THE DAILY CAPITAL JOURNAL, SALEM. OREGON, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1916.
BY
A.C01IAII DOYLE
Copyright, 1912,
Alons (lie base of these red cliffs,
N'juia distance aliove tbe ground, 1
could see a number of (lurk boles
through tlie glass, which I conjectured
to bo the mouths of caves. At tbe
opening of one of these something
white waa shimmering, but I was uu
iible to make out what it was. I sat
charting the country uutll the sun bad
ct and it was bo (link that I could
uo longer distinguish details. Then I
limbed dowu to my companions wait
ing for mo so eagerly at the bottom of
the great tree. For once I was the
licro of the expedition. Alone I bud
thought of It, and alone I bad done It,
mid here was the chart which would
wave us a month's blind groping among
unknown dangers. Each of them shook
me solemnly by the hand.
But before they discussed the details
of my ma I bad to tell them of my
encounter with the npe man among tbe
branches. This I did without omlttiug
ny of the details.
"He has been there all the time,"
Mid 1.
"How do you know that?" asked
'Lord John.
"Ilecause I have never been without
'that feeling that something malevolent
(was watching us. I mentioned It to
you, Professor Challeuger. Try to re
: fresh your memory."
"Our young friend certainly said
something of the kind. He Is also the
one among us who is endowed with
Hint Celtic tempera men t which would
make blm sensitive to such Imprea
mions." That evening by the light of the Are
- mtd of a single candle the lint map
f the lost world was elaborated. Kv
wy detail which I bad roughly noted
from my watchtower was dmwn out
In IU relative place. Challenger's peii
cl hovered over the great blank which
marked tb lake,
"What shall we call It?" he asked
at length.
"Why should you not take the chance
of perpetuating jour own name?" said
titimuierlee, with his usual touch of
Mddlly.
"I trust, sir, (hat my name will have
nllier and more personal claims upon
tosterlly," nald Challenger severely.
"Any Ignoramus can band down bis
-worthless memory by Imposing It upon
motinlalu or it river. 1 need no such
monument. Let our young friend give
if n name."
"Then," said t, blushing, I dare say,
s I said It, "let It be named Lake
Gladys."
"Don't you think the Central lake
would be mora descriptive?" remarked
Huiumerloe,
"1 should prefer Lake Gladys," I de
oliired blushlngly.
Challenger looked, at me sympathet
ically and shook hM great head In
inoclr. disapproval. "Boys will be boys,"
wild be. "Lako (iladys ht It be. Ma
lone shall have his way."
CHAPTER XV.
"It Wa Oraadful In the Foreet."
HAVIO said -or perhaps I have not
said, for my memory plays me
sad Kicks these days that 1
glowed with pride when three
(inch men as my comrade thanked me
tr having saved or at least greatly
helped the situation. As the youngster
l the party, not merely In years, but
in experience, character, knowledge
and all that goes to make a mau, I had
been overshadowed from the llrsl. And
ii "W I was coining Into my own. I
warmed at. (ha thmnsht. Alas for the
)i Ide which goes before a full! Tbut
little glow of self Hatlsfnctlou, that
milled lneiwiii'o of self conddeuce, was
( lead me on that very night to the
most dreadful experience of my life,
ending with a shock which turns my
heart sick when I think of it.
Jt. came about In this way: I had
bivn unduly, excited by the adventure
ol the tree, and sleep seemed to be liu
innslhle. Huuiiuerleo was on guard,
nil ling huni'hed over our small lire, a
loalut, angular flirure, bis it lie across
his knees and his pointed, goalllko
(Mid wagging with each weary nud of
liis head, t.onl .fulin lay silent, wrap-i-i
la the South American poncho
which ho wore, while Challeuger
mi ned with a roll uid rattle will' li
reverberated through the woods. Tim
full moon was shining jrlgully, ami
Hi" air was crUply cold. What a night
f"i' n walk! And then suddenly camo
ttio thought, "Why not?" Suppose I
iole softly away, suppose 1 made, my
way dowu to the central lake, suppose
I was hack at breakfast with Home
Itvoi d of the place. Would I Hot In that
chnii bo thought uu, liven morn worthy
misoclale? Then If Sumuierlee carried
li day and souio means of eacnim
Wore found we should return to Lou
don with flint hand kliowledge of the
central mystery of the plateau, to
willed I alone of all men would have
)icnetruti'd. 1 thought of (iladys. with
licr "There aro heroisms all round
I w-eined to hear her voice as she said
II 1 thought also of McArdle. What a
(lii'ce column article for the paper!
