Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-02-15

80
tered oaths Of the male members Of
her party. Just once she heard .
whisper.
Don't tell the women-for Gods
sake don't tell the women. They'll be
knowing. soon enough"
At that moment there was q distant
shout that grew stronger and stronger.
The cannibal crew answered tit roll
licked back and forth. Then In the
near distance Annette heard the break.
ing Of bodies through the underground
and Q fresh crowd Of sAvages ap'
psared. yelling like mad. This new
crowd seized Annette and swung her
to their shoulders. and with her, ran
through the underground like deer.
And then-they dashed Into the
clearing. They dartsd across the open
space. still with Annette In their
clutches-and laid her down before the
Brute-who still sat on his crude dais.
staring, always staring into space.
Annette struggled to her feet and
looked wildly about her. Her foot
touched something and she started
back-looked down.
The object was . skull.
Annette shrieked In terror-she
tried to hide her face but could not.
Sha saw, the fre-she looked into
the.eyes Of her fellow captivss. Upon
their forehesds sweat stood out In
beads-cold sweat. the sweat Of fear.
She asked . question Of them with
her eyes, but they turned their heads
away.
Then, understanding at last, Annette
swooned-slumped into . heap at the
feet Of the Brute.
Tho Brute staring. always staring,
rose to his feet. He stopped down.
But before he could touch the girl.
the chief, interviewed. The chief him.
self lifted her. and held her where the
god man could look upon her. He
mouthed and smacked his lips.
And the Brute. recognizing Annette.
nodded his head and smiled with that
vacant smile of his.
."Eye-yah." yelled the multitude Of
savages, the god Ii hungry-he will
eat"
"All-all will eat" cried the chief in
triumph. This white girl first"
He made another sign, and a dozen
savages broke away and came back
with huge logs. which they swung in.
to the dying IRE. sending its sparks
high into the air. They seized one
Of the long poles, and tied Annette to
tilted her with green. strong vines.
They waited for q moment to let
the fire gain Roadway.
They clustered round her, danced
about her-touched her.
Down on the beach, two merry men
leaped out of a lifeboat and drew
her we'll upon the shore.
THE gang" began the mate. Then
he stopped. With q wild yell he dart
ed up the beach. Neal by his side.
Whats happened" stammered
Neal. where are"
He said no more By this time they
were standing on the blackened EN-.
bers of a scattered fre-by the rude
hut shattered and b~roken-and by two
or three red splotches that stained the
white sand and soaked it.
Neal. his face gone white with ter.
ror. clutched the mate by the arm.
Blood" he gasped. blood. Whose
blood? You tell me that"
Then the two men-only two-still
side by side, sped on toward the jun
gle. The footprints led that way. At
the grove of palms they stopped. They
glanced about uncertainty.
Here" cried Neal. darting forward.
"a bit of Annette's dress. Come on"
1t was easy now, following this trail.
But ever and anon Neal glanced at his
comrade.
Whose blood?" he demanded. tell
me that"
And the two men-only two-went
on.
At last. guided now by shouts and
cries Of triumph, they reached the
clearing and peered ACROSS 1t.
my God" cried Neal aloud, Cook
look"
Two savages-two at first and then
a dozen-had seized the long pole and
had begun to swing 1t out across the
fire. Upon It, limp. unconscious, tight
ly bound. lay the form Of Annette.
Neal was ACROSS the clearing In .
bound.
Like q maniac, Neal charged into
tho group of warriors who held one
end of the long pole and stripped them
from It. With the same fearful energy
he charged into the gang at.the other
end and knocked them down. Then.
bestriding the PROSTATE form Of An
nette-and he knew not whether she
was alive or dead-he squared himself
and howled defiance:
Come on" he cried. "the whole
bunch Of you. Come on"
Over in q hut. crouched and cover.
ing, was Inez Castro-watching with
eyes wide with fear.
Hernandez" she shrieked. Her
nandez-here."
Hernandez crept toward her. you
are right, ,Senorita." he said. his breath
coming and going, his heart beating
like Q trip hammer with excitement,
you are right. II is not in our hands.
Now Is u good time. Let US get
away"
Horrible" cried Inez.
"Therefore-away.' went on Her
nandez leading her by the hand.
away from here-and to u fortune.
Lost Isle"
Horrible" repeated Inez, holding
her hand across her face .
"Ah," said Hernandez. nov dragging
her with him. q bit roughly. but they