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About The Falls City tribune. (Falls City, Neb.) 1904-191? | View Entire Issue (March 26, 1909)
(C»pyri| 1 M i a. tUcClurg * Co. Continued from Pu*re I hr^* "WJiaiV the difference?" he paused a moment: then added, with grim humor: “Anyway they'll have earned a meal by the time they get me chewed up." You shan't go!" "Oh, 1 don't know. We ll see about It to-morrow There s a grove of eo • oanuts yonder. Come on. and I'll get some nuts. 1 can t s< e any water around here, and it would be dry eat ing, with only th< flask.' CHAPTER XXIV. A ! ion Leads Them. HE palm grove stood under the lee of the ridge on a stretch of Pun ground.. Oili er than seaward, thg op<r. space was hemmed in to grass ingle. inter spersed with clumps of thorn-brush. On the north side a jutting corner of the tall, yellow sp> crass curve d out and around. With the point of the hool: nome 00 jure'.' from the- palms. Kise w lie re the distance to the- jungle was nearly twice as far Blake dropped the hag anel his weapons, flung down his hat and started up a palm •■haft. The down pointing bristles of l.is skin trousers aided his grip. Though the lofty crown of the- palm was swaying in the wind he reached tla- toi and was down again before Miss Leslie had arranged the contents of the lunch hag. "Guess you're not extra hungry.'' he remarked. She made no response. "Mad. eh? Well, tees me the little knife. Mine has got too good a meat edge to spoil on these husks." "It was very kind of you to climb for the nuts, and the wind blowing so hard tip there," she said, as she handed over the penknife. "I am not angry. It is only that I feel tired and depressed. I hope I am not going to he—” “No; you're not going to have the fever, or any such thing! You're played out. that's all. I'm a fool for bringing you so far. You'll he all right after you eat and rest. Here; drink this cocoa milk.” She drained the nut. and. upon his insistence, made a pretense at eating. He was deceived until, with the satis fying of his first keen hunger, he again became observant. “Say, that won't do!" he exclaimed. "Look at your bowl. You haven't nib tiled enough to keep a mouse alive.” "Really, I am not hungry. Hut I am resting." "Try another nut. I'll have one ready in two shakes.” He caught his hat. which was drag ging past in a downward eddy of the wind, and weighted it with a cocoa nut He wedged ano'her nut be tween his knees and Pent over it. tearing at the husk. It took him only a few moments to strip the fiber from the end and gouge open the germ hole. He held out the nut and glanced up to meet her smile of acceptance. Sli« was staring part him, her eyes wide with terror, and the color fast receding from her face. "What in— Another snake?” he demanded, twisting warily about to glare at the ground behind hint. "There—over in the grass!” she whispered. "It looked out at me with lerrible. savage eyes!” "Snake?—that far off?” "No. no!—a monster—a huge, fierce beast!” "Beast? echoed Blake, grasping Ins how and arrows. "Where is he? May tie only one of these African buffaloes, ftiow'd he look?—horns?" "I—I didn't see any. It was all shaggy, and yellow like the grass, and terrible eyes—Oh! ' The girl's scream was met by a fe rocious, snarling roar, so deep and prolonged that the air quivered and the very ground seemed to shake. "God!—a lion!" cried Blake, the hair on his hare bead bristling like a startled animal's. He turned squarely about toward the ridge, his bow half drawn. Had the lion shown himself then Blake would have shot on the in; ;ant. As it was. the beast n retained behind the screening border < ' grass, when lie could watch his intended quarry with out being seen .t. turn. The delay j ■ gave Blake three for reflection. He spoke sharply, as it were biting off his ; words: "Hit out. I'll slop the bluffer.” j "I cant. Cli. I'm aitaid!” Again the hidden beast gave voice | to his mishty rumbling challenge, j Still he did not appear, and Blake at- | tempted a derisive jeer: “Hey. there, louder! We've not run yet! It’s all right, little woman. The skulking sneak Is trying to bluff us. ’Frald to come out if we don't stampede. He'll j make off when he finds we don't scare. Lions never tackle men In the day time. Jut keep coo! h while. He'll—" "Look!—then to tin right!