The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-02-19
GODDESS

Sat the time couldn't under
stand you. You staggered through
the jungle in Q daze. striking ct the
creepers. Sometimes you would fall
and lay a. II you would never gel
ND. But you did.
"Once ron Tell in . pool Of water,
got yOu out. Your face Was COW
cred with Shiny things that wig
gled. ! brushed them all on and
Ashed in the pool Tor the knife Jon
lost"
Frank glanced ct her hands.
NO." she said. anticipating his
question. 'They were blistered from
the knife. After Q while you didn't
chop at the vines any more, but
would Just crash at them with your
body. So ] walked ahead and
chopped"
"You did THAR" Grahame's voice
WAS incredulous.
The girl nodded and hurried on.
ut want 20 bad. This afternoon.
when ! thought couldn't light the
creepers aa other minute. We
stumbled on an old road that
seemed to lead in the direction we
wanted to 60. II was like q con.
crete road at home. only the stone
blocks we're smaller"
tive heard Of them" said Frank.
1.-THE old Mayas built them. Usual.
~. though. they've been swallowed
by the Jungle"
This one was q godsend. We fol
lowed e until dark. Then Il
stopped. Just like that" She made
. downward gesture with her arm.
TWAS Ike waking OF On epss
= bridge. ! stepped out ana my
foot touched nothing. fell don't
know how far ] fell-into some
brush and rolled out Of II down Q
slope. ! think ! screamed, but you
didn't hear me.
was shaken. but not much hurt,
/ think. called to you but you
didn't answer. I thought I was IN
some kind Of . well, and You had
walked on, missing II.
II was really terrified then" She
smiled Q little apologetically. II
think ! was too frightened TO call
to you. I sat there-I don't know
for how. long. Then the moon came
up. 49,.
"You were lying Just q little way
from me. Your face was terribly
scratched. :.
"There were matches in your
coat. I made this IRE. There were
clouds Of mosquitoes" A tear glis-
tened on her cheek and fell. II don't
know where we are. We're lost,
Erankl Do you think there's any
chance. -"
She wept tiredly. Frank tight
ened the arm across her shoulders
with awkward reinsurance. She
rested her cheek against his shout
der. It seemed that she fell asleep
In that instant. He held her thus
for an hour, staring somberly at the
fires glow.
Curipusly he thought OF Spin
Hinslow's remark made weeks-or
was 1t years?-before. Janice Kent,
he had said with his characteristic
cynieism, was whalebone an d
gristle under her soft exterior.
But he hadn't meant that she
could stan d this hardship. The
routine Of the studios, however ex-
acting, had at the days end warm
baths, massage and proper food.
Here-no one knew better than
Frank Grahame-the priyations OF
the jungle would be brutality swift
and murderous.
The ride was gone. He discoy.
cred In q glance that his pistol was
not IN the holster. There was Q
sagging weight In his coat pocket
ammunition-bnt worthless without
the gun.
They had tho machete. but that
was little use as 3 tood-getter. Il
would serye 70 hack . tran through
the Jungle: that was al.
h How fbF they we're from the coast
BIB had no idea whatsoever. Die.
tanees IN the jungle are not COM
pnted IN mica but IN days Of travel.
They had no food--no means 70 pro-
vide themselves with food. Water.
eEep. mighs prove - be . problem.
They must depend upon the after
noon rain, or else drink the brack.
ish and germthickened water from
the swamps they might pasa Fur.
theFmore q casual wound. the small
miahap OF o thorn scratch might
become infected and prove more
deadly than snake bite.
Az he watched the IRE dWindled.
Mosquitoes sang closer. A slight
sound II the surrounding darkness
made him realise that jaguars we're
feroeious cats and might be lurking
about.
Gently he allowed the limp form
q his companion 70 rest upon the
ground. He took OF his coat and
covered With Il the upper part o.
her body. He threw fFesh fuel upon
the Gre. taxing care that some 81
i vas green.
-(cSpvirIt. 1854, - RWksvI IsusssJ