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ft S^Wings of the!
?$& 1LM ? / By LOUIS
M Mornm# mi
t ,<- . L4wvd J. Cl?4* V*7iV%
CHAPTER XIV.
j-l'ir are a dear unreasonable lit
I \# I tie girl," be said. "Have you
J I I breath enough to tell me why
' ' you eame down the ladder?"
"When I discovered you were gone
I berame wild with fright. Don't you
see. I Imagined you were wounded
and had fallen from the ledge. What
else could 1 do but follow, either to
help you, or. If that were not pos
sible" _
lie found her hand and pressed It to
6iia lips.
"I humbly crave your pardon," he
siald. "That explanation Ih more than
ample It was I who behaved un
reasonably. Of course 1 should have
"warned you."
"May I ask how many more wild ad
ventures 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?"
"Well, to liegln ut the very boglie
?alng. yon thought I was nice on board
the Sirdar. Now, didn't you?"
And they were safely embarked on a
von venation of no interest to any oth
er person in the wide world, but which
provided them with the most delight
ful topic imajrtnablo.
"Thus the time sped until the rising
cnroa silhouetted the clifT on the wldte
varpet of coral strewn sand. The black
whadow line traveled slowly closer to
the base of the cliff, and Jenks, guided
also by tbe stars, told Iris that mid
night was at hand.
They kuelt ou the parapet of the
ledge, "lert to cutch nny unusual
-sound and watching fur uny Indication
of human movement. Hut Rainbow Is
land was now still as the grave. The
wounded Pyaks had seemingly been
Temoied from hut and beach. The dead
lay where they had fallen. The sea
sunn a lullaby to the reef, and the
fresh breeze whispered annum the
Synira fronds that was all.
If the Mussulman kept his compact
(the hour was at hand. Then the light
lilss of a snake rose to them from the
?depths. That Is a sound never forgot
ten when once heard. It Is like unto
o? other. Indeed the term "hiss" is a
tnlsnomer for the quick sibilant expul
sion of the breath by ail alarmed or
angered serpent.
Iris paid in heed to it; but Jcnks,
who knew there was not a reptile of
the snake variety on the Island, leaned
over the ledge and emitted a tolerably
good imitation. The uatlvc was be
neath.
"Sahib!"
The girl started at the unexpected
?call from the depths.
"Yes." said Jcnks quietly.
"A rope, sahib."
The sailor lowered n rope. Some
thing was tied to it beneath. The Mo
hammedan apparently had little fear
of being detected.
"Pull, sahib."
"Usually It Is the sahib who says
?pull,' but circumstances niter cases,"
communed .lenks. He hauled steadily
at a heavy weight, a goatskin filled
with cold water. He emptied the hot
and sour wino out of the tin cup and
was about to hand the thrice wel
vtoikiI draft to Iris when n suspicious
thought caused him to withhold It.
"Uet me taste first," he said.
I he Indian might have betrayed
them to tlie Dyaka. More unlikely
things had happened. What If the wa
ter were poisoned or drugged?
He placed the tin to his Hps. The
liipild was musty, having la>en In tlie
skin nearly two days. Otherwise It
seemed to be all right. With a sigh of
profound relief he gave Iris the cup
and smiled at the most unladylike
iiaste with which she emptied it.
"Drink yourself and give me some
taiore," she said.
"No more for you at present, madam.
In a few minutes, yes."
"Oh, why not now?"
"Do not fret, dear one. You can
have all you want in a little while.
Hut to drink much now would make
you very ill."
Iris waited until he could speak
again.
""Why did you"? she began.
But lie bent over the parapet.
"Hello!"
"Sahib!"
"You have not been followed?"
"I think not, sahib. Do Dot talk too
loud. They are foxes In cunning. You
have a ladder, they say, sahib. Will
*M?t your honor descend? I have much
to wOate."
iris made no protest when Jenks ex
plained the man's request. She only
stipulated that he should not leave the
-ladder, while she would remain within
?easy earshot Tt>_e sailor, of course,
xarrJed Ids revolver. He also picked
up * crowbar, a most useful and silent
weapon. Then he went quietly down
ward. Nearlng tl?e grouDd, he saw
the native, who salaamed deeply and
was unarmed. The poor fellow seem
ed to be very anxious to help them.
