The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, March 23, 1906, Page 3, Image 3

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

- iKwitt 111 rfornm Ii':5:: -1-:: : *:* ':/.v:V l.vJv-'-'.'.'v'.--: ',<' %: CVv--Va5:-S:' A3*.'::V,.::; With feminine persistency slie clung to the subject, detecting his unwillingness to discuss n possible final stage in their sufferings. "Robert." she whispered fearfully, "you will never let me fall into the power of the chief, will you?" "Not while I live." "You must live. Don't you understand? I would go with them to save you. But I would have died by iny own baud- Robert, my love, you must do this thing before the cud. I must be the first to die." The sailor wrestled with the great problem. He may be pardoned if his hnr?rt niinSlntl nnrl ho ornnnnrl nlmifl "Iris," lie said solemnly, "whatever happens, unless I nni struck dead at your feet. 1 promise you that we shall pass the boundary hand In baud. lie mine the punishment If we have decided wrongly. And now," he cried, tossing his head In a defiant access of energy, "let us have done with the morgue. For my part I refuse to acknowledge I am inside until the gates clang behiud me." They chatted in lighter vein with such pendulum swing back to nonchalance that none would have deemed It possible for these two to have already determined the momentous issue of the pending struggle should it go against them. And so the sun sank to rest in the sea. and the stars pierced the deepening blue of the celestial arch, while the man and the woman awaited patiently the verdict of the fates. Before the light failed Jenks gathered all the poisoned arrows and ground their venomed points to powder beneath his liecl. Gladly would Iris 1 1 - 1 .1! ...Ul. r..ts>?w1 ami lit" liiivv uispcuacu n nil Uic invuuly protection of theatarpnullu when the cool evening breeze came from the south. Ilut such n thing might not ho even considered. Several hours of darkness must elapse before the moon rose, and during that period, were their foes so KiinueJ. (hey would lie absolutely at the uiercy of the sumpitan shafts if not covered by their impenetrable buckler. ILe sailor looked long and earnestly alrtlm well. Their own bucket, iniprovictfd out of a dish cover and a rope, laj close to the brink. A stealthy crawl ot. crave %Sn^F, .ajiJuh1? the ladder again with enough water to servo their imperative needs for days to come. There was little or no risk in do scendlng the rock. Soon after suusci H was wrapped In deepest gloom, fo night succeeds day in the tropics \\ itl wondrous speed. '1 he hazard lay ii twice crossing the white sand, wer any of the Dynks hiding behind th diouse or among the trees. He held no foolhardy view of hi own powers. The, one sided nature < the conflict thus far was due solely < his possession of modern rifles as o posed to muzzle loaders. Let him 1 surrounded on the level at close <iur ters by a dozen determined men u: be must surely succumb. Were it not for the presence of I ? ...? -l.-nn second tllO'il!.' llC WOUl'J nine to the peril. To r.ct without const Ing her was impossible, so they d eusse;l the project. Naturally ; ^ ^?-J'p"*-Kcouted it. "The Mohammedan may he able help us." she pointed out. "In i event let us wait until the moon wai That is the darkest hour. We do know what may happen incanwhili The words had hardly left her mc when nn irregular volley was fires them from the right fiank of the emy s position. Every bullet sti yards above their hesuls. the com failing of musketry at night bein take too high an aim. But the Ini cu^the missiles on a rock so higlilj ^Jregnated with minerals caused sp to fly. and Jenks saw that the D would obtain by this means a dangerous index of their faulty lice. Telling Iris to at once 01 her safe corner, he rapidly adjus rifle on the wooden rests already pared In anticipation of nn attack that quarter and fired three sin the opposing crest whence cam majority of gun flashes. One at least of the three found man billet. There was a shout c