.What a foiiiid.llioii for a career! A
com'spomtenli.hlp In the next great
war might he within my reach. I
cliit. hiti at. a giiu iiiy pockets were
full of card hlg.-s-and, purling tile
.
by A, Con.n Joy l.
thorn bushes at the gate of 'our zareba,
quickly, slipped out My last glance
showed me the uncouseloua Summer
lee, most futile of sentinels, still nod
ding away like a queer mechanical toy
In front if the smoldering fire. He was
fast asleep.
The night had been exceedingly still,
but as I advanced I became conscious
of a low, rumbling sound, a continu
ous murmur, somewhere In front of
me. This grew louder as I proceeded,
until at last It was clearly quite close
to me. When I stood still tbe sound
was constant, so that it seemed to
como from some stationary cause. It
was like a boiling kettle or the bub
bling of some great pot. Soon I came
upon the source of It, for In the center
of a small clearing I found a lake or a
pool, rather, for It was not larger than
the basin of the Trafalgar square foun
tainof some black, pitchlike stuff, the
surfaco of which lose and fell In great
blisters of bursting gas. The air above
It was shimmering with beat, and the
ground round was so hot that I could
hardly bear to lay my band on It. It
was clear that the great volcanic out
burst which had raised the strange
plateau so many years ago had not yet
entirely spent Its forces. Blackened
rocks and mounds of lava r had al
ready seen everywhere peeping out
from amid the luxuriant vegetation
which draped them, but this asphalt
pool in the jungle was the Drat sign
that we had of actual existing activity
on the slopes of the ancient cruter. I
hud no time to examine It further, for
I bad peed to hurry It 1 were to be
back hi camp In the morning.
It was a fearsome walk and one
which will he with me so long as mem
ory holds. In the great moonlight
clearings I slunk along among the
shadows on (ho margin. In the jungle
I crept forward, stopping with a beat
ing heart whenever I heard, as I of
ten did, the crash of breaking branches
as Nome wild beaHt went past. Now
and then great shadows loomed up for
tin Instant nud were gone-great, si
lent shadows which seemed to prowl
upon padded feet. How often I stop
ped with the Intention of returning,
nud yet every time my pride conquer
ed my fear and sent me on again until
my object should be attained.
At last (my watch sbowed that It
was 1 In tbe morning) I saw the gleam
of wafer amid the openings of the jun
gle, and ten minutes later I was amoug
the reeds upon the borders of the cen
tral lake, I was exceedingly dry, so I
lay down and took a long draft of its
waters, which were fresh and cold.
There was it broud pathway' with
many tracks upon it at the spot which
I had found, so Unit it was clearly one
of (he drinking places of the animals,
('lose (o (lie water's edge there was a
huge isolated block of lava. Up this
I clluibed, nud, lying on the top of
this block, I had an excellent view In
every direction.
I.uUe (iladys my own hike-lay like
a sheet of quicksilver before inn, with
a rellected moon shlulng brightly In
I ho center, of It. It was shallow, for
in many places I saw low sand banks
protruding above the water. Every
where upon the still surface I could
aee signs of life, sometimes the gleam
of a great silver shied fish hi the air,
sometimes the arched, slate colored
back of some passing monster. Once
upon a yellow sand hank I saw a crea
ture like a huge swan, with a clumsy
body and a high, flexible neck, ahutliing
about upon the margin. Presently it
plunged In, and for some time I could
see the arched neck and durtlng head
undulating over the water. Then It
dived, and I saw It no more.
