? ? ? ? The last entry in his diary was made the morning following her death, and there he recites the sad details in a matter-of- fact way that adds to the pathos of it; for it breathes a tired apathy born of long sorrow and hopelessness, which even this cruel blow could scarcely awake to further suffering:
? ? ? ? My little son is crying for nourishment--O Alice, Alice, what shall I do?
? ? ? ? And as John Clayton wrote the last words his hand was destined ever to pen, he dropped his head wearily upon his outstretched arms where they rested upon the table he had built for her who lay still and cold in the bed beside him.
? ? ? ? For a long time no sound broke the deathlike stillness of the jungle midday save the piteous wailing of the tiny man-child.
? ? ? ? In the forest of the table-land a mile back from the ocean old Kerchak the Ape was on a rampage of rage among his people.
? ? ? ? The younger and lighter members of his tribe scampered to the higher branches of the great trees to escape his wrath; risking their lives upon branches that scarce supported their weight rather than face old Kerchak in one of his fits of uncontrolled anger.
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