Evening star., 1939-11-12

seen good deal more than Raeburn, with his lgnoran
girls would have believed This darling Government
- isn't he like the Cape Mounties in the pictures:
love them. He'll make it all right for us, won't you:
You'll come too? Please. Pretty please!'
Raeburns heart leaped up, but he kept his coun-
tenance mot bad idea' he said. Il really should
have given the district the some while ago:
but there urgent matters to attend to- 1t IL
be no picnic | warn you; but it won't be very long.
Winders began to look wide awake. I'll supply you
with stores at white trade rates. he said And Corayn
added to the clamor of talk which arising: please,
somebody don't forget the bottle of rum"
lHEY hadn't any rum, but Coralyn was glad OF the
mouthful of whisky that Harry Backwood forced on
her the afternoon they arrived at ga valley There
according to Winderss calculations, backed up by
-Raeburn knowledge of the district the thirteen men
or some of them or most of them had met with their
mysterious fate fate that far anyone could tell
not known to the natives. who usually know
everything. 1t had been gruellng ten days travel
like the progress of ant up and down the teeth OF
comb and Corayn. pucky though she was, had many
time wished she had taken on the role of female
explorer The carriers frankly rebelllous having
been sanghaed the job ships crews long ago were
impressed to serve the Navy.
'One too much bad place." they walled. TOO many
devil devil. Too many beeg senake he STOP.
u
snapped Blackwood whose temper growing short.
Of course there's snakes they have them all over the
country
Devil devil senake. This Gai-ga he walk
about place belong devil
'He MEANS translated the magistrate, that the
valley sort of promenade for evil spirits Shut your
heads you boys. You're going whether or no. Miss
Ames. reckon camp tonight, and tomorrow
make survey of the place
Blackwood said beating away the mosquitoes from
his wet face II suppose if took ten days, the pros
pectors would have taken about week to get there
'Iow does that affect your object:'
"According Winderss dates, and if we find traces
of old Ames it should prove he died three or four days
after his brother. Coralyns in luck.
Old Ames thought Raeburn. This girls grand
father But he was Young Ames. full of vrity and joy
OF life. his bride left behind in Sydney for little while.
.. gone to make his fortune young Ames who never
grew old Had the gods loved young Ames that they
dealt him death soono Wnders had whispered limited
things to the magistrate. "A scorcher that chap; stop
at nothing he wouldn't said he was wanted
down below might been, but don't hold he was; he
was too damned clever
They camped on the top of the ridge The night
warm heavy full of weird bush noises; birds croaked
like frogs birds cried like babies; and that was
enough screeched like murdered girl. The carriers
could not approach. telling each other horrible
tales and shivering. Raeburn said in the morning,
"They won't run now too much afraid They can stop
on the top of the ridge while go exploring Feel up to
more adventure, Miss Ames:
He is stut1y. she thought. Why doesn't he call me
Coralyn like everyone else They the Papuan patrol
officers are romantic when you get to know them Sud
denly she conscious of being hurried pushed for
ward almost without her will towards the brink OF
woman great adventure Once you said yes to man,
the current took you where? But she must answer
him. "Of course I'm longing to 60 on. I'm perfectly
thrilled Where do we go from here?
Blackwood quick to answer. There, reckon
He looked Raeburn Where the cave mouth is, half
way down." Raeburn said, That's right Coralyn
clapped her hands, and for the first time in several days.
put the whistle-ppe to her lips. Fifteen men, she
pped, Fifteen The dead mans chest - "Oh
caves, caves! 1t only wanted that They began to
L.,