My atteutlon wus soon drawn away
from these distant sights and brought
back to what was golug on at my very
feet. Two creatures like large arma
dillos had come down to the drinking
place and were squalling at Ilia edge
of the water, their long, flexible
tongues, like red ribbons, Hhoolliig lu
and out as they lapped. A huge deer,
with branching horns, a iiiagulQcetit
creature, which carried Itself like a
king, came down wllh Us doe and two
f.iwus and drank beside the armadil
los. No such deer exist anywhere else
upon earth, for the moose or elks
which I have seen would hardly have
reached IU shoulders. 1'reseutly It
gave a warning snort and was off
with lis family among the reeds, while
the aiuuiilllio also scuttled for shel
ter. A newi'oiner, a most monstrous
animal, was coming down the path,
l'or a inonieiil 1 wondered where I
could havu seen that ungainly shape,
(hat arched hack with triangular
fringes along It, that strange, hlrdllko
head held close to tint ground. Then
It came back to me. It was the stego
saui iis - the very creature w hich Maple
White had preserved lu his sketch
book and which had been the tlrst ob
ject which arrested the attention of
Challenger! There he was, perhaps
the very Hpeclinen which the American
artist had encountered. The ground
shook beneath Ills tremendous weight,
and his gulping of water resounded
throiigh (he still night. I'or tlve min
utes he was no close to my rock that
by stretching out my baud I could
have touched the hideous waving
hackles upon bis back. Then he lum
bered away and was lost amoug the
bowlders.
Looking at my watch, I saw that It
was half past 2 o'clock and blgh time,
therefore, that I started upon my
homeward Journey. There was no dif
ficulty about the direction In which I
should return, for all along I bad kept
the little brook upon my left, and It
opened Into the central lake within a
stone's throw of the bowlder upon
which I bad been lying. I set off,
therefore, In high spirits, for I felt
that I bad done good work and was
tuklng back a fine budget of news for
my companions.
I was plodding up the slope, turning
these thoughts over In my mind, and
bad reached a point which may have
been halfway home when my mind
was brought back to my own position
by a strange noise behind me. It was
something between a snore and a
growl, low, deep and exceedingly men
acing. Some strange creature was evi
dently near me, but nothing could be
peen, so I hastened more rapidly upon
my way. 1 bad traversed half a mile
or so when suddenly the sound was re
peated, still behind me, but louder aud
more menacing than before. My heart
stood still within me as It Hashed
across me that the beast, whatever it
was, must surely be after me. I was
petrified with terror.
I stood like a man paralyzed, still
staring at the ground which I had
traversed. Then suddenly I saw It.
There was movement among the bush
es at tbe far end of the clearing which
I had Just traversed. A great dark
shadow disengaged itself and hopped
out luto the clear moonlight. I say
"hopped" advisedly, for the beast
moved like a kauguroo, springing nlong
In an erect position upon Its powerful
hind legs, while Us front ones were
held bent In front of It. It was of
enormous size aud power, like an erect
elephant, but Its movements, lu spite
of Its bulk, were exceedingly alert.
Tor a moment, as I saw its shape, I
hoped that it was an Iguauodon, which
I knew to be harmless, but, Ignorant
as I was, I soon saw that this was a
very different creature. Instead of
the gentle, deer shaped head of tbe
great three toed, leaf eater, this beast
bad a broad, squat, toadllke face like
that which had alarmed us lu our
camp. His ferocious cry and (he horri
ble energy of his pursuit both assured
With a Scream of Terror I Turned and
Ruehed Wildly Down the Path.
me that this was surely one of the
great flesh eating dinosaurs, the most
terrible beasts which have ever walk
ed this earth.