prise and pain, and the next spurted from the ground level, could do no damage owing to the but ho cndoavoreu ?? m?.vu.. marksmen by keeping up a stoa in tlieir direction. He did not of attaining other thnn'n moral P8 there Is a lot of room to nils aiming, in tlie dark. Soon he in that the hurst of flame from 1 helped tlie D.vaks. because sevc lets whizzed close to Ills lies about tlds time firing recom from the crer.t. Not withstanding all his skill nlpulntlon of the wooden sup] failed to dislodge the occupnr cry minute one or more ounce! pitched right Into the ledge. <1 the stores and tearing tlie t f while tliose which struck the i? ro? U were dangerous to Iris 1; 'If of ibe molten spray. I j lie could gr.ess what had 1 J /. Ry l ylngThit on tlie sloping r v Bqr.cc 'ing ch'se to the project do- of the < i lY llie I;y;ls w i Oi.io-ie.1 I j .I idle ciume al.i ML SSiSUiaB;IS?|| gs ofthejj - By LOUIS 8%i$ fi TRACY grf Z% Copyright. 1903. by & '.?/** Edward J. Clode ,V.:\?xy L :VSiw I ! enable him to hit one of thorn. lJ;:t ! they must he shifted, or this night bombardment would prove the moot serious development yet encountered. "Are you all right, Iris':" he called out. "Yes, dear," she answered. "Wnll 1 ivnnf v.,n t.. .........Of covered !?y the canvas for a litile while, especially your head ami shoulders. I am going to stop these chaps. They have fouml our weak point, but I cnu batBe them." She did not ask what he proposed to do. lie heard the rustling of the t irpuulin as she pulled it. Instantly he cast loose the rope ladder and. armed only with a revolver, dropped down the rock. He was <iuite invisible to tlie enemy. On reaching the ground he listened for a moment. There was do sound save the occasional reports ninety yards away, lie hitched up the lower rungs of the ladder until they were six feet from the level and then crept I noiselessly close to the rock for some fprty yards. lie halted beside a small poon tree and stooped to find something imbedded near its roots. At this distance he could plainly hear the muttered conversation of the Hyaks and could see several of them prone on the sand. The latter fact proved liow fatal would be an attempt on bis part to reach the well. They must discover him instantly once he quitted the somber shadows of the cliff. He waited perhaps a fow seconds longer than was necessary, endeavoring to pierce the dim atmosphere and learn something of their disposition. A vigorous outburst of firing sent him back with haste. Iris was up there alone. He knew not what might hap to bo with , U0U feverIs,1?y nnxious to k ma, jlor nprain, to hear her voice Ji ho sure that nil was well sumv.n- ,,0M01' "? fom,d t,ie Inddcr su.i\ Jug gently against tho rock Some one was using it. ne sprang forward cnioloss of conse<iueuee. nn.l seized t!ic agafVm m"CI' had fal,cn f,ee again. IIC had Ids foot ou the bottom rung when Iris* voice, close nt hand and shrill with terror, shrieked: ^ ivobert. where are you?" ."Here!" lie shouted. The nc\t in ?ISiiysofrf&??8ftWWU8.aciU3, ' from the more distant Dyaks on tho other side of Prospect park showed . that they had been overheard, t "Up!" he whispered. "Hold tight and go as quickly as you can!" , "Not without you!" a "Up, for God's sake! I follow nl 0 your heels!" e She began to climb. lie took sonn article from between his teeth, a striuj [s ' apparently, and drew it toward bin jf mounting the ladder at the same tim< t0 The end tightened. He was the p. about ten feet from the ground. Tw ')e Dyaks. yelling fiercely, rushed froi ir. the cover of the house. tl,l "Go on," he said to Iris. "Dor lose your nerve, whatever happens. [.<s am close behind you." ,j;t "I am quite safe." she gasped, jit. Turning and clinging on with o ljS. hand, lie drew his revolver and fir l,e at the pair beneath, who could u< faintly discern them, and were aipn within reach of the ladder. The slio ?? 