Bloomington High School - Gothic Yearbook (Bloomington, IN)

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get me. never get me. He feebly put his hand to his lips and Mela understood. She arose from beside the couch and brought half a cocoanut shell tilled with cool water. She raised the man's head and touched the water to his lips. His eye-lids began to move and he drank. The Americano lay staring at Mela, his eyes wide open. Then he spoke, half dazedly. “Where am I?” For an an- swer Mela gazed at him blankly. The man smiled. Ah. pardonimo, Senorita. he spoke in good Spanish. “Will you do me the favor of telling me where I am? “You were brought here yesterday by him,” she an- swered, pointing to Kapiz upon the couch nearby. He remembered it all now. The escape from the boat in the night and the terrible swim ashore. His eyes roamed to the woman beside him Her skin was dark, like that of most of the native women he hud seen liack at Santiago, but she was strangely beautiful. Differ- ent from others he had seen, her eyes were a peculiar gray Her mouth was well-shaped and her lips were very red. Strangely pretty, he thought, for a native. He spoke to her. “Tell me. wife of Kapiz. where is this place? As he spoke, the brown eye-lids covered her gray eye» and she lowered her head under his gaze. But she finally answered. “A hundred miles from the equator, many miles from the sea. “And the nearest town? Macapa. she answered, without lifting her head. Rising to a sitting position upon the couch, the Ameri- cano said, in a rather low tone. Tell me. wife of Kapiz. whnt is your Christian name?” Ah. Senor, spoke Kapiz from his couch, 1 am glad to know you are feeling better.” Owl hir KI.«o III. Kapiz rolled a cigarette os he stood looking at the Amer- icano. who «till slept. The tropical sun wu up. and Kapiz prepared to start for the forest. Mela brushed a straw mat. The Americano still sleeps.” he said to his wife. It is well: I will return from the forest. Mela, when the sun is high. He stopped at the door and again looked at the sleeping white man. then he descended the bamboo bidder, rifle in hnnd. A serpent glided into the long grass as he moved to- wards the forest. Quite awhile nfterward the white man stirred, then opened his eyes and sat up. Mela did not know that he had awakened, and he sat watching her as she moved about her work. He noticed how gently she handled everything and how gracefully she moved about He gazed at her for some time, then she turned instinctively and started in surprise. The rnan smiled. What is the matter. Mela?” he said, calling her by her Christian name, which he now knew. “I did not know that you wore awake. Senor. she an- swered. When Mela told the white man that Kapiz had gone to the forest, his eyes sparkled and many thoughts came to him. He thought of his comrades back at Santiago and wondered what they might think of sue ha pretty Senorita. He had known and associated with many of the native wo- men of Cuba, but he had seen none as Mrnngel.v pretty as Mela; and he wondered at her living in such Isolation. Mela stood watching him as he now arose and came to- ward her. She noticed the white mans great -trength and admired it: admired it because she had seen nothing but nn-n like her husband. Kapiz. whose slim, wirey bodies seemed small in comparison with the great white man with

