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About The Falls City tribune. (Falls City, Neb.) 1904-191? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1908)
I f SYNOPSIS. 'HAPTER 1 The story opens with the i Jpwreck of the si-inner nn which Miss Henevievo Leslie, nn American heiress. Lord Wlnthrope. an Englishman, and Torn Llake, a brusque Americ in. were passen gers. The three were tossed upon an un inhabited island and were the only ones not drowned. Blake recovered from a drunken stupor CHAPTER II I'.lapc. shunned on the boat, because of his roughness, became a hero as preservers of the helpless pair. Tile Englishman w is suing for the hand "f Miss Leslie. IMiPc started to swim i ek to tlie ship to recover what was left. "Looks like a mast -nciung up out H ere. Maybe some of the rigging is loose.” "But the sharks! These waters tvarm with the vile creatures. You m ist not risk your life!” "’Cause why? If l do, the babes in t tie woods will be left without even 1 lie robins to cover them, poor things! I it cheer up!—maybe tlie mud-hens v. ,!1 do It with lovely water-lilies.” 'Please, Mr. Blake, do not he so ijel!” sobbed Miss Leslie, her tears darting afresh. "The sun makes my head ache dreadfully, and I have no lint or shade, and I'm becoming so II irsty!” "And you think you’ve only to wait, t nd half a dozen stewards will come tunning with parasols and ice water. Neither you nor Winthrope seem to ve got your eyes open. Just suppose you get busy and do something. Win thrope, chase yourself over the mud. Mid get together a mess of fish that hie not too dead. Must be dozens, aft 1he blow. As for you. Miss Jenny, I guess you can pick up some reeds and rig a headgear out of this handker i liief— Walt a moment. Put on my <nat, if you don't want to be broiled alive through the holes of that peek-a boo.” But I say, Blake—” began Win 11n ope. Don’t say—do!” rejoined Blake; anil he started down the muddy shore. Though the tide was at flood, there was now no cyclone to drive the sea above the beach, and Blake walked a quarter of a mile before he reached the water’s edge. There was little surf, and he paused only a few mo in* nts to peer out across the low i wells before he commenced to strip. Winthrope and Miss Leslie had been watching his movements; now the gul rose in a little flurry of haste, and set to gathering reeds. Winthrope would have spoken, but, seeing her * Ttibarrassment, smiled to himself, and I*gun strolling about in search of fish. It was no difficult search. The marshy ground was strewn with dead t * a-creatures, many of which were al uady shriveling and drying in the t un. Some of the fish had a familiar look, and Winthrope turned them over with the tip of his shoe. He even w*nt so far as to stoop to pick up a lajge mullet; but shrank back, re pulsed by its stiffness and the unnat uikl shape into which the sun was w nrping it. He found himself near the beach, and stood for half an hour or more watching the black dot far out in the w„ter—all that was to be seen of Tvlake. The American, after wading off shore another quarter of a mile, bad reached swimming depth, and was leading out among the reefs with steady, vigorous strokes. Half a mile or so beyond him Winthrope could now make out the goal for which he was aiming—the one remaining top mast of the steamer. By Jove, these waters are full of sparks!” murmured Winthrope. star ing at the steadily receding dot until 11 disappeared behind the wall of surf which spumed up over one of the outer reefs. A call from Miss Leslie Interrupted tits watch, and he hastened to rejoin tier. After several failures, she had contrived to knot Blake’s handkerchief t< ihree or four reeds in the form of a JiHie sunshade. Her shoulders were protected by Blake's coat. It made a heavy wrap, but it shut out the blis ter injg sun rays, which, as Blake had foteseen, had quickly begun to burn the girl's delicate skin through her open-work bodice. Thus protected, she was fairly safe from the sun. But the sun was by no means tlip worst feature of the situa tion. While Winthrope was yet several : aids distant, the girl began to com plain to him. “I’m so thirsty, Mr. Winthrope! Where is there any wa ter? Please get me a drink at once, Mr. Winthrope!" “But, my dear Miss Leslie, there is no water. These pools are all sea water. I must say, I'm deuced dry myself. I can't see why that cad fhould go off and leave us like this, v hen we need him most.” Indeed, it is a shame—Oh, I’m so thirsty! Do you think it would help if we ate something?” Make it all the worse. Besides, hew could we cook anything? All these reeds are green, or at least wa ter-soaked." “But Mr. Blake said to gather some fish. Had you not best—" “He can pick up all he wants. I shall not touch the beastly things.” Then I suppose there is nothing to dr but wait for