The evening world. Newspaper, April 1, 1915, Page 23

[ é t BU Fanelli aa i t a e 5? i ! te it i i é } H Hf CHAPTER VIII. (Ovattoeed.) The Storm and After. B® were content tm our simple W Gaiming us both—a atiliness that drew us each to each, enwrapping me in the magia of @ dream, eo that the morrow, the ship, the as the fret man and wom- world of far-off forest. at her feet, my glance dweil- I} the intentness of fasci- upon the whole perfection ef pearness, a vibrant silence everything. We were alone, In the eloquent silence owt with unsilenced voices. wonderful—wonderful!” 1 “And I bave the te- merity to imagine that you could care for me. Beautiful as you are, Beave and capable; and I the typical city man. Oh, | suppose I'm a fool even to think of it; but I just hed to come out with it. I couldn't keep quiet any longer. I"—— Her eyes, soft as the ailver on the waters, turned to mine, their glance eweetly troubled. “It'e moonlight, and we're alone teyiag to fight out something to- gether, You understand? You must understand.” She clasped my hand gently. “You've served me like a knight- errant, sir, Don't think me ungra' fal, Dut other thinge—things more important" — “Ob, I'm @ stupid fooll™ I sald, and eprang to my feet. “We came ashore te beat them at their own game, and we'll do it. I'll try to be something better than the typical city m: “Forgive me for that,” she said softly. “It was only a phrase; it meast sothing.” “Oh, you were right enough,” I eald wearily. My eyes, roving out to sea, caught sight of something like jewels flashing out of the sliver. “Tack!” I said. “The boat—returning!” ehe whis- White and ghostly it crept across that sea of radiance to where the yadht lay beyond the coral reef, seom- ingty euspended by millions of radiant streamers. It reached the ship's side; the ope ladder was flung down, and we eaw the men crawl up lilp #0 many epiders, Then the boat ewung Up out of the water, and the ebip's siren gave the signal of departure. Slowly the graceful craft glided away, & White bird in a sea of moonlight, the blaek smoke from its funnels dancing bebind like many fantastic hebgob- lies Our bande clasped, we watched al- moet breathlessly for close upon an hour, until the bad vanished, ‘Then, with one accord, we sighed re- lMef—e great, all-embracing sigh, peat up @ince the arrival of the boat, “They don't know we're here,” I said joyously. “And they'll be gone for two daye— maybe more, Two days,” ehe added , “Much may be done in two ai Somehow the remark seemed to be the glove of challenge. The Bver FITZALAN wee ye “And @ill be done” was my re OF PRECEDING ORArTERS = eponse 1 bed pleked up the ginve CHAPTER IX, | Among the Tents. NE encoming sight trough! the ebill of the tropteai af: tor- dark, and multitudes of annoying insecta The fact that Migs Velentine was ad tn o wet dathing-oull, end that we both began to shiver, tended to hasten our projected eliack upon the comp ' “The island's very email,” I eald re Mectively, “But tt ts thickly weeded, | end it ought not to be hard for us to lose ourssives, to say nothing of etumbiiag through brier patches and bogs, Bo I think we'd better try the trees.” | We descended the littie hillside and | worked our way around the horse. ehoe curve of the island, occasionally | coming upon ebarp shells and stones which caused us much annoyance. | The camp of our enemies was not very hard to find. A fire advertised it at some distance, and the ghostly | Outlines of the tents were very plata | against the woods, ‘We turned back into the woodland, keeping the genera! direction of the camp in mind, with the intention of | attacking from the rear, ‘We tried to keep a general idea of direction, and at last we began to get giimmers of the moon again. Strangely enough our course began to take Up-bill again; we tolled through creepers and past vague tree-forma, until finally the full glory of the night was again revealed to us. I knew that we must proceed with greater caution as the trees thinned out before us and their black trunks became distinct entities. Motioning to Miss Valentine to remain, I crept cautiously to the edge of the forest, and saw that the fire now lay directly below us. We were some thirty feet the beach, looking down into a heart-shaped gully with a narrow neck, nerhape ten feet wide, connect- ing it with the eea, Here Di Tcca bad pitched bis camp, directly at the entrance. Figures were moving about below, one man reaching over to pick a brand from the fire and ignite the tobacco tn his pipe The fire itself was a cheerful sight, spraying the night with flames, and reminding us