"What is your name?" demanded the
??Tim
""Mir Jan, sahib, formerly corporal In
Che Kumaon regiment"
"When did you leave the regiment?"
"Two years ago. sahib. I killed"?
"What was the name of your colo
nel?"
"Kurnnl I-shpence-sahlb, u brave
man, but of no account on a horse."
.leak* well remembered Colonel
Spence? a fat, abort legged warrior,
wbo rolled off bis charger If the ani
mal so much as looked sideways. Mir
Jan was telling the truth.
"You are right, Mir Jan. What Is
Tilling K'AII doing now?"
"Cursing, sahib, for the most part.
' His men are frightened. He wanted
I them to try once more with the tubes
j that shoot poison, but they refused. He
' could not come alone, for he could not
[ use his right hand, and he was wound
ed by the blowing up of the rock. You
nearly killed uie, too, sahib. I was
there with the bazaar-born whelps. By
the prophet's beard, it was u flue
stroke."
"Are they going away, then?"
"No, sahib. The dogs have been
whipped so sore that they snarl for re
venge. They say there Is no use in
ilrlng at you, but they are resolved to
kill you and the miss sahib or carry
her off If she escapes the assault."
"Whut assuult?"
"Protector of the poor, they ure build
ing scaling ladders?four in all. Soon
after dawn they Intend to rush your
position. You may slay some, they
say, but you cannot slay threescore.
Taung K'AII has promised gold to every
man who survives If they succeed.
They have pulled down your signal on
the high rocks and are using the poles
for (he ladders. They think you huve
a charm, sahib, and they want to use
your own work against you."
Thin wiih serious news. A combined
attack might Indeed be dangerous,
though It had the excellent feature that
If It failed the Dyaks Would certainly
leave the Island. Hut his sky sign de
stroyed! That was bad. Had n vessel
chanced to pass the swinging letters
would surely have attracted attention.
Now even that faint hope was dis
pelled.
"Sahib, there is a worse thing to tell,"
said Mir Jan.
"Say on, then."
"Before they plnce the ladders against
the cliff they will build a lire of green
wood so that the smoke will be blown
by the wind into your eyes. This will
help to blind your aim. Otherwise you
never miss."
"That will assuredly be awkward,
Mir Jan."
"It will, sahib. Soul of my father, If
we had hut half a troop with us"?
Hut they had not, and they were both
so intent on the conversation that they
were momentarily off their guard. Iris
was more watchful. She fancied there
was a light rustling amid the under
growth beneath the trees on the right.
And Nhe could hiss, too, if that were
the correct thing to do.
So she hissed.
Jenks swarmed halfway up the lad
der.
"Yes, Iris," he said.
"I am not sure, but I imagine some
thing moved among the bushes behind
the house."
"All right, dear. 1 will keep a sharp
lookout. Can you hear us talking?"
"Hardly. Will you be long?"
"Another minute."
He descended and told Mir Jan what
the uilss suhlb said. The native was
about to mnke a senrch when Jenks
stopped him.
"Here"?he handed the man his re
volver?"I suppose you can use this?"
Mir Jun took It without a word, and
Jenks felt that the Incident atoned for
previous unworthy doubts of his dark
Tl?. \l ,1... m .v. 1 .. ?>
11 iruu n iioucsij'. i lit* Jiuuniuuicuau
cautiously examined the back of the
house, the neighboring shrubs and the
open beach. After a brief absence he
reported all safe, yet no man has ever
been near r depth and escaped It than
he durtn In t reconnoissance. He, too,
forgot tl t t! e I yaks were foxes, and
foxes cn le i !o ;e when hounds are a
trifle sta
Mir J: n rc'arned the revolver.
"Sahib." l e said, with another sa
lnani, "I cm a disgraced man. but If
you will t kc me up there with you I
will Ilgi t ! y your side until both my
arms are k icked off. I am weary of
these thieve t. Ill chance threw me In
to their <? : puny. 1 will hnve no more
of them 'f you will not have me on
the rock ve me a gun. I will hide
among i ? trees, and I promise that
some of tl em shall die tonight before
they find me. For the honor of the
regimen: sahib, do not refuse this
thing. All I ask Is If your honor es
capes that yon will write to Kurnal
I-shpence-sahlb and tell him the last
act of Mir Jan. corporal In B troop."
