO HOUNDS over trailed fugitive more
~ surely and with greater skill than these
strange white barbarians from the under
/ world Through all his fear and agony
/ stern blessed their courage and their skill
| Men, by God They're men :" he NUT
| tered, as he thrashed his painful way be-
| hind them In the night
., ruddcn there somewhere ahead. far
ahead .u ;ha wi,derness--a cry?
Allan stopped short. his heart iraping
I Again he fired and his voice set all the
echoes ringing
4 cry He knew Il now. There could
be no mie'ake-a cry!
Beatrice" he. shouted In a terrible
voice, leap.ng forward The guides broke
into crOuchng run All three crashed
through the thickets, split the fern grasses,
struggled through the tall sabnr grass that
| here aDd there rose higher than their heads.
Allan cursed himself for fool That
other cry he had heard while on his way
from the Pau!llac 20 Settlement 'ililS-that
had been her cry for help-and he had
neither known nor needed.
Fool that I was on. damnablc idiot
that | was :" he painted al he ran
From moment 10 moment he fired. lie
paused q few seconds TO Jack "A fresh cart
ridEe-clip into the automatic
Thank God I've a belt fun Of ammJni-
ton 900 thought he and again smashed along
with the two Merucaans.
All at once formidable roar gave them
pause.
Hollow booming. deep, yet rising 10 n
wild shrek OF rage and horrid brutality,
the beast cry flung itself through the
Jungle
And. following II. they heard again that
mufFed drumming. as though gigantic fists
we're failing a tremendous tambour In the
darkness.
Master" whispered Zangamon rccoil-
ing a step. "Oh. Kromno what is that?'
Never have we heard such IN our place ="
added Bremiiu gripping his az tighter. rs
that man-cry, or the cry Of beast
one OF the beasts you told us Of, that we
have never SEEM"
Both, A man-beast, XIII! KIN"
Now Allan, sure OF his direction. took
the lead 40 longer he flashed the light,
and only once more he called
Beatrice, Beatrice Were coming :"
Again he heard her cry, but suddenly IL
died as though swiftly choked in her very
throat Allan spat blasphemy and surged
on.
The two white barbarans followed peer
ing with those strange, pinkish eyes Of
theirs, courageous still, yet utterly at
loss 10 know what manner of thing they
were now drawing near.
They burst through 4 thicket. waded
marshv swale and went splashing, stagger-
ing and slipping among tufts Of coarse and
knife-edged grasses, the haunt Of unknown
venOmous reptiles.
All three stopped.
beatrice Are you there? Answer :"
shouted Stern.
Silence save for peculiar mumblng
snuffie OF ahead. among the deeper shadows
Of a fern tree thlcket.
Beatrice :"
No answer with groan Allan shot
his light toward the thlcket. He seemed
10 distinguish something moving. To his
ears now came sound o. twigs and brush
wood swapping.
Absolutely void OF fear he pressed for
ward and the two colonlsts with him. their
weapons ready. Stern held his revolver
poised for instant action, His heart was
hammering, and his breath surged pant
lngly; but within him his consciousness and
soul lay calm.
For he knew one Of two things were now
70 happen Either that beast ahead there
in the gloom or he, must die.