The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1921-05-24


become the principal danger. For b.
had heard that clang before: no 70
membered Jem Smiths white horror
struck face, and then his sigh Of ~
lief as the whatever it was
was shut in it's cage. And now if wa.
out, lodging through the trees lot
loose by the two men. He heard soma
thing crash into bush on his roht
and give snarl of anger. Like flash
he swerved into the underground ~
the left.
Then began a dreadful game uo
was still some way from the fenco
and he was hampered at every sion
by the man slung over his back IA
! could hear the thing blunderino
about searching for him, and sudden
ly, with a cold feeling of fear bo
realized that the animal was in FROM
of him-that his way to the gate was
barred. The next moment he sow
It.
Shadowy, indistinct, in the darkness
he saw something glide between two
bushes Then it came out into tho
open, and he knew it had seen him
though as yet he could not make ont
what it was
Cautiously he lowered the million.
aire to the ground, and took sten
forward. 1t was enough; with snarl
of fury the crOuching fo,r
shambled toward him. Two hairy arms
shot out toward his throat, he smell
the brute's foetid breath, hot and loath.
some, and he realized what he was
| up against. 1t was a partially grown
| gorilla.
For a full minute they fought In
| silence, save for the hOarse grunts Of
! the animal as it tried to tear awav
! the mans hand from it's throat. and
| then encircle him with it's powerfu,
arms. And with his brain cold as Ice
Hugh saw his danger and kept his
! head. It couldn't go on; no human
being could last the pace, whatever his
| strength. And there was only one
chance of finishing it quickly, the DOS
sibility that the grip taught him by
Olaki would serve with monkey as II
did with a man.
He shifted his left thumb an inch
or two on the brute's throat, and the
! babOon, thinking he was weakening.
redoubled it's efforts. And then, little
by little, the fingers moved, and the
! grip which had been tight before grew
! tighter still Back went it's head
something was swapping in it's neck.
| With scream of fear and rage II
wrapped it's legs round Drummond
| WI ,;+
denly there was tearing snap, and
the great limbs relaxed and grew
| limp.
For moment the man stood watch
ing the still quivering brute lying at
] his feet; then, with q gasp of utter
exhaustion, he dropped on the ground
himself. He was done-uttery
cooked; even Peterson's voice close
behind scarcely reused him.
| "Quite one of the most amusing en-
tertainments I've seen for long time
The calm, expressiOnless voice made
him look up wearjly, and he saw that
he was surrounded by men. The in
evftable cigar glowed red in the dark
ness, and after moment or two he
scrambled unsteadily to his feet
I'D forgotten your ID menagerie
! I must frankly confess" he remarked
''What's the party for?" He glanced
at the men who had closed in round
him.
"a guard Of honor, my younl
friend" said Peterson suayely, go lead
Yau to the hSuSe. / wouldn't hesitate
it's very foolish. Your friends
have gone, and, strong as you are,
don't think you can manage ten
Hugh commenced to stroll toward
the house
"Well, don't leave the wretched
Potts lying about. I dropped him over
there"