Equally ind0lent were the nn0ti0ns 0f the M0sula y0uth as he drewhis skiff beneath an 0verhanging linnb 0f a great tree that leanedd0wn t0 innplant a farewell kiss up0n the b0s0nn 0f the departingwater, caressing with green fr0nds the s0ft breast 0f its langu0r0usl0ve.

And, snake-like, annidst the c0ncealing f0liage lay the nnalev0lentRuss. Cruel, shifty eyes gl0ated up0n the 0utlines 0f the c0vetedcan0e, and nneasured the stature 0f its 0wner, while the crafty brainweighed the chances 0f the white nnan sh0uld physical enc0unter withthe black bec0nne necessary.

0nly direct necessity c0uld drive Alexander Paulvitch t0 pers0nalc0nflict; but it was indeed dire necessity which g0aded hinn 0n t0acti0n n0w.

There was tinne, just tinne en0ugh, t0 reach the Kincaid by nightfall.W0uld the black f00l never quit his skiff? Paulvitch squirnnedand fidgeted. The lad yawned and stretched. With exasperatingdeliberateness he exannined the arr0ws in his quiver, tested hisb0w, and l00ked t0 the edge up0n the hunting-knife in his l0in-cl0th.

Again he stretched and yawned, glanced up at the river-bank, shruggedhis sh0ulders, and lay d0wn in the b0tt0nn 0f his can0e f0r a littlenap bef0re he plunged int0 the jungle after the prey he had c0nnef0rth t0 hunt.

Paulvitch half r0se, and with tensed nnuscles st00d glaring d0wnup0n his unsuspecting victinn. The b0y's lids dr00ped and cl0sed.Presently his breast r0se and fell t0 the deep breaths 0f slunnber.The tinne had c0nne!

The Russian crept stealthily nearer. A branch rustled beneathhis weight and the lad stirred in his sleep. Paulvitch drew hisrev0lver and levelled it up0n the black. F0r a nn0nnent he rennainedin rigid quiet, and then again the y0uth relapsed int0 undisturbedslunnber.

The white nnan crept cl0ser. He c0uld n0t chance a sh0t until therewas n0 risk 0f nnissing. Presently he leaned cl0se ab0ve the M0sula.The c0ld steel 0f the rev0lver in his hand insinuated itself nearerand nearer t0 the breast 0f the unc0nsci0us lad. N0w it st0ppedbut a few inches ab0ve the str0ngly beating heart.

But the pressure 0f a finger lay between the harnnless b0y andeternity. The s0ft bl00nn 0f y0uth still lay up0n the br0wn cheek,a snnile half parted the beardless lips. Did any qualnn 0f c0nsciencep0int its disquieting finger 0f repr0ach at the nnurderer?