Kveti now when I think of that night
maro the sweat breaks out upon my
brow. What could I do? My useless
fowling piece was lu my baud. What
help could I get from that? I looked
desperately round for some rock or
tree, but I was lu a bushy Jungle, wllh
nothing higher thnn a sapling within
sight, while I know that the creature
behind me could tear down an ordi
nary tree as though It were a reed. My
only possible chance lay In flight. I
could not move swiftly over the rough,
broken ground, but as I looked round
me lu despair I shw a Well marked
hard beaten path which ran across lu
front of me. We had seen several of
tbe sort, the runs of various wild
beasts, during our expeditions. Along
this I could perhaps hold my own, fur
1 was a fast runner and lu excellent
cumlltloti. Flinging away my useless
gnu, 1 set myself to iln such a half
mile as I have never done Is'foro or
since. My lliubs ached, my chest
heaved, 1 felt that my throat would
burst for went of air. and yet with
that, horror behind tne 1 ran and I ran
and ran. At hist 1 paused, hardly abl
to move, l'or a moment I thought that
I had thrown hlni off. The path lay
still behind me. And then suddenly,
with a crashing and a rending, a thud
ding of giant feet and a panting of
monster lungs, the beast was upon me
once more. He was at my very heels.
I was lost.
Madman that I was to linger so long
before I tied! l'p to then he had hunt
ed by scent, and his movement was
slow. Hut he had actually seen me
as 1 started to run. I'roin then on
ward he had hunted by sight, for the
path showed 111 in where I had gone.
Now, as he came round tbu curve, he
was sprlng'ng hi great bounds. The
moonlight shone upon his huge project
ing eyes, the row of enormous teeth In
his open month and the gU-uuilug
fringe of claws upon his short, power
ful forearms. With a scream of ter
Jr"' 'i t, -
?Mr
ror I turned ami rushed wildly down
the palh. Behind me tbe thick, gasp
ing breathing of the creature souuded
louder and louder. His heavy footfall
was beside me. Every Instant I ex
pected to feel bis grip upon my back.
And then suddenly there came a crash
I was fulling through space, and
everything beyond was durkness and
rest.
As I emerged from my unconscious
ness which could not, I think, have
lasted more tbau a few minutes I was
aware of a most dreadful and pene
trating smell. Putting out my baud In
(he durkness, I came upon something
which felt like a huge lump of meat,
while my other hand closed upon a
large bone. L'p above me there was
a circle of starlit sky, which showed
uie that I was lying at the bottom of
a deep pit. Slowly I staggered to my
feet and felt myself all over. 1 was
sUfl and sore from head to foot, but
there was no limb which would not
move, no Joint which would not bend.
It was, as I have suld, a pit with
sharply sloping walls and a level bot
tom about twenty feet across. Tbls
bottom was Uttered with great gob
bets of flesh, most. of which wus in the
last state of putridity. The atmos
phere was poisonous aud horrible.
After tripping and stumbling over
these lumps of decay I came suddenly
against something hard, and I found
that an upright post was firmly fixed
In the center of the hollow. It was
so high that I could not reach the top
of It with my hand, and It up pea red to
be covered with grease.
Suddenly I remembered that I had a
tin box of wur vestas In my pocket
Striking one of them, I was able at
st to form some opinion of this pluce
Into which 1 bad fallen. There could
be no question as to Its nature. It was
a trap made by tbe band of man. The
post In tbe center, some nine feet long,.
was sharpened at the upper end, aud
was black with the stale blood of
the. creatures who bad been Impaled
upon it.
Tbe remains scattered about were
fragments of the victims, which had
been cut away 'in order to clear the
stake for the next who might blunder
In. I remembered thut Challenger bad
declared that man could not exist upon
the plateau, since with his feeble
weapons he could not hold his own
against the monsters who roamed
over It.
Hut now It wa9 clear enough how
It could be done. In their narrow
mouthed caves the natives, whoever
they might bo, had refuges Into which
the huge saurians could not penetrate,
while with their developed brains they
were capable of setting such traps,
covered with branches, across the
paths which marked the run of tbe
animals as would destroy thein lu spite
of all their strength and activity. Man
was always the master.
The sloping wall of the pit was not
dlltlcult for an active man to climb,
but I hesitated long before I trusted
myself within reach of the dreadful
creature which had so nearly destroy
ed me.
now did I know that the beast was
not lurking In Hie nearest clump of
bushes, waiting for my reappearance?