—1 saw hint again' He's creeping around! See the ' ove!” "That's only th« wind. It eddies down—God! he Is stalking around. Trying to take us from behind—curse him! He may get me, hut I’ll get him, too—the dirty sneak!" The blood had flowed back into Blake's face, and showed on each check in a little red patch. His broad chest rose and fell slow ly to deep ! respirations; ids i > i“« glowed like balls of white-hot steel. He drew his bow a little tauter and wheeled slow ly to keep the arrow pointed at the slight wave in the grass which marked the stealthy movements of the lion. Miss Leslie, more terrified with every added moment of suspense, cringed around, that she might keep him be tween her and the hidden beast,. Minute after minute dragged by. Only a man of Blake's obstinate, sul len temperament could have withstood the strain and kept cool Even he 1 found the impulse to leap up and run all but irresistible Miss Leslie crouched behind him. no more able i to run than a mous. with which a eat has been play ing Once they caught a glimpse of the sinuous tawny form gliding among the leafless stems of a thorn clump Blake took quick aim: but the outlines of the beast were indistinct and the range long. He hesitated. hiuI the opportunity was lost. yard by yard the> watched the slight swaying of the grass tops which betrayed (lie cautious advance of the grim stalker. The beast did not roar again. Having failed to flush his game, lie was seeking to catch them off their guard, or perhaps was warily taking stock of the strange creatures, whose like he had n( ver seen Now and then there was a pause, and the grass tops swayed only to the down-puffs of the heightening gale. At such moments th< two grew rigid, watching and waiting in breathless suspense. They t o .id s< • as distinct ly as though there ! ■,been no screen ing grass, the baleful e-yt s of the huge eat and tile shaggy forcbody as the beast stood still and gbued out at them. Then the sinuous wav< would start on again around tin grass border, and Blake would draw .n a deep breath and mutter a word of encouragement to the girl: "Look, now the dirty sneak! Trying to give us the creeps, is he? I'll creeps him! Fraid to show his pretty mug!" Not until the least had circled half around the glade did his purpose (lash upon Blake. With the wariness of all savage hunters the animal had marked out ihe spur of jungle on the north side, where he could creep closer to his quarry before leaping from cover. "The damned sneak!" growled Blake. "You there. Jenny?" She could not speak, but he heard her gasp. "Brace up. little woman! Where’s your grit? You're out of this deal, anyway. IB 11 choke to death swal lowing me But say: couldn't you manage to shin up a palm, 20 feet or so. and hang on fur a couple of min utes?" "I—can't move—I ;,m—” “Make a try! It’ll give me a run for my money. I'll i;. .< the next ele^ vator after you. That'll bring the bluffer out on the hot foot. I slip a surprise between his ribs and we view the scenery while he's passing in his checks. Obi::< make a spurt! lie's around the turn and getting nearer every step “I cant—Tom there Is no need lhat both of us— You clirnb up—” He turned about as the meaning of her whisper dawned upon him. Her eyes were shining with the ecstasy of self-sacrifice, it w; s only the glance of an instant: then he was again facing the jungle. “Clod! You third I’d do that!" She made no tej.y. There was a pause. Blake—grout bed on one knee, tense and alert—waited until the sinister wave was advancing into the point of the incurved ut.g • Then he spoke, in a low t v< n tone: "Feel if my glass is there. Her hand rrachtu around and pressed against tie !< ' peeket which lie had sewn in the tc,- of his skin trousers. "Right. N'ow sli; : y club up under’ ntv elbow—big etc Lick on the nose'il stop a dog or a bull It's a chance.” fcihe thrust the < .t under his right elbow and he gripped it against his side. At that moment the '.ton bounded from cover, with a rear ike a clap of thunder. Blake sprang erect. The beast checked hii;is< i in the act of leaping, and eroutln with his great paws outstretched every hooked claw thrust out ready to tea- and mangle. In two or three bounds he could have leaped upon Blake and crushed him with a single stroke of his i aw. As he rose to repeat i.is deafening roar it seemed to Blake that he stood higher ( than a horse—that his mouth gaped wide as the end o' a hogshead. And yet the beast stood hesitating, re strained by brute ciead of the tin known. Never before had any animal that lie had hunted rented up to meet his attack in this strange manner. "Lie flat! commanded Blake; "He flat, ar.d don't mcv< I'm going to call his bliifl Ke< j till til) the poison gets in its work, ill keep him busy long as I cart. Win n It's over, hit. out for home along ttie beach. Keep inside rh< barricade and watch all you can from the cliffs. Might light a lire up there nights. There’s sure to be a steamer befoie long—” "Tom!" site