Jenks was profoundly moved. He
reflected how best to utilize the serv
ices of this willing volunteer without
exposing him to certain death In the
manner suggested. The native misin
terpreted his silence.
"I am not a rascal, sahib," he ex
claimed proudly. "I only killed a man
because"?
"Listen, Mir Jan. You cannot well
mend what you have said. The Dyaks,
you are sure, will not come before
morning?"
"They have carried the wounded to
the boats and are making the lad
l - -
ders. Such was tlietr talk when I left
i them."
"Will they not miss you?"
"They will miss lie goatskin, sahib.
It w s the iiiHt full one."
"M r Jan. do as I I 'i and yon shall
-ee 1 -Jlil again. Have you ever used
l I.e. Met fold V"
"I 1 avv aeon tlnnn. Kal.lli, but I bet
for understand tin- MaUtlul."
"I will give you n rifle, with plenty
if mi munitlou. I>o you go inside the
tare, tbere, and"?
Mir Jan was startled.
"Where tbe gliost Is. Kahili?" be said.
"tii st! That is a tule for children.
There Is no ghost, only a few bones
?f a man murdered by these scoitn
f-els long ago. Have you uuy food?"
"So up rice, sablb; sufficient for a day
or tw i at a pinch."
"tie ill 1 We will get water from the
well. When the lighting begins at
dawr lire at every man you see front
the l.iclt of the cave. Oo no account
come out. Then they can never reach
you if you keep a full magazine. Wait
here."
"I thought you were never coming,"
protested Iris when Jenka reached the
lodge. "I have been quite creepy. I
unt sure there Is some one down there.
And, please, may I have another
drink?"
The sailor had left the crowbar be
neath. He secured a rltle, a spare clip
and a dozen packets of cartridges,
meanwhile briefly explaining to Iris
the turn taken by events so fur as Mir
Jan was concerned. She was natural
ly delighted and forgot her fears in
the excitement caused by the appear
ance of so useful un ally. She drank
ills health lu a brimming beaker of
water.
She heard her lover rejoin Mir Jan
and saw the two step out into the
moonlight, while Jenks explained the
action of the rifle. Fortunately Iria
was now much recovered from the
futigue und privation of the earlier
hours. Her senses were sharpened to
a pitch little dreamed of hy stay-at
home young ladies of her age, and she
deemed It her province to act as sentry
while the two men conferred. Hence
ahe watt the first to detect, or, rather, to
become conscious of, the stealthy crawl
of several Ityaks along the bottom of
the cliff from Turtle bench.
"Robert!" she screamed. "The Dy
aks! On your left!"
ISut Iris was rapidly gaining some
knowledge of strategy. Before she
shrieked her warning she grasped a
rltie. Holding it at the "ready"?about
the level of her waist?and depressing
the muzzle sufficiently, she began tiring
down the side of the rock as fast as
she could handle lever and trigger.
Two of the nickel bullets struck a pro
jection and splashed the leading sav
ages with molten metal.
Unfortunately Jonks' rifle benenth
was unloaded, being in Mir Jan's pos
session for purposes of instruction.
Jenks whipped out his revolver.
"To the cave!" he roared, and Mir
Jan's unwillingness to face a goblin
could not withstand the combined im
petus of the sahib's order and the on
wurd rush of the enemy. He darted
headlong for the entrance.
Jenks, shooting blindly as he, too,
ran for the ladder, emptied the revolv
er Just as his left hand clutched a
rung. Three It.vaks were so close that
It would be folly to attempt to climb.
He threw the weapon into the face of
the foremost man. effectually stopping
his onward progress.
The sailor turned to dive Into the
cave and secure the rifle from Mir
Jan. when his shin caught the heavy
I crowbar resting against the rock. The
i pain of the blow lent emphasis to the
swing with which the implement de
i seeuded upon some portion of a D.vak
anatomy. Jenks never knew where he
hit the second assailant, but the place
cracked like an eggshell.
