The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-05-14
!, SERIAL STORY


ually as the small Hulc car q
van moved farther into the Jun
gle. but the matted roof OF trees
above them kept off the heaVi'
est force of the rain.
For the first hour along tho
slippery trail there was con
slant checking of mules and lug
gage by the muleteer, the indtat
servant boys and Renaldo. Then
satisfied the baggage was secure
and the mules arranged IN the
best order possible, they settled
Z down to the arduous, monoton-
Gus task of sticking onto the
muscular little animals as they
made their way over steep, slip
perry roots and pulled them
selves out of mud holes.
Barry, hopping the water
from his face, peered ahead at
Allisons slight figure beginning
to slump in the saddle. How
YOU coming?" he called.
Whom she didn't answer, he
spurrcd his mule ahead at a
wide spot i'm the trail and came
alongside her. There was look
OF strained pain on her face UNI
der the rivulcts of water.
Anything wrong" Honest
concern and humorous malice
blended nicely in Barry's voice.
She pulled up the corners of
her mouth in angry imitation OF
r mirth. "Wrong?" she echoed,
Ter voice webbing shrilly. She
aised one trembling hand and
,lshed back tendrils of escaping
nair, with a fluttering laugh.
What could be Wrong?' she
scoffed, bitterly. Beyond being
broken in 16 pieces, every tooth
iii my head shaken out by this
fiendsh beast of mule, and
baked and drowned at the same
time, I'm just fine. How are all
your family?"
Barry threw back his. head
with a laugh. 1T hasn't touched
your disposition yet he said.
If l every find out" she add
cd, vehemently, that there S
any other way of getting into
that plantation than over this
torture rack, I'll shoot Renaldo
right in the middle of that beau
tiful back of his and draw and
quarter him with my own
hands"
Renaldo turned about in his
saddle with dismayed smile.
After an hour or So he sug-
gested, 1--WE might stop for an
carly lunch"
you can put me right in the
kettle" Allison blazcd. III be
dead and pounded tender by
then"
The rain went steadily on. BY
afternoon the trail was a quag
mire and the mules progress
painfully slow. Allison had re-
vived somewhat during the
pause for lunch-enough to re-
sent Renaldo's plea that she go
back to Puerto Barrios.
Have l held you up this
morning." she demanded indig-
nantly.
NO. Renaldo admitted, his
sharp, dark eyes brooding over
her pale face, but l can't bear
10 see you suffer-
You'll have TO bear it,"
snapped Allison. DO you want
me to get repressions?'
AS the afternoon wore on the
Jungle grew denser, the trees
larger. The buzz Of insects rose
in heavy pail of sound. The
jungle seemed suddenly to have
closed in around them.
Allison turned and motioned
Barry to crowd his mule closer.
He thought he caught frighten-
cd CLINT in her wide eyes. She
began to talk brightly.
Il have some Magyar knives
that were dug from around
here" she told him. Father sent
them to me once. Did you know
this was Magyar country"
Rcnaldo smiled back at them.
1t was the chicle scouts look
ing for zapote trees who discov-
cred the Magyar ruins he said,
so, you might say. if it were
not for the gum cheWers, the
ancient civilization might never
have been known to historians. ="
Il wish Id had that argument
to use when | was kid, laugh
cd Barry. Il never could con-
vince mother that l was abetting
culture with my gum chewing.
The light moment was broken
by Allison's scrc' m. Her mule
had stepped into one OF the
treacherous suck holes. The
mud was rising rapidly around
his knees.
What can do?" she scream
ed.
Rcnaldo called curt directions
TO his own beast and tugged on
his reins. 1t backed slowly to-
ward Allison's until its tail
touched the other mules desper-
ately failing head. The strug-
Cling little animal seemed rcas-
sured. 1t grasped the lead
mules tail with its strong white
teeth. Rcnaldo lcapcd off and
pulled. His mule strained for
ward. Allsons smaller animal
held on grimly. his legs, kicking
fcebly at the sucking mud. Slow
ly he was pulled free and
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