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went ahead； to hew a way through the brush where the path
was entirely overgrown； so that on this march it was
necessary that the young woman carry the child。
All day they marched。 Late in the afternoon they realized
that they had failed。 Close behind them they heard the noise
of a large safari advancing along the trail which they had
cleared for their pursuers。
When it became quite evident that they must be overtaken
in a short time Anderssen hid Jane behind a large tree；
covering her and the child with brush。
〃There is a village about a mile farther on；〃 he said to her。
〃The Mosula told me its location before they deserted us。
Ay try to lead the Russian off your trail； then you go on
to the village。 Ay tank the chief ban friendly to white men
the Mosula tal me he ban。 Anyhow； that was all we can do。
〃After while you get chief to tak you down by the Mosula
village at the sea again； an' after a while a ship is sure to put
into the mouth of the Ugambi。 Then you be all right。 Gude…by an'
gude luck to you； lady！〃
〃But where are you going； Sven？〃 asked Jane。 〃Why can't
you hide here and go back to the sea with me？〃
〃Ay gotta tal the Russian you ban dead； so that he don't
luke for you no more；〃 and Anderssen grinned。
〃Why can't you join me then after you have told him that？〃
insisted the girl。
Anderssen shook his head。
〃Ay don't tank Ay join anybody any more after Ay tal the
Russian you ban dead；〃 he said。
〃You don't mean that you think he will kill you？〃 asked Jane；
and yet in her heart she knew that that was exactly what the
great scoundrel would do in revenge for his having been
thwarted by the Swede。 Anderssen did not reply； other than
to warn her to silence and point toward the path along which
they had just come。
〃I don't care；〃 whispered Jane Clayton。 〃I shall not let
you die to save me if I can prevent it in any way。 Give me
your revolver。 I can use that； and together we may be able
to hold them off until we can find some means of escape。〃
〃It won't work； lady；〃 replied Anderssen。 〃They would
only get us both； and then Ay couldn't do you no good at all。
Think of the kid； lady； and what it would be for you both to
fall into Rokoff's hands again。 For his sake you must do what
Ay say。 Here； take my rifle and ammunition； you may need them。〃
He shoved the gun and bandoleer into the shelter beside Jane。
Then he was gone。
She watched him as he returned along the path to meet the
oncoming safari of the Russian。 Soon a turn in the trail hid
him from view。
Her first impulse was to follow。 With the rifle she might
be of assistance to him； and； further； she could not bear the
terrible thought of being left alone at the mercy of the fearful
jungle without a single friend to aid her。
She started to crawl from her shelter with the intention of
running after Anderssen as fast as she could。 As she drew
the baby close to her she glanced down into its little face。
How red it was！ How unnatural the little thing looked。
She raised the cheek to hers。 It was fiery hot with fever！
With a little gasp of terror Jane Clayton rose to her feet
in the jungle path。 The rifle and bandoleer lay forgotten in
the shelter beside her。 Anderssen was forgotten； and Rokoff；
and her great peril。
All that rioted through her fear…mad brain was the fearful
fact that this little； helpless child was stricken with the
terrible jungle…fever； and that she was helpless to do aught to
allay its sufferingssufferings that were sure to coming during
ensuing intervals of partial consciousness。
Her one thought was to find some one who could help hersome woman
who had had children of her ownand with the thought came recollection
of the friendly village of which Anderssen had spoken。 If she could
but reach itin time！
There was no time to be lost。 Like a startled antelope she
turned and fled up the trail in the direction Anderssen
had indicated。
From far behind came the sudden shouting of men； the sound of shots；
and then silence。 She knew that Anderssen had met the Russian。
A half…hour later she stumbled； exhausted； into a little
thatched village。 Instantly she was surrounded by men；
women； and children。 Eager； curious； excited natives plied
her with a hundred questions； no one of which she could
understand or answer。
All that she could do was to point tearfully at the baby；
now wailing piteously in her arms； and repeat over and over；
〃Feverfeverfever。〃
The blacks did not understand her words； but they saw the
cause of her trouble； and soon a young woman had pulled
her into a hut and with several others was doing her poor
best to quiet the child and allay its agony。
The witch doctor came and built a little fire before the
infant； upon which he boiled some strange concoction in a
small earthen pot； making weird passes above it and mumbling
strange； monotonous chants。 Presently he dipped a zebra's
tail into the brew； and with further mutterings and incantations
sprinkled a few drops of the liquid over the baby's face。
After he had gone the women sat about and moaned and
wailed until Jane thought that she should go mad； but；
knowing that they were doing it all out of the kindness
of their hearts； she endured the frightful waking nightmare
of those awful hours in dumb and patient suffering。
It must have been well toward midnight that she became
conscious of a sudden commotion in the village。 She heard
the voices of the natives raised in controversy； but she could
not understand the words。
Presently she heard footsteps approaching the hut in which
she squatted before a bright fire with the baby on her lap。
The little thing lay very still now； its lids； half…raised；
showed the pupils horribly upturned。
Jane Clayton looked into the little face with fear…haunted eyes。
It was not her babynot her flesh and bloodbut how close；
how dear the tiny； helpless thing had become to her。
Her heart； bereft of its own； had gone out to this poor；
little； nameless waif； and lavished upon it all the love
that had been denied her during the long； bitter weeks
of her captivity aboard the Kincaid。
She saw that the end was near； and though she was terrified
at contemplation of her loss； still she hoped that it would
come quickly now and end the sufferings of the little victim。
The footsteps she had heard without the hut now halted
before the door。 There was a whispered colloquy； and a
moment later M'ganwazam； chief of the tribe； entered。 She had
seen but little of him； as the women had taken her in hand
almost as soon as she had entered the village。
M'ganwazam； she now saw； was an evil…appearing savage
with every mark of brutal degeneracy writ large upon his
bestial countenance。 To Jane Clayton he looked more gorilla
than human。 He tried to converse with her； but withou