1 In* It) lav made them halt, lie tun ma u 1( les. or care if were hit. To frigh ?0j them whs sufficient. Several oth ^ H At# -jpfr'A arks j ^ 5 11: W> ^ v dy Ore t't nil tin- , Vt?5' id. and WVl^I ? v uuenced -4 'rrmendovs explosion. and ma- were running across the sands ports ho cave, attracted hy the noise i its. Ev- cries of the foremost pursuers. t of lead Then he gave a steady pull ninaglng cord. The sharp crack of u rl arpauliu, from the vicinity of the old i wall of lie saw the Hash nmong tli >y reason Almost simultaneously a brip leaped from the opposite ledg lappened. lnatlng the vicinity like a me tlatenu or lit up the rock, showed Iris J lug shoul- Ishlug Into the safety of the 1 little revealed Jenks and the Dyaki um would other^ ^Hiere^ollowcd Ins tan mentions explosion that shook earth nnti air, dislodging every loose stoue in the southwest pile of roeks, hurling from the plateau some of its occupants and wounding the remnintier with n shower of lead and debris. The sailor, unmolested further, readied the ledge. In a tall tree near the valley of death he had tightly tlxed n loaded rifle which pointed at a loose stone in the rock overhanging the ledge held by the Dyalcs. This stone rested against a number of preeussion caps extracted from cartridges, aud those were in direct communication with a train of powder leading to a blasting charge placed at the end of a twenty-four inch hole drilled with a crowbar. The impact of the bullet against the stone could not fail to explode some of the caps. lie had used the contents of 300 cartridges to secure a sutliciency of powder, and the bullets were crammed into the oriticb, being tamped with clay and wet sand. The rifle was tired by means of the string, the loose coils of which were secreted at the foot of the poon. By springing this navel mine he had effectually removed every Iiyak from the ledge, over which its contents would spread like a fan. Further, it would probably dolor tbe survivors from again venturing near the fatal spot. Iris listened, only lialf comprehending. Her mind was tilled with one thought to the exclusion of all others. Robert had left her, had done this thing without telling her. She forgave him, knowing lie acted for the best, but he must never, never deceive her again in such a manner. She could not bear it. CHAPTER XIV. "It v 017 are a dear unreasonable lltI tie girl." he said. "Have you I | breath enough to tell me why L you came down the ladder?" "When 1 discovered you were gone I became wild with fright. Don't you see, I imagined you were wounded and had fallen from the ledge. What else could I do but follow, either to help you, or, if that were not possible"? lie found her hand and pressed it to his lips. "I humbly crave your pardon," he said. "That explanation is more than ample. It war. I who behaved unreasonably. Of course I should have warned you." "May I ask how many more wild adventures you undertook without my knowledge?" "One other, of great magnitude. I fell in love with you." "Nonsense!" she retorted. "I knew that long before you admitted it to yourself." "Date, please?" "Woll tr? hocln nt llio vprv boirln "T*1" ' ?lcc" on LoTml tlio bitdnr. Now, didn't vou9" <rn. ful topic imaginable. Thus the time sped until the rising moon silhouetted the cliff on the white carpet of coral strewn sand. The black shadow line traveled slowly closer tc t the base of the clilT, and Jeuks, guided also by the stars, told Iris that mid o night was at hand, g They knelt on the parapet of tin i. ledge, alert to catch any uuusua i. souud and watching for any ludicatio: n of human movement. But Rainbow Is 0 land was now still as the grave. Tli in wounded Dyuks had seemingly bee removed from hut and beach. The den i't lay where they had fallen. The sc 1 sang a lullaby to the reef, and tl fresh breeze whispered among t! palm fronds?that was all.. l,e If the Mussulman kept his couipn the hour was at hand. Then the lig hiss of a snake rose to them from t depths. That is a sound never forg 0*" tcyi when once hoard. It is like 111 ow no other. Indeed the term "hiss" h ton misnomer for the quick sibilant exr ors sion of the breath by an