him.” “Yes, it the sharks do not get him.” Mis_s Leslie uttered a . little moan. and Winthrope, seeing that site was on the verge of tears, hastened to re Two or Three Small Fish Lay Faintly Wriggling on the Surface. assure her. “Don't worry about him, Miss Genevieve! He'll soon return, with nothing worse than a blistered back. Fellows of that sort are born to hang, you know.” “But if he should be—if anything should happen to him!” Winthrope shrugged his shoulders, and drew out his silver cigarette case, it was more than half-full, and he was highly gratified to find that neither the cigarettes nor the vesta matches in the cover had been reached by the wet. “By Jove, here's luck!” he ex claimed, and he bowed to Miss Leslie. “Pardon me, but if you have no ob jections—” The girl nodded as a matter of form, and Winthrope hastened to light the cigarette already in his fingers. The smoke by no means tended to lessen the dryness of his mouth; yet it put him in a reflective mood, and in think ing over what he had read of ship wrecked parties, he remembered that a pebble held in the mouth is supposed to ease one’s thirst. To be sure, there was not a sign of a pebble within miles of where they sat; but, after some reflection, it oc curred to him that one of his steel keys might do as well. At first Miss Leslie was reluctant to try the ex periment, and only the increasing dry ness of her mouth forced her to seek the promised relief. Though it failed to quench her thirst, she was agree ably surprised to find that the little fiat bar of metal eased her craving to a marked degree. Winthrope now thought to rig a shade as Miss Leslie had done, out of reeds and his handkerchief, for the sun was scorching his unprotected head. Thus sheltered, the two crouched as comfortably as they could upon the half-dried crest of the hum mock and waited impatiently for the return of Blake. CHAPTER III. The Worth of Fire. . <11 ' -I . .... ■ » -f. HOUGH the sea within the reefs was fast smoothing to a glassy plain in the dead calm, they did not see Blake on his return until he struck shallow wa ter and stood up to wade ashore, The tide had begun to ebb before he started landward, and though he was a powerful swimmer, the long pull against the current had so tired him that when he took to wading he moved at a tortoise-like gait., “The bloomin’ loafer!” commented Winthrope. He glanced quickly about, and at sight of Miss Leslie's arching brows, hastened to add: “Beg par don! He—ah—reminds me so much of a navvy, you know.” Miss Leslie made no reply. At last Blake was out of the water and toiling up the muddy beach to the spot where he had left his clothes. While dressing he seemed to recover from his exertions in the water, for the moment, he had finished he sprang to his feet and came forward at a brisk pace. As he approached, Winthrope waved his fifth cigarette at him with languid enthusiasm, and called out as heartily as his dry lips would per mit: “I say, Blake, deuced glad the sharks didn't get you!” ‘‘Sharks?—bah! All you have to do is to splash a little, and they haul off.” “How about the steamer, Mr. Blake?” asked Miss Leslie, turning to face him. “All under but the maintopmast— curse it!—wire rigging at that! Couldn’t even get a bolt.” “A bolt?” “Not a bolt; and here we are as good as naked on this Infernal—Hey, you! what you doing with that match? Ltfht your clgarelt*—Tight It!— Daffl ! nation!" I Heedless of Blake's warning cry, Winthrope had struck his last vesta, and now, angry and bewildered, he stood staring while the little taper burned itself out. With an oath, Blake sprang to catch it as it dropped from between Winthrope's fingers. But he was too far away. It fell among the damp rushes, spluttered, and flared out. For a moment Blake knelt, staring at the rushes as though stupefied; then lie sprang up before Winthrope, his bronzed face purple with anger. "Where’s your matchbox? Clot any more?” he demanded. "hast one, 1 fancy yes; last one. and there are still two cigarettes. But look here, Blake, I can't tolerate your talking so dencedly—" "You idiot! you—you— Hell! and every one for cigarettes!" From a growl Blake's voice burst into a roar of fury, and sprang upon Winthrope like a wild beast. His hands closed upon the Englishman's throat, and he begnn to shake him about, paying no heed to the blows his victim showered upon his face and body, blows which soon began to les sen in force. l'error-stricken, Hiss Leslie put her hands over her eyes, and begnn to scream—the piercing shriek that will unnerve the strongest man. Blake paused as though transfixed, and as the half-suffocated Englishman struggled in his grasp, he flung him on the ground and turned to the screaming girl. "Stop that squawking!” he said. The girl cowed down. "So; that's better. Next time keep your mouth shut." "You—you