Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-11
CONTINUED from Yesterdays starr
CHAPTER XXVI.

of New York harbop IN SeafcI
of her, at the same time tha1
CHRISTOPHER was in the midst OF MS
frantic endeavors to find her, Anne
vas stranded upon the deck or ar
old abandoned ship, lying half SUP
merged on the overgrown shore %
the DE Lesseps canal, waiting for th'
return of the native guide VINO nae
vanished, canoe and all. into the
depths Of that narrow waterway.
Anne's feelings. AS she came into
full realization of her position. were
: overwhelming and impossible TO sup
press. Gone was her former proud
seIf.assurance, her perfect control ol
her own destiny. Anne the capable
the competent, the high hearted
- Anne. the self-sufficient bachelor maid,
had vanished overnight. She would
have given the whole world Tor a
sight of Chris or her father-ot any
one she had ever known before. Any
one anywhere, in fact. but Stralne,
for terror of the man was stealing into
her heart Useless to try to deny the
fact that he was responsible Tor her
being placed at such disadvantage,
separated from the other passengers,
far removed from the watchful eye
of Christopher Dahlgren.
Anne Straine pleaded with her,
calling TO his aid every known art
of persua sion, please, please, my
dearest, don't worry. The man is
bound to return l haven't paid him
yet and these fellows are after money
first last and all the time. The
minute he comes We'll start on our
way. Why can't YOU trust me, dear
est" Have l ever failed YOU"
Never till now, Victor" Anne was
not to be sidetracked. Hers was a
direct, honest nature. accustomed to
speaking the truth at all times. and
the necessary receptions of IT, last
days had almost undermined her
morals. She felt like a liar I nd
cheat, and added to the shame of such
a feeling was the conviction that her
subterfuges had not helped matters
indeed. they had only made her posi-
ton more insecure.
And why now, Anne? Surely I've
done nothing to hurt you? / meant TO
help you by getting away from that
beach where we were stranded with
such incongenial people! The guide
seemed like an honest fellow. and as
sured me I'd have you safely in Colon
by nightfall. l made mistake. but
I don't deserve to be treated like a
criminal"' His eyes accused her, and
Anne was at loss to answer. Her
fears, however, could not be set aside
and again she questioned:
Victor, Wen be at Colon today,
won't we? Please. please promise
that. If the guide does not return /
shall start out and walk through the
jungle! / can't stay here another
night WON'T
"Why my precious child, you'll be
at Colon long before night. Please
try to calm down, Your distrust hurts
me cruelty"
The sun rose higher, the air grew
hotter and hotter. Anne sought the
shelter of the covered space upon the
deck. Straine alternately sat beside her
or paced about. The silence between
them grew and deepened. and still
the guide did not appear.
The sun was low when he finally
came into view around a bend in the
river, and Anne could not restrain a
cry of relief.
Thank God.' and sob escaped
her. Now we can go, Victor. Come,
come quickly"
Yes, dear, as soon as he comes
alongside" and Straine stepped over
the rail, HIS back toward Anne, and
called to the native. A short CONVEX.
sation ensued between the two as the
man padded the canoe alongside, and
Anne, scarcely knowing what prompt
ed the act, slipped an old envelope
from the wrist bag she. had carried
on her arm since leaving the Hope,
and fumbling for her pencil wrote /
upon it:
Leaving here safely at 500 pm.
Saturday 9Th, in canoe with Straine
and guide for Colon. Anne Morris
And before Straine could turn and
catch her, she slid the envelope I'M
der an old coil of rope, leaving cor
ner of it exposed. Then, joining him
at the rail. she took care. that he did
not look back.
You go first, Victor" she pushed
him toward the board used as gang
plank. Take my hand and III fol-
low"
Her stratagem succeeded. Victor
did not look hack. A minute or two
later Anne was seated once more in
the canoe, Straine facing her.
We are going a little farther into
the canal. Then we shall leave the
canoe and cross a strip of land be-
tween here and the Gatun Lake,
through jungle path. The man went
to arrange for another canoe to meet
us at the far opening of the trail and
take us across TO the far shore, where
an auto will he waiting and whisk us
into Colon in no time''
What about the Locks?" Anne
questioned, II remember how they
looked on the map, wouldn't it be bet
ter to go directly there"
Victor held another conversation
with the native.
He says that we'll make much
quicker time by auto" Straine report
ed the result of the interview. He
seems like a good, honest chap, Anne.
Let's be guided by him.
Anne restrained her doubts of this
good, honest chap" but admitted her.
self powerless to protest. A short
paddle brought them to point in the
shore so heavily wooded that it ap-
peared impenetrable. but here the
guide beached the canoe, and helped
them to alight, and here they plunged
into tangled growth of underbrush,
so dense that Anne was willing to
cling to Straine, and was kept busily
a work keeping the branches from
scratching her face to pieces.
1t was a long, hard walk. if you
could call it that, for it was more like
a scramble into a thicket, and al
though the guide welded his machete
constantly, cutting their way, it
seemed to Anne that she had never
been in such hopeless maze. Terror
of snakes, scorpions and other deadly
species of animal life possessed her.
Tales of people being bitten by taran-
tulas, stung by the deadly moccasin,
kept recurring to her mind, and all
Straine's efforts at comforting her
were in vain.
You're coming on famously, you
brave girl" he would assure her from
tine to time. Il was never so proud
OF any one in all my life. Oh Anne,
wnat woman you are, you beautiful,
wonderful creature"'
Anne scarcely noticed his ardor.