alarmed angered serpent. Iris paid no heed to it; but Jer who knew there was not a reptile thorfuiake variety on the island, lea over the ledge and emitted a tolerr good imitation. The native was neatli. ' "Sahib!" , The girl started at the uncxpe ^ call from the depths. "Yes." said Jenks quietly. ^ "A rone, sahib." -y The sailor lowered n rope. ? a tiling was tied to it beneath. The , ' -hnuimednn apparently had little J of being detected. "Pull, sahib." "Usually it is the sahib who 'pull.' but circumstances niter ei communed .leaks. He hauled st< at a heavy weight. a goatskin with cold water. He emptied tl and sour wine out of the tin cu was about to hand the thrlcc corned draft to Iris when a susr thought caused him to withhold "Let me taste first," he said. The Indian might have be them to the Dyaks. More u things bad -happened. What If t ter were poisoned or drugged? lie placed the tin to his Hps J liquid was musty, having been <r skin nearly two days. Other seemed to be all right. With a profound relief he gave Iris I i to the amj gmiled at the most un and the iinste with which she emptied 1 "Drink yourself and give n to the niore," she said. flc oamo ?'Xo more for you ai preuein, quarry. in a few minutes, yes." ie trees. ?oh, why not now 7' [lit light ?.j)0 n0i; fret, dear one. e, Uluni- iinvc nn you want In a llttl teor. It put to drink much now wou |ust van- I you very 111." edge and i,.jh waited until ho coul 9 to each nKaiu. tly a tre- did you"? she began. 99 'lias twcnty-cn; MB 13,000 carloacU c MS This volume c: L I ^^^orfol Rv Columbia, S, C. But ho Dent over tiie parapet. "Hollo!" "Sahib!" "You have not been followed?" "I think not, snliib. Do not talk toe loud. They are foxes in cunning. Yot have a ladder, they say, sahib. Will not your honor descend? I have much to relate." Iris made no protest when Jenks ex< plained the man's request. She only stipulated that lie should not leave the ladder, while she would remain withir easy earshot. The sailor, of course carried his revolver. He also picket up a crovbar, a most useful and sileni wennon 1 TI1011 lio ivmit nv.'rt!v ilnwn ;;r- 3>ai'ing tho s1'01'1 , "ho sum "Mir Jail, sahib, *fonilOrfy'v^, so<'111 the Kumnon regiment." "When did you leave the regiment' ' "Two years ago. sahib. I killed"? ' "What was the name of your col ncl?" "Kurnal I-slipenee-snhib, a bra 2 man, but of no account on a horse." ' Jenks well remoinbered Coloi 11 Sponce?a fat, short legged warrh 5" who rolled off his charger if the a 0 mal so much as looked sideways. > ? Ja n was telling the truth, d "You are right, Mir Jan. Whut !a Tuang S'Ali doing now?" 10 "Cursing, sahib, for the most pi '><> Ilis men are frightened, lie wan them to try once more with the tu ct that shoot poison, but they refused. ;ht could not come alone, for he could he use his right hand, and he was woi ot- ed by the blowing up of the rock, ito nearly killed me, too, sahib. I 3 a there with the bazaar-born whelps. >ul- the prophet's beard, it was a or stroke." "Are they going away, then?" iks, "No. snliib. The dogs have of whipped so sore that they snarl fo ned venge. They say there is no us ibly firing at you, but they are resolvi be- kill you and the miss sahib or < her off if she escapes tho assault. "What assault?" eted "Protector of the poor, they are 1 lug scaling ladders?four in all. after dawn they intend to rush o<\nm position. You may ?ia.? ome- say, but you cannot slay three Mo- Taung S'Ali has promised gold to fear uian who survives if they su They have pulled down your sig the high rocks and are using th< says tlie ladders. They think yoi ises," 11 charm, sahib, and they want jadily your own work against you." filled This was serious news. A coi le hot nttaek might indeed be dan p and though it had the excellent foatu > wel- it failed the Dyaks would cc deious leave the island. But his sky f It stroyed! That was bad. Ilad j chanced to pass the swinging t rayed would surely have attracted at niikely Now even that faint hope v he wa- polled. "Sahib, there