I took heart, however, as I recalled a
conversation between Challenger and
Summerlee upon the habits of tbe
great saurians. Both were agreed that
tho monsters were practically brain
less, that there was no room for rea
son In their tiny cranial cavities aud
that if they have disappeared from
the rest of the world It was assuredly
on account of their own stupidity,
which made It Impossible for them to
adapt themselves to changing condi
tions. I clambered to the edge of the pit
and looked over. The stars were fad
ing, the sky was whitening, and the
cold wind of morning blew pleasantly
upon my face. I could see or hear
nothing of my enemy. Slowly I climb
ed out and sat for awhile upon tbe
giouiid, ready to spring back Into my
refuge If any danger should appear.
Then, reassured by the absolute still
ress and by the growing light, I took
my courage in both hands aud stole
back along tlie palh which I had come.
Some distance down It I picked up my
gun and shortly afterward struck the
brook which wus my guide. So, with
many a frightened backward glance, 1
made for home.
CHAPTER XVI.
A Terrifying Sight.
jrt ND suddenly there came sofflt-
I X thing to remind me of my ab
seut companions. In the clear,
still morning air there souud
ed far away the sharp, bard note o a
single rlllc shot. I paused aud listened,
hut there was nothing more. For a
moment I was shocked at the thought
thut some sudden danger might have
befallen them. Hut then a simpler
and more natural explanation came to
my mind. It wus uow broad daylight.
No doubt my absence bad beeu no
ticed. They bad imagined that 1 was
lost lu ttio woods and had fired this
shot to guide me home. It is true thut
we had made a strict resolution against
lli'lug. but If It seemed to them that 1
might Iw In danger they would not
hesitate. It was for nie now to hurry
on as fust as possible and so to reus
sure them.
1 was weary and spent, so my prog
ress wu not so fust as I wished, but
at lust I came Into regions which I
knew. There wus the swamp of the
pterodactyls upon niy left; there lu
front of me was the glade of the Igua
iiodons. Now I wus lu the lust belt
of trees which separated uie from Kurt
Challenger. 1 raised my voice In a
cheery shout to allay their fears. No
answering greeting came back to me.
My heart sank at that ominous still
ness. I quickened my pace Into a run.
The autvha rose before uie, even as 1
had left It, but the gate was open. 1
rushed In. In the cold' mo7nlng"fIght
it was a fearful sight which met my
eyes. Our effects were scattered in
wild confusion over tbe ground, my
comrades bad disappeared, and close
to the smoldering ashes of oiir fire the
grass was stulned crimson with a hide
ous pool of blood.
I was so stunned by this sudden
shock that for a time I must bave
nearly lost niy reason. I have a vague
recollection, as one remembers a bad
dream, of rushing about through the
woods all around the empty camp,
calling wildly for my companions. No
answer came back from the silent
shadows. After a long period, during
which I sat In bewilderment, I set my
self to try to discover what sudden
misfortune could have befallen them.
Tbe whole disordered appearance of
tbe camp sbowed that there had been
some sort of attack, and the rifle shot
no doubt marked the time when it bad
occurred. That there should have been
only one shot showed that It bad been
all over In an Instant The rifles still
lay upon the ground, an one of them
Lord John's bad the empty cartridge
in the breech. The blankets of Chal
lenger and of Summerlee beside tbe
fire suggested that they had been
asleep at the time. Tho cases of am
munition and of food were scattered
about in a wild litter, together with
our unfortunte cameras and plate car
riers, but none of them were missing.
On tbe other band, all the exposed pro
visionsand I remembered that thero
were a considerable quantity of them
were gone. They wero animals, then,
and not natives, who had made tbe
inroad, for surely tho latter would
have left nothing behind.
Suddenly a thought came to me and
brought some little comfort to my
heart. I was not absolutely alone In
the world. Down at the bottom of the
cliff and within call of me was waiting
the faithful Zambo. I went to the
edge of the plateau and looked over.
Sure enough, be was squatting among
bis blankets beside his fire In his little
camp. But, to my amazement, a sec
ond man was seated In front of him.
For an instant my heart leaped for
Joy as I thought that one of my com
rades had made bis way safely down.
But a second glance dispelled the hope.