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ewr i -------------[ ghr CT»p Hu j —---•—— Slir (£ni nt' thr ItliliUTursa A Tale of the Brasilian Korrsta 9 By llurnthy As the wave» ■( the Atlantic drifted in and licked tli burning shores of northern Brazil. they touched the body of a lmlf-dad man. lying flat upon his back on the U-auh. His eyes were closed, but the short rise and fall of hi naked chest told that he still lived. There was a movement in the brushes a short distane- away anil a black figure stepped from the thicket that fringed the endle » jungle beyond He was clothed only in a light-colored pair of breeches which contrasted oddly with his block skin. A rifle lay in the crotch of hi 'hint, black arm. His name was Kapu: he was a native of tl Brazilian forests. He gazed out at the sen and up and down the Ix-rh. then his eye fell upon thr figure stretched in thr sand Hr walked u few steps forward—then halted. He noticed the man wore the yellow khaki» of the t'nitod State Arni Kapu grunted and muttered in his nativ guttrru! “Americano, deserter Then he advanced ami raised thr man to a sitting |M Hture. The nuin opened his eyes and gazed at Kapit. but h - parched line could whisper only one word—“water Kapu «lid not understood ami «hook hi head Thr man oiiened his mouth again, and with a half conscious glnre in his eve. fell back again upon the sand Kapu understood now. and placed the man upon hi shoulders, then hr mounlrd the (teach and entered the fo» est from whence he had come. When in the depths of the forest, he stopped to rest .1 moment, laving his unconscious burden at his feet and hi rifle hetdde it. He stood with his hand' on his hips, breath- ing Hard, hi black nostrils dilating and perspiration trie kting from his shoulder». Romiser Then « strange cry came from some where tn the forcat, . scream likr tt,„t of a woman. Kapu knew what it waa and picked Up hi. rifle The cry came nearer. thu tin» • ;.rer and echoed through the jungle Kapu was ready, and rux n the rustle of thr underbrush nearby caused him | to turn luicklv He lifted h»« nil ami aimed it between | tw.. flrrv rir. in thr thicket The animal growl'd d—ptr, j but With Iht report of the rifle the growl ended In a gurgle. . Kapu -gain pick.nl up hu silent burden and went on through the silent forest. IL 1 The small cleared region in which stood the home of | kti was •urrvunde.l on all sides by the dsep forest in | which dwelt - .traiigc animal of the tropica. The tilth house set high upon stilts, looked like a huge tarantula rro.lv to stnkr Two Udders of bamboo stood at All thr night long thr white man lay upon the couch in I •h h u .- muttering drlm.msly in a strange tongue. And | .if mght long Kapir sat by thr couch and watrhed over him. 1 It wa not until thr early tropical sun began to lift the j heavy dew that Kapu era».el hi long vigil and called the Mark ham 1 Mela hi wife, to watch over the Americano. Then Kapu lay upon hu own couch and was soon sleeping 1 soundly. ■Mela was sitting before the white man when be again I tw-gan talking in hl delirium. 1 “They can't find me now.” he muttered. “If 1 can only reach thr -bore Water Water! Give me water! No. they’ll never get me. I've hail enough of it. They never □ Kaon IIihII -• ainiMi.

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T »l«« his broad shoulders and strange looking eyes; eyes which she seemed afraid to look Into. And when the Americano called her to sit beside him on the couch, she obeyed, knowing not why. But when he placed his arm about her. she moved away, unable to un- derstand. You are not afraid of mo. are you. Mela' he asked. She Mood still, without answering. She did not know what to answer. Come. Mela. I would not hurt you. he said, advancing toward her. The white man was near her when his nostrils caught the smell of tobncco smoke Turning, he saw Kapix in the door-way. smoking a cigarette. Ah. Kaplx. said the Americano, with a smile. Kapix did not answer. Next morning, before the whit.- man had risen. Kapix removed the cartridges from a pistol which hung upon the wall of the hut. Then he left for the forest Immediately afterward the Americano -prang from h;- couch and. through the open door. watched the mute taken by Kapix. Then he cursed the native under his breath The black devil. he muttered, could he have read my thoughts? He had slept not a wink the whole night, but had lain there upon his gras couch planning: planning against his black benefactor. Kapix. They were desperate plans, for a moment later he was holding Mela, the wife of Kapix. in his arms, pouring out wild words to her while she trembled in fright and surprise. Mela, do you hear me? he spoke rapidly and with flushing eves. Listen to me. I love you You are beauti- ful. and I love you. Kapix is In the forest, and I will follow him and then return alone, and you will be my ‘mnrida. V will live together hero, without Kapix; do you under- stand?—without Kapix' 1 will go into the forest with my IV. ■ • iO I. all knife, and will leave Kapix and m knife there, in the forent. and then return and you will be my marida Mela, do you understand?' She tore herwelf away The Americano ahoved a «tiletto into hu belt and atartrd out. At the door lie turned. “Remember. I will return alone, and you will be my Then he dmuihd the tiamboo ladder rapid!v and darted into the fnre»t. following the trail takm by KapU. Mela stood trembling where th white man had left her Then she ran to the door and aaw th. Americano aa he dis- appeared in the jungle She wai weak and ilaxed from the rfteets of the white man'» action . When .he Anally realized the Americano'» intention», •he thrva herself before a crucifix. which hung upon the wall Then she darted from the room, down the ladder, and into the forent. V. Kapix. deep in the forest, stopped to luten. The •••und came again. Hr gripped hi title and turned, expecting to see the r e of a panther gating at htm. What he ww wag the white man. the Americano, wtth a drawn knife in hi hand. “Ah. Scnor American». I did not know that you, too. were hunting in the forest. greeted Kapix. I wanted a cigarette, and tried to overtake you,” «aid the white man. humediy slipping the knife into hi» belt again Kapu said nothing, but handed him rice paper and to bacco. Roth stood in silence, the white man rolling hi cigarette. Then from within the forest came a cry: a cry often heard in the forest of Brazil; yet the white man atarted and dropped hi half-made cigarette. The cry came again.