The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-04-26
A Story Of Seattle and
The South Seas
Hill Mystery
By FRED V. WILLIAMS

A--A9 VS. ne utle t4tn tillAt ne must
80 on. deeper. deeper into tho tangled
growth ana there 20 IN is terrible
heat md safety In hiding.
nayllEht--tho sun was over tho
ISLAND now. but where Benson fought
m night Il was ever twilight. Giant
Ties buzzed crooked way thru tho
tlghty-laced growth. lazy insects
erawled thru the slime q jungle
weed.
Benson's feet sank into a soft.
cooling mud lie was parched with
thirst. lis throat and lips were
swollen. his tongue on fre. lie
plunged his head Ia the ooxinE earth
and sucked the putFid water.
Refreshed for the moment he
raised his head and listened. The
steps In pursuit were nearer now.
He could almost hear tho sharp IN.
take % breath OF his enemy. She
was coming nearer. nearer. and be
must so on.
Benson renewed his hight Deeper.
deeper into the web Of jungle land
he crAwled. His arms and legs. rs
he erawled, sank deeper into the
mirc.
Now he rose unsteAdiiy 20 his feet
and elung 10 the tail grasses FOR sup
port.
A patch az sunlight In the dis
lance. an open space and across his
blotted vision there swept the face OF
the girl IN pursuit. II was scratched
and torn and bloody. as was his. bot
her eyes were alive with a fanRtical
flame. In them nenson saw the grim
determination 10 take his life.
In the brief moment ne stared At
her she saw him and uttered a cry
OF triumph. Benson dropped down
again and crawled slowly Toward.
Al every foot he sank deeper into
the mire. Now he was chokcd with
the mud. His eyes blurred. He felt
weak and faint. yet the knowledge
that death was near gave him AZ this
time unusual strength. He was not
ready TO die
Now. with leap. she was upon
him. lie covered and whined.
And then n strange thing hap
pcned Tho blow he expected did not
fall lie had covered his eyes 70
shut out tho sight OF approaching
death. He had waited. tense for that
moment. lowered his arms and looked
upon the woman. She stood where
he had first seen her. an expression
OF horror upon her face. her eyes
wide With terror. Der arms loose az
her sidc.
Tho giri aid not move. She stared
and stared. and staring. looked on be
yond him. Benson turned and stared.
too. and for time saw only dense
mass Of aiimlsh green underground.
Then. cut Of his weakness. Zen
son saw ray OF hope. She ap.
pearcd unconscious OF his presence.
Perhaps no had not seen him There
might be chance TO crawl away and
avoid her.
He started 20 rise. but could not
He was held fast by something
agains. which no had leaned for
support. II seemed 70 DO the trunk
Of jungle growth. a.
Benson screamed. Tho thing which
held him was soft and spongy. II was
alive. II shlmmercd In the half light
II was a rcptilian monster. huge
snake as big as large treo.
i He struggled. It's grip tishtened-
He was held In 10 fast an embrace
that he could not move. He fought
like mailman: he was fighting for
ilfa
Tho siri was fQrgotten. She was
not The thing &C fear now. II was
this great, coiled. creeping thing. this
colied jungle reptile. wound round
and round Ike great rope.
Where did II starf7. Where
did II endf. Benson looked up
and saw great head, slant,
smooth, with eyes OF green fro
that played In brilliant lights
upon the woman who had pur.
sued him.
Apparently II did not move. Yet
lit held the girl in tho grip OF It's
gaze. held her entranced. speilbound.
lhypnotized-
Slowly he saw rs great head draw
back and with sliding motion shoot
forward. covering the space between
II and the maiden with incredible
swiftness.
Its jaws snapped open and
4 from them spat a tongue like
fire, with dreadful hiss. Ben
son. in horror, saw the girl sink
to her knees, great red splotch
upon her bare, brown breast.