is e .vor.se thing t. Tbe said Mir Jan. in the "Say on, theu." wise it "Before they place the hidden sigh of the cliff they will build a fire the cup wood so that the smoke "-ill I ladylike by the wind into your eyes. ' t. help to blind your aim. Other le some never miss." "That will assuredly he a Tui, ? madam. >ui. ....... "It will, snliib. Soul of my we had but lmlf a troop with ifou can But they had not, and they 1 e while, bo intent 011 the conversation ild make wore momentarily off their g was more watchful. She fan :d speak was a light rustling nnihl t growth, beueath the trees 011 And she coqid hjps, too, If j J ) fv >er cf acres fertilised with PV.n:i olton, thj-ii the r."1. :.; ..;;;j v/i; ioes 7?j?rc ihr.n that. )i incre*iiv? the Yry it ti; f ,;A '*: # 'v : : Fft V m ?' fv? < > ? V^:*r ..; ; , f v^'j :' vjk "V'S? } V! V ; I ' V ' ' .. - ! i-i~ itjfcy di h Fvsc*.v.o VV1 h F 1 sh > ycevs cf cxp-:i:nc; I?; i Iv v were :.?scd c xisL:-: r i :;V5y. t i-'er-ucrs' Bone i lstc tcmb' ?.to . ' t r S 1. - Z ? 0 TC D o >' tor; J,SCO TONS > y fOSU?;2,000 TONS ' 1900-CS.4SS TONS 1806-130,091 TOP 8, i?5T-s71P5 6UAM0 the correct thing to do. So she hissed. ^ Jonks swarmed halfway up the lad ? "Yes, Iris," he said. ' ''I am not sure, hut I imagine some nig moved among the bushes behim ? tue nouso." "All right, dear. I will keep a shari lookout. Can you hear us talking?" .. Will you he long"5" "Another minute." 1 He descended and told Mir Jan wha the miss sahib said. The native wa. about to make a search when Jenk t stopped him. ; "Here"?he handed the man liis re v?^'er "I suppose you can use this?" 4Iir **an to<>k it without a word, am Jenks felt that the Incident atoned to qpttf>?WLamworthy doubts of his darl reported all safe, yev ? been nearer death and escaped 1" Trl? o- he during that reconuoissance. lie, tc forgot that the Dynks were foxes, ai ve foxes can lie close when hounds are trifle stale, icl Mir Jan returned the revolver, or, "Sahib," I10 said, with another 1 ni- laain, "I am a disgraced man. but Iir you will take me up there with yoi i will tight by your side until both is j arms are hacked off. I am weary j these thieves. Ill chance threw me ?rt. i to their company. I will have no m ted of them. If you will not have me lies the rock, give me a gun. I will 1 lie among the trees, and I promise t not some of them shall die tonight hoi md- they find me. For the honor of You regiment, snliib, do not refuse was thing. All I ask Is if your honor By capes that you will write to Ku fine I-shpence-sahib and tell him the I act of Mir Jan, corporal in B troop | Jenks was profoundly moved. - "ill ?Ka been 1 reflected liow best to uuuw ?r re- ices of this willing volunteer wit je In exposing him to certain death li ed to manner suggested. The native, n carry j terpreted his silence. " "I am not a rascal, sahib," h ' claimed proudly. "I only killed n build- ' because"? Soon "Listen. Mir Jan. You cannot your mend what you have said. The I they you are sure, will not come 1 score, morning?" every "They have carried the woum icceed. the boats and are making th nal on tiers.- Such was their talk when j poles them." i have "Will they not miss you?" to use "They will miss the goatskin, It was the last full one." nbined "Mir Jan, do as I bid and yo gerous, see Delhi again. Have you eve ire that a I.ee-Metford?" jrtalnly "i have seen them, sahib, but tign de- 1 ter uiulevstand the Mahtini." i vessel j "i will give you a rifle, with letters 0f ammunition. Do you go in? tention. cave, there, and"? ;as dls- Mb- Jan was startled. "Where the ghost is, sahib?" to tell," "Ghost! That Is a tale for < There is no ghost, only a fe> of a man murdered by thes< - ?t. ,?,An? nfrrt nave you any i llgmusi. ureis lunt, ..0? of green "Some rice, sahib; sufficient f >e blown or two nt a pinch." This will "Good! We will pot water wise you well. When the fighting l> dawn tire nt every man you wkwnrd, the bnok of tlio cnve. On nc come out. Then tlicy can ne' fnther, If you if you keep a full mngnzi us"? j here." were both I "I thought you were never that they protested Iris when Jenks re unrd. Iris ledge. "I have been quite i cied there ! am sure there Is some one d< lie under- And, please, may I hav< the right. ' drink?" that weye I The snilov had left thp ct 1 . rs' Bone produce a lH .li ordinaty fertilizer. n it possible to reduce @ as year. The man Hj I <JiFs Macon, Ca. ncaiii. i. * soeuiv.i a rice, m spare cup anil a dozen packets of cartridges. ! meanwhile brietly explaining to Iris j tl!?