Evening star., 1938-02-07

he srudsingly acknowledged his in.
debtedneas. Thanks" he muttered
ungraciously.
II understand" Christopher re-
piled, and bowed mockingly. He
Strengthened up and smiled at Denise
She could see that he was struggling
to keep his temper from resenting
MacCauley's boorishness, and made
amends with her eyes. He spun on
his heel and strode away towards his
house on the hill, afraid Of nothing
on Timora Island but . slight blond
girl.
Lane glanced up at MacCauley
who was staring malevolently after
the retreatins figure. Thanks Mac
he remarked, reaching for a cigarette
I'm glad you let him fix me up. In
stead Of messing around with my arm
yourself" He got to his feet I'M
steadily. "Come on" he said Help
me up to my shanty. I've got little
case Of fever in my system"
MacCauley grunted. "I'll go up the
river for the rest Of the month. You
can have a rest"
Lane shook his head. NO." he
said. that's my job. Inside Of q
week you'd have that whip of yours
out again. Remember what happened
the last time? I'll have q tough
enough time explaining to the Dutch
authorities how that one bloke man.
aged to get himself killed" He stag
gered and fell on his face. Mac
Cauley bent down and picked up
Lanes 100 pounds as lightly a. q
piece Of luggage.
"Okay. tough guy" he chuckled.
"You know what's best"
He strobe along the trail after Or
derins Pearson back to work. He
shifted the heavy body in his arms
as he reached Lanes four-room hut
and went in. He laid his unconscious
friend gently upon his bed. Any one
seeing his rough tenderness would
have been astounded at the incon-
grous softnesS. MacCauley was tough:
indifferent to pain and sorrow, but
like all tough men he had his Achilles
heel. Lane was the only man who
had ever befriended him and when he
wasn't savage. MacCauley returned
that friendship.
So Denise. standing in the doorway
and watching the big superintendent
trying to make his injured companion
comfortable. was totally unprepared to
accept MacCauley in this new light.
She made . slight noise and Mac
Cauley turned and saw her
"Well?" he demanded fiercely.
Il thought I could help" she fall
tered.
You can't Get out"
His curtness snapped the leash Of
her temper. and she found herself
saying the things that she had been
thinking. Us that so?" she flared.
Well. I won't! You're the one who's
going to get out. I'm tired OF your
nastiness. You're nothing but dumb,
insulting ape! I wish Christopher
had broken your neck. You ought
to be horsewhipped for the way you
treated john" she stopped, un-
able to make her rage coherent.
Douglas MacCauley's business sense
came to his help. 1t stood to reason
that q woman would make 4 COM
petent nurse and in Denise's hands
Lanes recovery would be swift and
decisive. There was . pressing need
for Lane to be well as soon as pos
sible. He and MacCauley would have
some business to attend to up the
river. "All right" he said, this be-
ing his day of defeats. you win.
Clear out for while and I'll undress
him"
He was gone when she returned .
half hour later.
Fiat On his back, Lane managed to
grin, his face damp with the sweat
Of agony. You're an angel" he
murmured. Tell me: how did ever
make Heaven"
Denise sat down beside him on the
edge Of the bed. bathing his forehead
with q cool cloth. Go to Sleep" she
murmured soothingly.
He refused. "MacCauley was pick
ing on the kid" he said Why?"
She told him all that she knew.
When she had finished he mumbled
beneath his breath. and she wasn't
certain If it was the result Of her story
or his physical discomfort.
"MacCauley's Z foolw the wounded
man fumed. "A stubborn fool who
doesn't know . thing about men.
Pearson would like to kill him, but
Parsons civilized. The natives would
like to kill him-but they're not civ.
iliSed." He sighed. Il wish we had
better communication with the main.
land. Something tells me were going
to need 1t. That cablell be cut the
instant anything happens. Hes spent
. little fortune in laying the cable.
and he'd die before laying out any
more money for radio sending set."
Lane slipped the sheet beneath his
chin. i've got . hunch that he'll die
before he gets the chance to choose"
He closed his eyes, and was soon
asleep.
AAAoe oAycu VIII nlm lOn3 After
night had fallen, doing her best ia
Keep his fever-wracked body comfort
able. At last MacCauley came in
and advised her to 60 home and re-
tire. She was too tired to object, or
notice the humility in his eyes. She
was interested in her thoughts. not
IN his hesitant apologies.
It wasn't until she was waking
across her porch that she realized
how exhausted she was. She wearily
opened the screen door, stepped into
her living room. Her hand automatic
cally searched for the electric light.
A rustic in the darkness frightened
her, and she stood still. Her eyes
became accustomed to the pale moon
light filtering into the room and she
saw the tall. wide figure Of Christ
opher rise from 4 chair and move
towards her
(Copyrisht, ia3a.)
Continued tomorrow
Tomorrow: Denise's visitor finally