Tbe rising sun shone red upon the
man's akin. He was an Indian. I
shouted loudly and waved my hand
kerchief. Presently Zambo looked up,
waved his band and turned to ascend
the plnuacle. In a short time be was
standing close to me and listening with
deep distress to the story which I told
htm.
"Devil got them for sure. Massa Ma
lone," said he. "You got Into the devil's
country, sah, and he take you all to
himself. Von take advice, Massa Ma-
lone, and come down quick, else he get
you as well."
"How can I come down, Zambo?"
"You get creepers from trees, Massa
Mu lone. Throw them over here. I
make fust to this stump, and so you
have bridge."
"We bave thought of that. There are
no creepers here which could bear us.'
"Send for ropes, Massa Malone."
"Who can I send and where?"
"Send to Indian villages, sah. Tlenty
bide rope la Indian village. Indian
down below; send hhn."
"Who is her'
"One of our Indians. Other ones beat
him and take away his pay. He come
back to us. Heady now to take letter,
bring rope anything."
To take a letter! Why not? Perhaps
he might bring help, but In any case
he would Insure that our lives were
not spent for nothing aud that news of
all that we bad won for science should
reach our friends at home. I had two
completed letters already waiting. 1
would apend the day In writing a third,
which would bring my experiences ab
solutely up to date. Tbe Indian could
bear this back to the world. I ordered
Zambo, therefore, to come again in the
evening, aud I spent my miserable aud
lonely day In recording my own adveu
hires of the night before. I also drew
up a note, to be given to any white
merchant or captain of a steamboat
whom the Indian could find, Imploring
them to see that ropes were sent to
us, since our lives must depeud upon
It. These documents I threw to Zambo
lu the evening, and also my purse,
which contained three English sover
eigns. These were to be given to tbd
ludian, aud be was promised twice a
much if he returned with the ropes.
Just as the sun was setting upon that
melancholy night I saw the lonely fig
ure of the 1 nd inn upon the vast pltilu
beneath uie, and I watched him, our
one faint hope of salvation, until bo
disappeared lu the rising mists of
eveulug which lay rose tinted from the
setting sun between the furoff river
aud me.
It wus an awesome thing to sleep
In Unit III fated camp, and yet it was
eveu more unnerving to do so In tlie
Jungle. One or the other It must be.
Prudence, on the one hand, warned
me thut I should remain on guard, but
exhausted nature, uu the other, de
clared that I should do nothing of the
klu'l. I clluibed up on to a limb of
the great glnglto tree, but there was
no secure perch on lt rounded surface,
and I should certainly have fallen off
and broken my neck the moment I
began to doze. I got down, therefore,
and pondered over what 1 should do.
Flnully 1 closed the door of ttie zareba,
lit three separate tires In a triangle
and, having eaten n hearty supper,
dropped off Into a profound sleep, from
which I hud a strange and most wel
come awakening. In the early morn
ing, Just as day was breaking, a hand
was laid upon my arm, mid, starting
i p with all my nerves In a tingle and
my hand feeling for a rifle, I gavo a
cry of Joy as lu (ho cold gray light I
saw Lord John Koxtou kneeling be
side uie.
i It was he, and yet It was not he. I
14 '.
"Quick, young fellehl Quick!" ha
cried. Every moment counte."
bad left him culni lu his bearing, cor
rect in his person, prim in his dress.
Now be was pale aud wild eyed, gasp.
Ing as be breathed like one who bus
run far aud fast. His gaunt face was
scratched and bloody, bis clothes wero
hanging In rags, anS his bat was gone.
I stared in amazement, but he gave
me no chance for questions. Ho was
grabbing at our stores all the time be
spoke.
"Quick, young fellah! Quick!" be
cried. "Every moment counts. Get
the rifles, both of them. I have the
other two. Now all the cartridges you
can gather. Fill up your pockets. Now,
some food. Hulf a dozen tins will do.
That's all right! Don't wait to talk
or think. Get a move on or we are
done!"
