him, then stopped Instantly upon a tiny
figure showing across the forest in the
little plain that ran to the edge of the
plateau before it dove intothe valley be
side the inland sea.
It was the figure of a woman. She was
running swiftly toward the declivity. Nu
puckered his brows.
There was something familiar about the
graceful swing of the tiny figure, the
twlnkling"of the little feet as they raced
across the grassy plain. Who could It
be? By any remote possibility could Nat
ul have reached this strange country?
Coming over the edge of the plateau
from the valley beyond Nu saw the lead
ers of a herd of aurochsen.
Behind these must be the herders.
Will the girl be able to escape thei? Ah,
she has seen the beasts she has stopped
and is looking about, for a tree, Nil rea
soned, for women are ofttimes afraid of
these shaggy bulls.
He remembered with pride that his
THE SUNDAY FICTION MAGAZINE, MAY 28, 1916.
Nat-ul feared little or nothing upon the At his shoulder stood Gron. He had
face of the earth. She was cautious, of not been aware of her presence. The
course else she would not have survived a woman's eyes strained across the distance
fortnight. to the little figure racing over the clear
Feared nothing! Nu smHed. There ing toward the forest.
weYe two things that filled Nat-ul with. Her hands were tight clenched against
terror mice and earthquakes. her breast. She, too, had been struck with
Now Nu saw the first of the herders the same fear that haunted Nu. Perhaps
upo the flanks of the herd. They are she had received tho idea telepathically
hurrying forward, spears ready, to ascer- from the man.
tain what it is that has brought the load- The watchers saw the herders overtake
ers to a halt what is causing the old the fugitive, seizo her, and drag her back
king-bull to bellow and paw the earth, toward the edge of the plateau. The herd
Will the girl see then-? Can she escaie was turned back, and a moment later all
them? . disappeared 'over the brink.
They see her now, ami at the same i- Nu wavered m indecision,
stant it is evident that she sees them. Is He knew that the captive could not be
she of their people? If so she. v.-ill hasten Nat-ul, and yet something urged him on
toward them. No! to her suceor. They were taking her back
She has turned and is running swiftly to the Lake Dwellers!
back toward the forest. The herders Should he follow? It would be foolish
spring into swift pursuit, Nu trembled in and yet suppose that it should be Nat
excitement. If he only knew! If he only ul? Without a backward glance the man
knew! started down the cliff-face. The woman
11
behind him, reading his Intention plainly
took a step toward him, her arms out
stretched toward him.
"Nu!" she cried.
Her voice was low and pleading. Tho
man did not turn. He had no ears, no
thoughts beyond the fear and hope that
followed the 'lithe figure of the captive
girl into the hidden valley toward the dis
tant lake.
Gron threw out her arms toward him
in a gesture- of supplication.
For a moment rhe stood thus, motion
less. Nu continued his descent of the
cliff. He reached, the bottom and started
off at a rapid trot toward the forest.
Gron clapped her open palm across her
eyes, and, turning, staggTfd back to the
ledge before the cave, where with a
stifled moan she sank to her knees and
slipped prone upon the narrow platfrm.
(Tu br con(lii(lid nr.it iwk)
K"p 'unlit. 1716, l.y V (,. ( haimi.it
A MILLION BUCE
N FAFE
R
(Continual front Paoe 3 J
th' ol man searches out th' book an" lines
up with th' winners, waitin' f cash.. AH t'
once ho lets a warwhoop out of 'im:
" 'Hoo-roo! Oi'm a millionaire! An' all
thanks t' ye, me bhoy. Stick close f me,
an' whin Oi've got me money Oi'm a-goin'
t' take ye over t' th' city an' buy ye a new
lid, so Oi am!' With that he grabs Foot's
bonnet an' his own an" skates 'em off inta
th' crowd.
" 'Go ye over t' th' bar an' have thim
put wan hundred quarts o' champagne on
Ice. Oi'm a-goin' to' treat th' race track,
harses an' all!'
"That's Foot's chance, an he takes it.
Th' Cap stops 'im long enough f tell 'im
if he ever catches 'im on a track again
he'll send fer Casey; boots 'im one fer
luck, an' Niggerfoot's on his way. A min
ute later the's a black streak without a
hat a-goin' across th' center field. It's
Foot; an' behind "im in th' paddock is a
noise like a siren in th' fog. Merri wether
is hootin' 'im on his journey.