He had uot time to recover the bar
for another blow, so he drove the point
In the gullet of a gentleman who was
He drove the point in the gullet.
about to make a vicious sweep at him
with a parang. The downfall of this
worthy caused his immediate succes
sor to stumble, and Jenks saw his op
portunity. With the agility of a cat he
jumped up the ladder and reached the
ledge without Injury.
These things happened with the
speed of thought. Within forty seconds
of Iris' shrill cry the sailor was breast
high with the ledge and calling to her:
"All right, old girl! Keep it up!"
But here he was close to her, unhurt
and calmly jubilant, as was his way
when a stiff tight went well. He was
by her side now, tiring and aiming, too.
for the Dyaks broke cover recklessly
In running for shelter, and one may do
fair work by moonlight.
She had strength enough left to place
me rifle out of harm's way before she
broke down and sohlied not tearfully,
but 111 a purox.i sm of reaction. Soon
all wit quid beneath nave for the la
bored efforts of some wounded men to
get fur away from that accursed rock.
Jenl.s Mat able to turn to Iris, lie en
deavored to allay her agitatiou and
lUtceciicl somewhat, for tears came,
and she clung to him. It was useless
to reproach him. The whole lucident
was unforeseen. She was herself a
party to it. Hut what an escape!
"You have been a very good little
I frl u:id have earned your supper," he
?aid.
"Oh. how can you tulk so callously
after such an awful experience?" she
expostulated brokenly.
"It Is a small tiling to trouble about,
sweetheart." he explained. "You spot
ted the enemy so promptly and bluzed
away with such ferocity that they nev
er got within yards of me."
"Are you sure?"
"I vow and declare that after we
I uve eaten something and sampled our
remaining bottle of wine I will tell you I
exactly what happened."
"Why not now?"
"Because I must tirst see to .Mir Jail. ,
I bundled him ueck and crop into the
cave. 1 hope 1 did not hurt him."
"You are not going down there
again?"
"Xo need, I trust."
He went to the side of the ledge, re- j
covered the ladder which he had has
tily hauled out of the Dyaks' reach aft- ;
er bis climb, and cried:
"Mir Jan."
"Ah, suhlb! Braised be the name of j
the Most lligh, you are alive. I was |
search lug among the slain with a sor
rowful heart."
The Mohammedan's voice came from
Borne little distance on the left.
"The slain, you say. How many?"
"Five, sahib."
"Impossible! I fired blindly with the
revolver and only hit one man hard
with the iron bar. One other dropped
near the wood after I obtained a rifie."
"Then there be six, sahib, not reckon
ing the wounded. I have accounted
for one, so the miss sahib must have"?
"What is he saying about me?" In
quired Iris, who had riseu and joined
her lover.
"lie says you absolutely staggered
the L>yaUs by opening tire the moment
they appeared."
"How did yon come to slay one, Mir
Jan?" he continued.
"A son of a black pig followed me
into the cave. 1 waited for him In the
darkness. I have just thrown his body
outside."
"Well done! Is Taung S'Ali dead by
any lucky chance?"
"No, sahib, if he be not the sixth. I
will go and see."
"You may be attacked."
"I have found a sword, sahib. You
left me no cartridges."
Jenks told him that the clip and the
twelve packets were lying at the foot
of the rock, where Mir Jan speedily
discovered them. The Mohammedan
gave satisfactory assurance that he un
derstood the mechanism of the ritie by
filling and adjusting the magazine.
Then he went to examine the corpse of
the man who lay in the open near the
quarry path.
The sailor stood in instant readiness
to make a counter demonstration were
the native assailed. Itut there was no
sign of the Pyaks. Mir Jan returned
with the news that the sixth victim of
the brief yet tierce eucounter was a
renegade Malay. He was so confident
that the enemy had enough of it for
the night that, after recovering Jenks'
revolver, he boldly went to the well
and .'.:ew himself a supply of water.
I '.'.ring supper Jenks told Iris so
much of the story ns was good for her
?that is to say, he cut down tire casu
alty list.