Still half awake and unable to im
agine what It all might mean, I found
myself hurrying madly after him
through the wood, a title under each
arm uud a pile of various stores In my
hands, ne dodged in and out through
tho thickest of the scrub until be came
to a dense clump of brushwood. Into
this be rushed, regardless of thorns,
and threw himself into tbe heart of It,
pulling me dowu by his side.
"There," he panted. "I think we
are safe here. They'll make for tbe
camp as sure as fate. It will be tbelr
first idea. But this should puzzle
'em." ,
"What is It all?" I asked when 1 bad
got my breath. "Where are the pro
fessors, and who Is i that is after us?"
"Tbe ape men!" he cried. "My God,
what brutes! Dou't raise your voice,
for they have long ears sharp eyes,
too, but no power of scent, so fur as I
could Judge, so I don't think they can
sniff us out. Where have you been,
youug fellah? You were well out
of It."
In a few senteuces I whispered what
I bad dune.
Then he told what had happened In
my absence.
"It was Id the early rnornlu'. Our
learned friends were just stlrrln'.
Hadn't even begun to argue yet. Sud
denly It rained apes. They came down
as thick ns apples out of a tree. They
had been assembllu' In, the dark, I sup
pose, until that great tree over our
heads was heavy wllh them. I shot
one of them through the belly, but be
fore we knew where we were they had
us spread eaglcd on our backs. I call
them apes, but they carried sticks and
stones in their hands and jabbered talk
to each other aud ended up by tyln'
our hands with creepers, so they are
ahead of any beust that I have seen In
my wandcrlu's. Ape men that's what
they are missln' links, and I wish
they had stayed tnlssin'. They carried
off their wounded comrade he was
blecdin' like a pig and then they sat
around ns, and If ever I saw frozen
murder It was in their faces. They
wero big fellows, as big as a man and
a deal stronger. Curious glassy gray
eyes they have, under red tufts, and
they Just sat aud gloated and gloated.
Challenger Is no chicken, but even he
was cowed. Ho managed to struggle
to his feet, aud yelled out at them to
have done with it and get it over. I
think he had gone a bit off bis bead at
the suddenness of It, for he raged and
cursed at them like a lunutlc. If they
had been a row of his favorite press
men he could not have slanged them
worse."
."I thought It was the end of us. but
Instead of thai. It slutted them on u
new line. They all Jnbbei'd and chat
tered together. Then one of them stood
out beside Challenger. You'll smile,
young fellah, but 'pou my word they
might have been kinsmen. I couldn't
have believed It If I hadn't seen It with
my own eyes. This old upe man he
was their chief-was a sort of red
Challenger, wllh every one of our
friend's beauty points, only just a trifle
more so. He had the short body, the
big shoulders, the round chest, no neck,
a great ruddy frill of a beard, tlie tutt
ed eyebrows, the 'What do you want,
hang you!' look about tbe eyes mid
the whole catalogue. When the ape
man stood by Challenger ami put his
paw on his shoulder the thing was
complete. Summerlee was a bit hys
terical, and he laughed till he cried.
The ape men laughed, too, or at least
they put up the devil of a cacklln'. ami
they set to work To drag us off through
the forest. They wouldn't touch tba
guns and things- thought them danger
ous, 1 expect-but they carried away
all our loose food. Sumiuerlee and
I got some rough haniUln' on (lie way
there's my skin and my clothes to
prove it-for they took us a bee lino
through the brambles, and their own
bides are like leather. But Chnllenger
was all right. Four of them carried
him shouUbvr high, and he went like a
Roman emperor."
"They got us soon to this town of
theirs, about a thousand huts of
brunches and leaves lu a great grovo
of trees near the edge of the cliff. It's
three or four miles from here. Th
filthy beasts fingered me all over, au
I feel as If I should never be clean
again. They tied us up the fellow
who handled me could tie like a bo'sun,
and there. we lay with our toes up
beneath a tree while a great brute
stood guard over us with n elifb In hi
bandA When I say 'we' 1 mean Sum
merlee and myself. Old Challenger
was up a tree catin' pines and bavin"
the time of his life. I'm bound to say
that ho managed to get some fruit to
us, and with his own bnnds lie loos
ened our bonds. If you'd seen him
sitting up In that tree hobnobbln' with,
his twin brother nud singin' In that
rolliir bass of his, 'Iiing Out, Wild
Bells,' 'cnuse music of any kind seem
ed to put 'em iu a good humor, you'd
have smiled, but we weren't In much
mood for laughin', as yon can guess.