brute!" “flood! You’ve got a little spunk, eh ?" “You coward—to attack a man not half your strength!" “Steady, steady, young lady! I’m warm enough yet: I've still half a mind to wring his fool neck.” "But why should you be ho angry? What has he done, t hut you—” "Why—why? Lord! what hasn’t he done? This coast fairly swarms with beasts. We've not the smell of a gun; and now this idiot—this dough-head— has gone and thrown away our only chance—fire—and on his measly ciga rettes!” Blake choked with returning rage. Winthrope, still panting for breath, began to creep away, at the same time unclasping a small penknife. He was white with fear; but bis gray eyes— which on shipboard Blake had never seen other than offensively supercili ous—now glinted in a manner that served to alter the American’s mood. "That’ll do," he said. "Come here and show me that, knife." “I’ll show it you where it will do the most good,” muttered Winthrope. ris ing hastily to repel the expected at tack. so you ve got a little sand, too, said Blake, almost good-naturedly. “Say, that's not so bad. We’ll call It quits on the matches. Though how you could go and throw them away—” “Deuce take it, man! How should I know? I’ve never before been in a wreck.” “Neither have I—this kind. But I tell you, we’ve got to keep our think tanks going. It’s a guess if we see to morrow, and that's no joke. Now do you wonder I got hot?” “Indeed, no! I’ve been an ass, and here's my hand to it—if you really mean it's quits.” “It’s quits all right, long as you don’t run out of sand,” responded Blake, and he gripped the other's soft hand until the Englishman winced. "So; that's settled. I’ve got a hot temper, but I don't hold grudges. Now, where’re your fish?” “I—well, they were all spoiled.” “Spoiled?” “The sun had shriveled them." “And you call that spoiled! We're like to eat them rotten before we're through with this picnic. How about the pools?” "Pools? Do you know, Blake, I never watch yju, and then we were 10 an* tons about you—" Hlake grunted and turned on his heel to wade Into the half-drained pool in whose midst he had been deposited by the hurricane. Two or three small lisli lay faintly wriggling on the surface. As Hlako splashed through the water to seize them his foot struck against a living body which floundered violently and flashed a brilliant forked tail above the muddy water. Hlake sprang over the fish, which was entangled in the reeds, and with a kick flung it clear out upon the ground. \ corypnene; erieu w ininrope, and lie ran forward to stare at the gorgeously colored prize. "t'oryphono?" repeated Blake, fol lowing his example. "Good to eat?" "Fine as salmon. This is only a small one. but—” "Fifteen pounds If an ounce!” cried Blake, and he thrust his hand in his pocket. There was a moment’s si lence, and Winthrope, glancing up, saw the other staring in blank dismay. "What’s up?" he asked. "Lost my knife." "When?—in the pool? If we felt about—•" "No; aboard ship, or in the surf—" "Here is my knife." “Yes; almost big enough to whittle a match! Mine would have done us some good." "It is the best, steel.” "AH right; let’s see you cut up the fish.” "But you know, Blake, I shouldn’t know how to go about it. 1 never did such a thing.” "And you, Miss Jenny? Girls arc supposed to know about cooking.” "I never cooked anything in all my life, Mr. Blake, and its alive—and— and 1 am very thirsty, Mr. Blake!” Lord!” commented Blake. "Give me that knife.” Though tlie blade was so small, the American's hand was strong. After some little haggling, the coryphene was killed and dressed. Blake washed both it and liis hands in the pool, and began to cut slices of flesh from tho fish's tall. "We have no lire,” Winthrope re minded him, flushing at the word. “That’s true,” assented Blake, in a cheerful tone, and he offered Win thrope two of the pieces of raw flesh. "Here’s your breakfast. The trimmed piece is for Miss Leslie." "But it’s raw! Keally, I could not think of eating raw fish. Could you, Miss Leslie?" Miss Leslie shuddered. "Oh, no! — and I'm so thirsty 1 could not eat any thing." "Yon bet you can! replied make. "Both of you take that fish and go to chewing. It's the stuff to ease your thirst while we look for water. Good Lord!