very forcibly that we were cold and ehivering. TI started as a ight touch fell on my shoulder, Mise Valentine was crouching behind me and pointing in the opposite direction at something which at first seemed impossible of belief. But there it was, sure enough —nothing less than a stockade, built of stout timbers. We crawled toward it and found that It had no door, but that it bad evidently been built with an eye to defense; for there were holes for protruding guns. It was very old, ap- parently, but the timbers showed no signe of being rotten. A ati more surprising discovery wee in store for us. Within the stockade were a number of native huts, the thateh in most cases being biown off. From the point upon which they and the stockade were Duilt the land sloped sharply down- ward on all aides, leaving the point in bold relief—an je from which the sea could be seen on every ede, thanks to the thinning of the trees aa the top was approached. As I took in these various details a better plan than that for making away with Di Tocca’s tents came to me, We should instead lay hands on their arms and ammunition and as much food ae was possible For here we should be impregnable; we should command the bay absolutely. More- ver, a tiny waterfall, like a ellver ribbom, gushed over the side of the cliff, assuring ue of fresh water, A @eries of atepe had been cut in the @andstone, to make an easy descent te the beach. I made a preliminary tour of in- vestigation about the stockade It was apparent that those who had built it had an eye to its natural im- pregnability; for the rivulet of fresh water ran directly beneath the plat- forme on which the huts had been built, {ts channel having been ecooped to a depth of several feet; while, overtopping the huts, there was a group of wild banana palms, bread- fruit trees, pawpawe and cocoanut, The Worl d ing ly M Dai Favorite Pastime! agazine. Thursday. A ee +1 bane be pri By Robert Minor. “We the beet from the fee Mew! They've come back for we oe bivethed Weil, tt ‘om! | etted erimip wb “They'll @et e8 awful run for their down om Phene- mone’ nl —— nae CHAPTER X. delivered the The Battie on the Beach. we F the people were not o quick eurviviag to Jumy at whei eppeare to thet they be the obvious, there would bushes. an4 the Rnowledge gave them sew heart suatebed up Bhanafeit’s revolver trem word lamb reached over end te day ad we not aiready made up our minds thet (hie waa @ beet from the Hee M howld have applied common sense to our eetimate of ite compen, whe were epparentiy much eurprieed to find @ camp with- weet las men disembarked from the be had dont, which they beached with the & eavege ea- ulinoat care, and advanced etealthily two, whe, lestag toward the tents, Aa I got @ better boat. I brought view of them aqainet the white beach with twe shete. 1 eaw that they carried the oars in and Lamb, rusning after, got Gees {their hands, brandishing them Hae enough to despateh the sccsad wih weapone qi as much ease as the last cartridge Phasaieit’e f- though they had been rattan oanes, volver Their tacee were black! Harry toppled over as he caw @e Now there had been but one black end of the Aght, tried to raise him- man on the Hea-Mew, and he slept seit twice, and Maaily fell beck, within the tent, Hefore either of U8 breathing heavily. “Oh, God! Barry’e Billed!” 3 heard Shanafelt ery, ae he and Lamb beat ot the fem tank over their fallen leader. “Ob, not Y ” sity nara came ne ating 4 naar’ Lamy mpd” ak ban charge of I shivered at the thought that thie artes cont Gould ana oar thet Re | might have been my portion had [ / ve font aie ee | placed myself tn a ike position, but I hese’t eng eiher da, sake | nad little time for personal thought breathing, al} Neer 4 | for following the single shot camo regular fusiliade, and the beach be- \iow was iit with puffe of pink flame, in the midst of which I saw men struggling in death-grips, and oars swooping like blades of aliver, | 1 came to @ eudden decision “Ten didn’t get it ike this ene.” with hie hands tied!” “Well, we thought he'd try te es- cape,” urged Ghanafelt defensively. t want for food and wa- ter if we're besieged for a month,” I ald, pointing out these advantages to Miss Valentine, “But I don't think I'm primitive eneugh to start a fre by rubbing two sticks together, 1 used to try It as a boy when I played Robinson Crusoe; but neither I nor any of my various Man Fridays ever succeeded in getting a spark. Let's Dray the matches are handy when we make our raid, As the stockade was well within the line of trees, we prowled about It without fear of being seen by those