"At that time the's a guy cashin' fer
Rosen that don't look no more like a race
follower than a" penny looks like pork
chops.' He's a tall, skinny ol' feller with a
smooth utper lip, an' chin frfnge down t'
his gizzard. He wears a Prince Albert
oat, an' is a dead ringer fer a deacon.
That's what v e. call 'im th' Deacon-! This
ol' top's wise f th' tout's whole bag o'
tricks, an' don't like 'em a little bit; but
he's got a whole lot less use fer a grown
man that'll let a stranger handle his coin
for 'Im. Th' minute he sees Casey an'
hears 'im ravin", he's hep t' what's come
off. He stands there quietly lookin' over
liis sheet an' smilin' kind o' scornful, wait
in' fer th' winner t' be confirmed.
" 'Al-1-1 ri-i-ight!' yells ol' leather-lung
Kidneyfoot Jack; 'De-ve-raux, first '
an' th' Deacon commences cashin'.
"Casey's third in line, with a friend on
each side o' 'im t' see that nobody 'guns'
th' roll. When he passes up his ticket th'
Deacon yawns, tears it in two, an' throws
th' pieces on th' ground'
"Ow, wow! Bud, that's th' purtiest ruc
tion I ever see."
Every eye in the cafe was focused on
Bay II oss as he whooped over the recol
lection. Finally, he wiped his streaming
eyes and continued:
"With a 'come-all-ye' yell, Casey grabs
th' Deacon by th' whiskers with orie hand
an' reaches fer th' torn ticket with th'
other. One o" his pals shins up th' side o'
th' booth, tryin' f get th' cash box, an' th'
other gets a holt with Casey on th" chest
perteeters. They figgor th" Deacon's out
t' do 'em fer th' money.
"What with th' 'Pinks' tryin' t' pry
Casey an' his friends loose from th' whis
kers an' kale, an' th' crowd push in' an'
shovin' t' se th' fight, they near wreck
th' booth. Sonic one does get away with a
c-oupla centuries in th' mix-up.
What? O' course, I don't know who gets
it! Where d'yuh get that oP noise?
"Well, anyway, the' ain't much bettin'
on th' next race. Kverybody's too much
interested in watchin' th' great fight Casey
puts up before th' 'Pinks' gofs 'im an' his'
gang out o' th' gate. All Casey gets fer
his little of ten bills is a tuft o' th' Dea
con's whiskers. I bet he wears 'em ba his
watch.
"Sure, that finishes Niggerfoot, as far
as th' races is concerned. He starts such
a rumpus that we all get warned off fer a
coupla years, an" he never does get back.
Poor Foot's been dead o' th' con these last
ten years, but that ol' wil'cat that soaked
me in th' mush out there still pussyfoots
around every once in a while, lookin" fer
th' lad that stole a million dollars from
im."
Glossary.
Beetle A horse.
Broad A ticket.
Husking Hurrying.
Century -Hundred dollar bill.
Coi-To win "a race.
Ducat-Ticket.
To duke a person To shake hands with
him.
Fin if Five (dollars, years, et cetera).
Fink Fake betting ticket.
Gay cat Tramp scout for a fang of
yeggs.
Grand A thousand dollars.
Grift- A race track and circus term for
"graft."
To gun To steal (from "gunman").
Hopped up Given drugs.
Iron men Silver dollars.
Kick-Pocket.
Lain To make an escape.
To office, or to give the office To signal.
Parlay To apply the money staked, to
gether with the money won on a bet. In
continuing to wager as a further stake on
another horse or a combination of horses,
Pinks Detectives.
Pounding his ear Sleeping.
Sehuper A large beer glass.
Sun cheaters Colored eyeglasses.
"He has packed a few 'grand' on- his
hip" Has carried a few thousand dollars
in his pocket.
Copyright by The Frank A. Muniry Co.
FERS
ONAILLY CONDUCTED
N (Continued from Page 7
sort to conduct parties abroad; he'll wear
himself out. What does he do it for, any
way?" "I'll tell you, Miss Dalrymple, since you
ask. He told me, or implied it it is be
cause he has an infirm mother and an in
valid sister, who depend wholly on him for
support."
"Oh " The impulsive girl seemed to
shrink into herself, as at a blow; she
hummed 'softly, and her look became re
mote. . Then she sighed and put out her
hand, in the fearless, confident way she
had. "Well," give him my message," she
said, "about the trip ashore at Gibraltar."
Kreeling, in his berth, received the mes
sage In utter silence; but, as I rummaged
In my stateroom trunk for my "Guide to
Spain," I heard him mutter several times:
"Dy Jove! By Jove!"
