Part 26 (1/2)
”Why, this ht be an up-the-river jaunt,” said Denha daintiness of each article of food revealed itself And then these two healthy people, realising perfectly that there is a time for the material as well as for the romantic, fell-to with a will
Not , it is difficult to converse when you are riding single file, and to keep a bright look out for projecting boughs or tangling trailers calculated to sweep you from your saddle in summary and unpleasant fashi+on at the salow of happiness in the hearts of both, that could do without words Again, as on their way forth, Denhas of intense admiration and love; but now, superadded, the exultation of security And yet--we have said that he was a singularly ifts andwhat a woman like this could see in him
”You're not conversational, Alaric,” said Verna, over her shoulder
”What's the subject of the ht to answer 'you--and you only,' but it wouldn't be true The fact is, I have been obliged to divide conte and superhu--an executed corpse--frohed--merrily, happily
”Well, I can't spare you yet Look! the stuff's thinning here You can coain”
Hardly had he done so than both horses cocked their ears, snuffing uneasily
”Why, what is it?” exclai in his stirrups to peer forward ”By Jove! It's a skeleton Let's investigate”
He dismounted, and helped Verna from the saddle They were careful to hitch up the horses, and then went forward
As Denham had said, it was a skeleton, or rather as left of one
The skull was separated from the trunk and the dry rib-bones were ether But just beside it was the une one at that
”What does it ot lost, and died of starvation beside his own fire?”
Verna shook her head She was gazing down thoughtfully at the white bones and their surroundings
”That's not the reading of it,” she said ”That's no white man's skull
Look at the teeth Further, its owner's end was not starvation”
”Hoest thou that, O Sherlock Holmes up to date?” Denha it with interest ”At any rate, he didn't die fro on the head”
”No; but he was killed, all the saain Go on”
”Well, no self-respecting native with the fear of _Inswelaboya_ and other horrors of the night before his eyes, that is to say, any native, would drea you could offer hihed the other ”I think I've got you on one point You said 'horrors of the night' How do you knoas night?”
”I deduce it fro one as it ould never have been built in the daytiround is too dry for tracks to show, but for some reason or other this one has been killed by the rest”
”Verna, you are simply wonderful Talk about woodcraft!”
She looked pleased
”Well,” she said, ”I know the people and their ways Not only that”-- looking rather serious--”I hear and overhear things that you wouldn't understand, or rather wouldn't be able to get behind even if you had a fair a a bad progress under hted Only it isn't 'poor'”