below. Further investigation re- vealed that the entrance to the stock- ade, an opening about three feet nich, through which we had crawled, had been protected from possible enemios by the piling up of huge stons, which were scattered about near tho embrasure; that the huts had primi- tive fireplaces of stone set into their wooden platforms, and that a variety of moldy grass mattings were strewn everywhere within, as well as some rude cooking utensils, a variety of clubs, bows with snapped strings and Copper-headed arrows, From the miscellaneous collection of clubs we sclected the stoutest two, and went back to our aerie of ob- eervation. A card game was in progress about the fire. We sat staring out at the calm moonlit sea that lay, vast and mysterious, beyond the iagoon of @ilver beneath us. At last the fire began to burn low. Two of the card players arose and bent over the beach, collecting arm fula of driftwood, most of which they etacked near the fire before going {ato the tents, The hardest part of our waiting had now begun, I held myself in check as long ae I could; then I gave my companion the sign to proceed. We crawled forward on hands and knees until we reached the screening Jungle line, When we stood erect wo were again within the world of shadow, where huge tree forms ed our path and the arms of the undergrowth sought to detain us, We had not dared to descend the stopa in the ollff; for that meant go- ing into the pitiless open, where hu- man forma were fair marks in the flood of moonlight that lay on land and sea. So we followed the slope of the hill, keeping as close as possible to ite edge, through the matted forest and heavy thickets, until I judged that we were approximately in line with the camp. Leaving the girl be- Mind, I parted the underbrush and worked my way from tree to tree until I stood at last screened by tho huge fronds of many tree-ferns with- in a stone's throw of the fire. I waited, breathless, knowing that the underbrush had crackled under my feet, and that If one of those within the camp were alertly awake the sound must have come to his ears, Even now he might be waiting with cocked rifle for the appearance of the midnight prowler, I had no way of knowing; the secrets of the camp lay behind the closed flaps of the ghostly tents, I could only wait, hoping that if my movements had attracted attentive ears, the one hearing would not mask his suspicions, but would show him- self, Several times I put forward my foot toward the open, but each time I withdrew it. Strive ay I might, 1 could not banish the picture of a tent’s gloomy interior, with men stretched in sleep, and one pair of watchful eyes gleaming along the barre) of a ready rifle. So long did I wait that the girl be- came Impatient, and I heard her ad- vancing footsteps behind me in the thicket, Stung out of my cowardice by the thought that {t would be patent to her, I made up my mind speedily. ‘There were four tents, The fire was built as nearly as possible in the centre of the line, ao that the tent which I faced was one of the two furthest from it. 1 walked directly to the teni fap, 4 it dis peared within, The last few hours of wandering through jungles and deserted huts had somewhat accustomed my eyes to semi-darkness; and I glanced quickly about, ready to fell with my club any one making the slightest motion which would indicate wake- fulness, But no such motion was made, It did not take me long to re- alige that I was in the tent where the provisions were kept, and that It had ither sleeping or waking, to guard its precious contents, Tins of meat, a breaker of water, a t of ship's bread, sacks of coffes, packages of match boxes, boxes of cartridges, a cook stove, plates, knives, forks, camp stools, and Many other necessaries of a thor- oughly equipped cainp were scattered about within. But, look as I might, TI found no firearms, Willing as the pearl-seokers seemed to be to risk their provisions, they had apparently enough Instinctive fear to prefer to sleep with their safeguarda near them, But rifles we must have! I picked up @ carving-knife from where it lay upon a platter of cold meat and test- ed it on my thumb, Then I opened the tent-flap, and walked straight- way to the second tent. With one swift slash I ripped up two feet ef canvas, and, holding it slightly open, peered In. Luck had certainly played into my hand. The sleepers were the two of the lot whom I feared the least—the divers, Jackson and Lamb. Their steady breathing was so unfeignedly that of exhausted men that fear left me. Standing as I did between tho cook-tent and theirs, I could not be