cried, struggling to her knees—"Tom!" But he did not pause or look around. He was beginning to circle Continued n-xt week. The National prestige of Uneeda Biscuit is baked in. The moment you take a biscuit from the package, as soon as you taste it, the reason becomes apparent why so many hun dred millions of packages of Uneeda Biscuit have been bought by the American people. NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY k ' to MARKET LETTER From Our Regular Kansas City Stock Yard Correspondent Kansas City Stock Yards,March 22. l>y the middle of last week steer prices had declined 20 to 35c blit scant marketing after Wednes day brought a recovery of 10 to 20c before the etui of the week. The best steers were the object of greatest attack, and suffered most, medium priced steers meeting a fairly reliable demand all through the week. Cows and heifers lost only half as much as steers, and closed the week with small net de cline. The run today is 8000 head, and the upturn in prices which be gan last week has continued to d ty. steers 10 to 15c higher, cows and stock grades also stronger to day. The break last week caused a good many feeders to hold ot!' the market for awhile, but on the other hand, muddy condition of feed lots is forcing some shipping that might otherwise be obedient to suggestions of commission men to wait for a recovery of prices. Top steers today brought $6.(55 as compared with $6.70 for tops last week, and bulk of steers bring $5.75 to $6.4o, cows $3 50 to $5, heifers $4.50 to $5,50, bulls $3.25 to $4.HO, calves $3.75 to $7.50, stockers $4 to $5.25, feeders $4.75 to $5.50. a fair number of sales outside these figures in each class. Wholesale price of most cuts of beef were reduced last week, but the increased consumption result ing there from has not been f !t much yet. Hog receipts here last week amounted to 70,000 head, largest total for any week in more than a month. Prices advanced the first put of the week, but there was a reaction that wiped out all the gain by the close Saturday, and average cost of hogs for the week was same as during the previous week, $(5.65 per cwt. The market is 10 higher today, run 10000 head, heavy hogs in greatest demand, at $6.75,medium weights $6.85,lights $0.70. pigs $5.75. Associated press sports of interviews with packe r last week indicate a belief in stronger prices for hogs. Sheep and lambs are coming pretty freely, but the market is holding up good, lambB fully S eady last week, sheep and year lings 10 to 20 higher. The run is IT"| head today, market 10 high er on anything showing decent quality, lambs $7.70, yearling $7, wethers $6. ewes $5.b0. Feeding wet here $ 1.25, breeding ewes $5.25, feed mgs lambs $7. Highest market price paid for ream at Heck’s feed store $135,000 Worth of Track The Missouri river continues to swallow up the Burlington track between Iowa Point and Sparks. Several hundred feet of track have been washed out and the damage is estimated at $35,000. The pros pect is that the track destruction will continue and a m-w road bed will be blasted out of the bluffs, $3,500 worth of dynamite having been bought for the job. A trout $100,000 lias been spent trying to save tire track, but (Imre is no other way, now, tint Or make a new track. Hiawatha World. To The Public We have bought this year's ice harvest from the Crystal lakes and leased them for a pe riod of live years. We are thor oughly equipped to give you the best possible service and we so licit your patronage. The Cry» tal lakes ice needs no recom mendation, and this year's out put was secured under the most favorable conditions and the ice is the clearest ever put up and of very superior quality Let us know your needs; we will call and arrange lor your season's ice supply. Yours very Truly. Tel. :1h MAUST BROS. New Firm—New Goods! Everything New in Silk and Domestic Ging hams, Sheetings. Muslins, Prints, Madras, Percales ““““““““Our line of white and colored Embroideries, Ladies' AIIOv ■rs, d uckings and l.aces is just the proper thing. Tailored ... i oc to joc India Linons, our price, i'tc. • ■ OUlLd Snow White Cotton Batting, only ioc. and • Skirts Corsets, Hosiers, Gloves, Ruching and, in fact, everything in the notion line. _ ^ A i Mack lafteta Silk, }() inches wide, at Skirts is new and 36*Inch Colored Wash Silks at 50c. up-to-date We have enlarged our Shoe Department Cali and see them. and feel safe in saying they're as good as - can be found in the city—quality the best. Groceries by the car load! Every day brings Iresh new yoods. Come in, or phone your order. "Rube has four or five assistants at hand—so prompt delivery. Yours for a Square Deal DITTMA