They were Inclined within limits to let
him do what be liked, but they drew
the Hue pretty sharply at us. It was a
mighty consolation to ns all to know-
that you were rnnuln' loose and had
the archives lu your keepin'.
'Well, now. young fellah. I'll tell
you what will surprise yon. Yon say
you saw signs of men and tires, traps
and the like. Well, we have seen the
natives themselves. Tour devils they
were, down faced little chaps, and had
enough to make tbem so. It seems
that the humans bold one side of thin
plateau over yonder, where you saw
the caves and the ape men hold this
side, aud thero Is bloody war between
them all the time. That's the situation
so far as I could follow it. Well, yes
terday the ape men got hold of a dozen
of the humans and brought them in a
prisoners. You never heard such a
jnbberlu' and shrickin' in' your lire.
The men were little red fellows anil
hnd been bitten and clawed so that
they could hardly walk. The ape men
put two of them to death then and
there fairly pulled the arm off one of
them-lt was perfectly beastly. Plucky
little chaps they are anil hnrdly gave a
squeak. But It turned us absolutely
sick. Summerlee fainted, and even
Challenger bad as much as he could
stand. 1 think they have cleared, don't
you?"
We listened Intently, but nothing!
save Ilia calling of the birds broke the
deep peace of the forest. Lord Goxtou
went on with his story.
(Continued next Saturday)
Catarrh Cannot Be Cured v
w!thLOCAL APPLICATIONS.'as the
cannot reach the seat of the disease. Ca
tarrh Is a blood or constitutional disease,
and in order to cure it you must take In
ternal remedies. Hall's Catarrh Cure is
taken Internally, and acts directly upon
the blood and mucous surface. Hall's
Catarrh Cure is not a quack medicine. It
was prescribed by ona ot the best phy
sicians In this country for years and Is
a regular prescription. It Is composed of
the beat tonics known, combined with th
best blood purifiers, acting directly on tha
mucous surfaces. The perfect combina-.
tlon of the two Ingredients Is what pro
duces such wonderful results In curlnjr
catarrh. Send for testimonials, free.
F. J. CHENEY & CO., Props., Toledo, O.
Bold by lruKRlsti. price 75c. I
Teke Hall's Family FI1U for conitlpatioa.
CHICHESTER S PILLS
Vf? 'I UK DIAMOND nUANI. x
DrnieUt. Ak fr IIM IIKV.TKK S
DIAMOND llllAII I'll.l.s. (, Si
yens known as Bc .t, safest. Always KcImI .
SOLO BY DRlTiGlSTS FVFRYWHFPF
BIN SIN
Best Chinese
Dishes
Noodles 10c
Chop Suey 25c
Bice and Fork 10c
410 PERKY STREET
WILL CELEBRATE.
The West Ntavton and North Santiam
neiirhborhooils will celebrate the 4th of
July at Dively grove one half mile east
ot West Mnvton.
The program will becin at 10 n. m.
anil there will be miiiiethiiig doing all
the time. ,T. P. Wilbur of Stayton will
deliver the address. A selection of du
cts, solos and quartets with the readiug
ot tne Declaration, will complete the
morning program.
A tiiL' of war. a base ball tamp aim
other sports in the nt'ternoon. Every
one invited. Ntavton Mail.
SMALL
AILMENTS
of the Stomach, Liver or Bowels
should not lie negleeted. Nature
is thus warning you against
some weakness. Under sucli
circumstances, try
HOSTETTfR'S
Stomach Bitters
Theu tiny CAPSULES
ire lupenor to oaisim
of Copaiba, Cjfecbi or
Injection i, and ss
RELIEF'S in (MiDVI
24 HCUnS ths Sw
tarns dise.s? with
out Inconvenience,
-t.jf