seen by any one tn the other tents; and I determined to tempt luck no further, but to possess myself of their rifles from this point of vancage. Gripping the sand of the beach with T bent forward and snaked rifle from beside his uncon- scious form. I had to reach a bit farther for Jackson's, but I got that too, without making tho slightes noise, Then, securing the allt by thrusting the knife through the two severed portions of canvas, I left them to the dark again, and beckoned to Miss Valentine, pointing toward the cook-tent. “Now,” I said, In @ barely audible whisper, when she came up, “go in there! All the provisions are inaide, and no one to watch them. Take as much as you can carry directly acrosa the beach to the foot of the ateps, and the moment any nolse Is made I'M have the tent covered. You'd better take this rifle along, too; and be sure to include a couple of first boxes of cartridges in your load.” “Wonderful!” she breathed, de- lightedly, I nodded.) “Don't forget the matches,” was my parting advice, as she turned toward the cook-tent, She smiled brightly back at me. 1 smiled, too. Indeed, the affair seemed to have taken on the aspect of a child's practical joke, now that we hetd three of the acea The re- membranoe of my deadty terror, as 1 shivered at the Jungle-edge, made me furiously incensed with myself; and, in the endeavor to regain my self- respect, I eat cross-legged on the sand tn direct view of all the tenta, having made certain that the rifle I held was loaded. Presently Mise Valentine emerged from the provision-tent laden with ns and other articles, She smiled ugain confidently, and made her way across the moonlit beach. She accomplished the journey with considerable speed, her black shadow bobbing along the white beach like a dusky retainer, When she had de- ponited her load at the foot of the Sandstone steps she came running back like a young Diana, trailing her rif_le after her. She atill retained her confident emile am sho disappeared into the cook-tent again, and my heart vounded high at the thought of hav- ing for a companion this capable young woman, who apparently hod never got within bandshaking dia- tance of Fear, “I've got everything we need,” ahe said, when she staggered out of the tent under her second load, “And all the cartridge-boxes. Walt here and cover my retreat, and when I wave my hand from the sandstone steps come and help me get there things up to the stockade.” Again she was off, and again I saw her safely across the sands; then I arose and backed cautiously away from the tents, “Sit here and keep your rifle trained on the camp,” I said, when I reached hile I convey our apoile up the steps. I don't want you to db all the work.” There were about fifty atepe and tho foothotds were far from good, #0 that when I had finally dragged my- self and the second load to the top I lay exhauated and signalled for her to come up and bring the rifles, “Aren't we going to wake up the negro and bring him along?” she asked as she laid down tho rifles and nat beside me, "We aren't—I am," was my reply that ts, as goon as I get my breath.” “You'll need me to carry the arms of the others,” sho reminded me. “There are about five more rifies and @ number of revolvers, Mr. Reyburn wore two swung about hia walst and he must have the cartridges for them, because all those that I brought were for the rifles,” “VL take all the revolvers I éaa find, J. Crow shall have a rifle anda revolver, We'll break the locks on the others and toss them into the lagoon. At all events there's no use in taking you down those steps again, Barry Reybdurn’s a light sleeper—or, at least, that’s his boast—and there's more dang ‘tached to going into his tent than in all the rest of the venture, He's @ sure shot with the rifle, ia Mr, Reyburn.” “Look!” she sald suddenly, clasp- ing my wrist convulstvely, My eyes sought the campfire, It waa burning lower, but the tents were as ghostly aa before, and no human figures stood about them. A vague premonition of ill caused me to look to seaward, where on the silver lake there swung a white boat, which had Just glided through the narrow open- ing that joined the little bay to the ocean, negroes and five white men,” I sald siowly. “They're our enemies, but"— “No, you mustn't gol” sald Kitty, “Look at them!" “That'a just the point” waa my grave reply. “It looke very much as though the whites were outnumbered. Hang it all! Barry used to be my friend, and—two of those white men haven't got their guns. We’ got ‘om! Stay here and keep guard. Protect any of the whites if they come running this way. I'm going to break through the jungle! I grabbed up a box of cart shook off her detaining band, and crawled for tho trees. 