—In a week you’ll be glad to eat raw snake. Flnnlcky over clean fish, when you swallow canvas-back all but raw, and beef running blood, and raw oysters with their stomachs full of dis integrated animal matter, to put it politely. You couldn't tell rattlesnake broth from chicken, and dog makes first-rate veal—when you've got to eat it. I’ve had it straight from them that knows that over in France they eat snails and fish-worms. It's all a mat ter of custom or the style.” "To be sure, the Japanese eat raw fish," admitted Wlnthrojje. "Yes; and you’d swallow your share of it if you had an invite to a swell dinner In Tokyo. Go on now, both of you. It's no joke, I tell you. You’ve got to eat, if you expect to get to wa ter before night. Understand? See that headland south? Well, it's 100 to 1 we’ll not find water short of there, and If we make It by night, we’ll be doing better than I figure from the looks of these bogs. Now go to chewing. That's it! That's fine, Miss Jenny!" Miss Leslie had forced herself to take a nibble of the raw fish. The flavor proved less repulsive than she had expected, and Its moisture was so grateful to her parched mouth that she began to eat with eagerness. Not ©REAM You will find it a great satisfaction to do More Home Baking You will make biscuit, cake and pastry clean, fresh and tasty—better every way than the ready made foods. Dr Price’s Baking Powder is specially devised for home use, and makes home baking easy and a delight. It will pro tect you from the dread alum baking powders, which are too frequently found in the ready made articles, and insure you food of the highest healthfulness. to be outdone, Winthrope promptly followed her lead. Blake had already cui himself a second slice. After he had cut more for Ills companions, lie began to look them over with a close ness lhat proved embarrassing to Miss Leslie. "Here’s more of the good stuff," lie said. “While you're chewing it, we'll sort of take stock. Everybody shell out everything. Here's my outfit three shillings, half a dozen poker chips, and not another blessed— Say, what's become of that whisky flask? have you seen my flask?’ "Here It Is, right beside me, Mr. Blake,” answered Miss Leslie. “But it is empty." “Might be worse! What you got? —hairpins, watch? No pocket, I sup pose?" "None; and no walch. Kven most of my pins are gone," replied the girl, and she raised her hand to her loosely coiled hair. "Well, hold on to what you’ve got left. They may come In for fish hooks. Let’s see your shoes." Miss Leslie slowly thrust a slender little foot Just beyond the hem of her draggled white skirt. “Good Lord!” groaned Hlake, "slip pers, and high heels at that! How do you expect to walk In those things?” “I can at leust try,” replied the girl, with spirit. “Hobble! Pass ’em over here, Win nie, my boy." The slippers were handed over. Hlake took one after the other and wreehed off the heel close to Its base. “Now you’ve at least got a pair of slippers," he said, tossing them back to their owner. "Tie them on tight with a couple of your ribbons, if you don’t want to lose them In the mud. Now, Winthrope, what you got beside the knife?” Winthrope held out a bunch of long flat keys and his cigarette case. He opened the latter and was about to throw away the two remaining cigar ettes when Hlake grasped his wrist. “Hold on! even they may come In for something. We'll at least keep them until we need the case." “And the keys?" “Make arrow heads. If we can get fire.” “I've heard of savages making Are by rubbing wood.” “Yes; and we're a long way from being savages—at present. All the show we have la to find gome'kind of quart* or flint, and the sooner we start to look the better. Got your slippers tied, Miss Jenny?” "Yes; 1 think they'll do." "Think! It's knowing the thing, j Here, let me look." The girl shrank back; but Wake ’ stooped und examined first one slipper and then tIn* other. The ribbons about hoili were tied in dainty bows. Wake jo; kod them loose and twisted them hi :nly over and under the slippers and nbniit Ihe girl's slender ankles before k loti Ing the ends. "There; that's more like. You're not going to a dance,” he growled. He thrust the empty whisky flask ■ Into his hip pocket and went back to pass a sling of reeds through the gillg of the coryphene. "All ready now," he called. "Let's get a move on. Keep my coat closer about your shoulders, Miss Jenny, and keep your Hhade up. If you don't want a sunstroke.” "Thank you, Blake, I'll see to that,” said Wlnthrope. "I'm going to help Miss Leslie along. I’ve fastened our two shades together, so that they will answer for both of us." "How ubout yourself, Mr. Blake?" Inquired the girl. "Do you not And the sun fearfully hot?” "Sure; but I wet my head In the sea, and here’s another souse.” As he rose with dripping head from beside the pool he slung the coryphene on his back and started off without further words. ContiniUHl next ww*k. Listen, Mr. Farmer When in Falls City, and you feel a spasm of gnawing of the inner man—hunger—the best place in town to get full satisfaction for two-bits (25 cents), in a square meal is at The City Hotel F. P. SHIELDS, Proprietor We Carry the Stock Xmas Slippers We Aim to Please Xmas Slippers We sell the famous BALL BAND line of Rubber Goods. Overshoes. Leggings. Rub- Buy yOUT Shoes at a Shoe Store bers. Gaiters. Warm Shoes. Lined Slippers and EVERYTHING FOR WINTER WEAR ■ ■■ — — H. M. JENNE SHOE STORE FALLS CITY. NEBRASKA