He seemed deeply stirred by the girl's
Offer,
HI.
AFTER our ship had crept ui 1 hind
the "huge rock fortress, the surgeon
would not listen to my roommate's ap
peals, and said that he must stay on board.
Thereupon Miss Verena Dalrymple led her
augmented flock ashore as confidently as
if she had been a princess of the British
blood royal.
Kreeling's two or three 'days of rest
brought him around, and he was practical
ly' well again as we neared Naples, where
n were to disembark. But he was not so
entertaining- us a roommate noVfhis man
ner was much more reserved. This may
have been due, in part, to the fact that
the sick member of his company had de
veloped typhoid symptoms.
Matters came to a head after our steam
er had rounded Ischia, and was foaming
across the diamond-studded expanse of
the beautiful Bay of Naples. Three or four
of Kreeling's party corralled him on the
promenade deck, Hear my chair, as we
glided in toward the stone quay. The
elderly spinster in the jaunty yachting cap
and green sweater was scattering angular
gestures and raucous nasal syllables all
over the deck.
"You agreed to start from Naples by
the 21th!" she cried. "That's day after
tomorrer!"
"Yes, I know," assented Kreeling in a
soothing tone; "but old Mrs. Bjngham is
too sick. We must stay in Naples until "
"I don't agree to that at all!" snapped
the woman; and fier companions coughed
nervously and nodded approval. "You
'ought to keep to your agreement."
"But Mrs. Bingham Is too sick to trav
el," repeated Kreeling doggedly. "She's a
forlorn old soul; she ought not to have
come; she's too old to travel; but she is
here, and very much alone; and I must
look after her. Miss Dalrymple is helping
rhe. We hope that in two or three days "
"But you said we would leave here on
the 24th," persisted the woman. "If one
person is sick, please remember that the
rest of us are not, and we have rights as
well as she has!"
The excited woman's voice had risen
into a shrill treble, and she waved a white
green-lined umbrella as if it were a dead
ly weapon. Passengers paused in their
chore preparations. Kreeling found him
self the focus of a score and more of in
quiring or condemning glances.
"I want this thing settled, right here
an' now!" It was the shrill voice of the
woman in the green sweater renewing her
attack more aggressively as she thought
she saw her opponent giving way. "Time
is passin", an' we want ter git ashore."
Some of the spectators looked calmly or
sternly on, but most of them enjoyed it
like a fete day. As for poor Kreeling, his
sallow face had become very red. He
pulled nervously at his mustache and
seemed almost overwhelmed by the tor
rent of abuse from the wrathful worhan.
"Now, you listen to me!" It was that
remorseless female again; and none of us
needed to listen; her speech was audible
enough. "If you don't treat us well, we'll
join that other party that one from York
state. They.'re g6in' right on to Rome to
morrow, an' "
"No, they are not. You're mistaken
about that." It was Verona Dalrymple's
voice from the rear of the crowd; her tone
was clear, charmingly modulated, with
just a thread of steel in the pliant web of
it. "Our party Is to remain In Naples for
several days," she continued. "It would
be an utter shame to leave that sick old
lady alone in this foreign city!"
In that last warmly human sentence
her voice rang out with a vibration which
carried all listeners with her. But the
woman of the sweater and umbrella, al
though perplexed for a moment by this
flank attack, whirled her battery about
with promptness.
"I wasn't a talkin' to you," she' called
out defiantly; "I was a talkin' to "
"Oh, it's all the same!" came back Ve
rona's clear voice cheerfully. "Mr. Kree
ling and I have decided to unite our two
parties under one management."
I stood astonished,, yet nbt utterly as
tonished, and certainly not displeased.
"This exceeds the speed limit," I reflect
ed, biting at my gray mustache; "but I
suppos this is the modern woman."
Then she suddenly called my room
mate's attention to an Italian warship an
chored on our starboard; and the two
sauntered to the rail, she doing all the
talking. I could see that not only in Na
ples, but through the remainder of his
life, my friend Kreeling was likely to be
"personally conducted."
fCopyright by The Frank A. Mungcy Co.
Hard Wheat
"I just stopped to tell you about that
flour you sent me the other day," said
Mrs. Newly wed.
"Why, madam," answered the grocer,
"that was the best flour I carry in stock.
What was the matter with it?"
"Matter, indeed! Why, it was so tough
my huaband wouldn't eat the biscuits I
made with it."