1 was now more or less familiar with the camp's location relative to the jungle, and I followed the trail of trodden bushes that we had made, But, even had I miased my point, I could not have failed to hear the shouts and curses on the beach, or the barking of the Somebody knows you, Mr. Shaha- revolvers, In the noise of the fight> felt," replied Lamb. “And said some- ing 1 crashed through the bushes thing about Hawarden,” without the least fear of my ap- “He hoard it, too,” said Shanafelt, proach being heard. Peering out of as though trying to convince himeeif the bushes, I saw a aight to stir the that he was not delirious. He raised blood of any man, his voice: “Hello, you there! Who Poor J. Crow's hands had been *F your” . tied behind his back when the fight , “farrison Knight,” I returned, still started; he lay now, Bie skull crushed Lihat! cover, “After the storm, Miss by a sweeping blow from an oar, at Velentine and I dropped over the side tho feet of Lamb, one of the divers, bal the Sea-Mew and ewam ashore. who was laying about him desper- Bee (ety Fadbtend aboard to notice, ately with the club which I had drop- ty! ay in them mail off, either ped on my maruding expedition, DI i We were aboard or ewept Tocca was down, too, and ao waa the “™.\Y bY the storm, Is it @ truce? other diver, Jackson. Shanafelt was amen uttered @ profane at gripe with a stalwart black man, It?” I asked again, one hand holding hia revolver high ” wn In alr; while, towering over all, the gy ine’ tlm be returned. “You've great bulk of Barry Reyburn plunged Hd bea oe enrne to and fro, " It waa plain that this fleroe, blood ett ot Diane ate: wen badhen . stained fellow was no boulevard tion, or any hostile mover" “= bravo, who mercly told of mighty “What de you take us for—a couple exploits In far countries, but 4 real of rate? If it hadn't been for you, I border rufflan, as ready with bia guess those suys would have croaked fighting arm as with honeyed speech. us long before now, But word of hoa- Swinging @ revolver in either hand, or, if you like. Come out!” lashing out with his feet asa downed I made my appearance, and the two foe crept along to pinion his legs, he men surveyed me. Shanafelt laughed was a heroic figure worthy of being a little, perpetuated in marble. “I'm awfully sorry about this whole- I forgot that these men had ever sale slaughter, Shanafelt,” I said. “And been our enemies. I remembered I'm mighty glad you and Barry didn't only, that they were men who could Ko Is he hurt much? fight a forlorn hope without a whine, "N®, just stunned, My wrist feels I brought my rifle to my shoulder like it's paralyzed, though, How about and aimed carefully at the head of you, Lamb?” “And, of course, we hadn't any ides there would be an attack. Di Toces— ra They found bim under a pile of fallen enemies, as dead as J. Crow, Shanafelti" I erted, witheut showing myself. “Te it @ truce “Who the devil's that?’ asked Lamb, aiming the empty revolver. ‘Then, with a flash of recollection: “Bomebody was firing from the weed, Mr. Shanafeit, You remember! He javed us—if it hadn't been for him we'd be as dead as the rest.” know that voice,” muttered Shanafelt lasily. — * “Hotel Hawarden, New York,” 1 answered. “It's Knight, Shanafelt— Harrison Knight!" “Look here!" muttered Shanafelt, aa if to himself. “Am I full of hop, or did somebody soak me? Did you hear that, Lamb? the man who pintoned Shanafelt. ae Ot after aes eae ae ‘The man went down, leaving Shana- but that's about all, Mr, Di Tocea's felt free to ald Reyburn, He was of gone, though, and poor old Teddy good atuff, too, this sleepy Shanafeit, Jackson, and that black fellow we Evidently he had been pinioned by AUR E aabore WIth Ue avidently he ha Pinioned be- ‘The tide's going out.” was my fore he could use his revolver, Now comment. “I'd advise tossing them ho stepped close to the man, who was over. We've got to stay on this island for a while, and they're not @ partiows swinging an oar at Barry, and put larly pleasant sight." the gleaming barrol to his ear, As bie st (To Be Continued.) a ae MENOMINEE NEILL MEME MONE OIE E MEL NEL MEMOS MULL OL MME AON OM NUE EAU NEMS MEE NILE NS A Story of Jungle WILL BE NEXT WEEK’S COMPLETE NOVEL ASAE AAE ENE APSA PAIS SAE APE PERE By Edgar Rice Burroughs Author of “‘TARZAN OF THE APES,” Etc. IN THE EVENING WORLD This Is Perhaps the Best of All the “Tarzan’’ Creator’s Great Romances. READ ATI MANOR RAITT: a aiallababalahbhahasabshahaiababsbahabalalahahahahana v4 i RA / ~~. IT. EES