> turn taken l>y events so far as Mir Jan was concerned, she was naturalI !y delighted and forgot her fears in ! t!:e excitement earned by the nppenr, ; a nee of so useful an ally. She drank j iiia in*.11hi m a nriuiming beaker ot water. j She hoard hor lovor rejoin Mir Jnn (. | and saw the two step out into the s . moonlight, while Jenks explained the 5 ; action ol tiie ride. Fortunately Iris j was now much recovered from the t fatigue and privation of the earlier i hours. Iler senses were sharpened to I a pitch little dreamed of h.v stay-at,. home young ladies of her age, and she i ih'omcd it her province to act as sentry ,1 "''He the two men conferred. Hence 'HfW-'ULkQ liivt to detect, or, rather, to But Iris was rnpm... ... (.rawl II knowledge of strategy. Feforo HtW??_____ 11 shrieked her warning she grasped a rille. Holding- it at ti e "ready"?about the level of her waist?and depressing sa~ the muzzle sulflcicntly, she began tiring ^ down the side of the rock as fast as 1 1 she could handle lever and trigger. iuy Two 0f tii0 nickel bullets struck a projection and splashed the leading savin" ages with molten metal. oro Unfortunately Jenks' rille beneath 011 was unloaded, being in Mir Jans posh?le S(?ssi)ii for purposes of instruction. ;1,at Jenks whipped out his revolver, fore "To the cave!" lie roared, and Mir ^l? Jan's unwillingness to face n goblin tlus eouhl not withstand the combined hn?3' petus of the saliih's order and the onrnal ward rush of the enemy. lie darted ,'ast headlong for the entrance. Jenks, shooting blindly ns he, too, ran for the ladder, emptied the rcvolvserv" 0r just as his left hand clutelied a Ihout Three Dyaks were so close that \tl,c it would he folly to attempt to ellmh. nisin- j?0 (i,u,w foe weapon into the face of the foremost man. effectually stopping 0 cx" his onward progress. 1 man sailor turned to dive into the cave and secure the rille from Mir : " Jan. when his shin eaught the heavy ,)y" crowbar resting against the rock. The before 1>ajn of (iie jjiou- h>nt emphasis to the swing with which the implement de. ,0 ecended upon some portion of a l)yak I?-! anatomy. Jenks never knew where ho 1 It'll hit the second assailant, hut iue pmcc cracked like an eggshell, sahib '1{U* uot t'mo t? recover the bar for another blow, so ho drove the point ti shall <M the gullet of a gentleman who was r used about to make a vicious sweep at him with a parang. The downfall of this ? I bet- worthy caused his immediate successor to stumble, and Jenks saw his opplenty portunity. With the agility of a cat ho ?ide the jumped up the ladder and reached the ledge without injury. These things happened with the he said, speed of thought. Within forty seconds hildren. of Iris' shrill cry the sailor was breast v bones high with the ledge and calling to her: ? scoun- "All right, old girl! Keep it up!" food?" Itut here he was close to her, unhurt or a day and calmly jubilant, as was his way when a stiff light went well. He was ? "??o oimlnir. too. from the by her side now, uru^ ? >?. .. egins at for the Dynks broke cover recklessly see from ju running for shelter, and one may do ? account fair work by moonlight, ver roach she had strength enough left to place no. Walt fhe riHe out of harm's way before sbo broke down and sobbed not tearfully, coining." but in a paroxysm of reaction. Soon ached the ?jj was quiet beneath save for the lacreepy. I bored efforts of some wounded men to iwn there. fal. away from that accursed rock. ? another owbur be- CrOUtinUtfd on patfy 0. - - ? J