It was easy to see what had hap
pened. The Pyaks, having missed the
Mohammedan and their water bag,
seurched for him and heard the con
versation at the foot of the rock.
Knowing that their presence was sus
pected, they went bac k for re-enforce
ments and returned by the shorter and
more advantageous route along Turtle
beach.
Iris would have talked all nlglit, but
Jenks made her go to sleep by pillow
ing her head against his shoulder and
smoothing her tangled tresses with his
hand.
He managed to lay her on a com
fortable pile of ragged clothing and
then resumed his vigil. Mir Jan of
fered to mount guard beneath, but
Jenks bade him go within the cave and ,
remain there, for the dawn would soon |
be upon them.
Left alone with his thoughts, he won- I
dered what the rising sun would bring |
in its train. He reviewed the events j
of the last twenty-four hours. Iris and
he?Miss Peane, Mr. Jenks. to each
other?were then undiscovered in their
refuge, the D.vaks were gathered
around a roaring tire in the valley, and
Mir Jan was keen in the hunt as the
keenest among them. Now Iris was |
his affianced bride, over twenty of the
enemy were killed and many wounded,
and Mir Jan, a devoted adherent, was
seated beside the skeleton in the gloom
of the cavern.
A period of reflection could hardly
pass without a speculative dive into
the future. If Iris and ha were res
cued. what would happen when they
went forth om* more into the busy
world? Not for one Instant did he
doubt her faith. She was true as
steel, knit to him now by 1 >onds of
triple brass. But what would Sir Ar
thur I>eane think of his daughter's
mnrrhige to a discredited and cashiered
officer? What was it that poor Mir
Jan called himself?"a disgraced man?"
Yes, that was it. Could that stain be
removed? Mir Jan was doing it. Why
not he?by other means, for his good
name rested on the word of a perjured
woman? Wealth was potent, but not
I all powerful. He would ask Iris to
wait until he came to her unsoiled bv |
slander. purged of tT.!odium cast up- '
on liiiu unmerited.
To uwuke her lie kissed her; he knew
not, pi.vhuiue It might l>e their last
kiss on earth. Not jet dawn, there was
morning in the air. I >; the tlrst faint
tin: its of light were not visible from
their eyrie owing to in p >sitlon. But
tl e ? ,is uiueh to li - uoue.
'lie cauvus awning was rolled back
at tlie stores t>ui!t into u barrieade la
te ,ed to shelter iris.
"Wl it Is that for?" sbe asked when j
site dlseovered its nature. He told her.
She definitely refused to avail herself
of any su. It proteetlon.
"iiohert. dear." she said, "if the at- |
taek eoiues to our very door, so to
speak, surely 1 must help you. Even
my slight aid may stent u rush in one
place while yon are busy in another."
lie explained to Iter that if hand to
hand lighting were necessary he would
depend more upon a crowbar than a
ritle to sweep the ledge clear. She
might be In the way.
"Very well. The moment you tell
me to get behind that fence I will do j
so. Even there I can use a revolver."
That reminded him. His own pistol
was unloaded. He possessed only five
more cartridges of small caliber. He
pla'-ed them in the weapon and gave it
to her.
"Now you have eleven men's lives in
your hands." he said. "Try not to miss
If you must shoot."
In the dim light he could not see ttie
spasm of pain that clouded her face.
No Dyak would reach her while he
lived. If he fell, there was another use
for one of those cartridges.
The sailor had cleared the main floor
of the rock and wus placing his four
rifles and other implements within easy
reach when a hiss came from beneath.
"Mir Jan!" exclaimed Iris.
"What now?" demanded Jenks over
the aide.
"Sahib, they come!"
"I am prepared. I,et that snake
get back to his hole in the pock, lest a
mongoose seize him by the head."
Mir Jan, engaged In a scouting expe
dition on bis own account, understood
that the officer sahib's orders must be
obeyed. He vanished. Soon they heard
a great crackling among the bushes on
the right, but Jenks knew even before
he looked that the PyfifcS bad correctly
estimated the extent of his fire zone
and would keep out of it.
The first physical intimation of the
enemy's design they received was a
pungent but pleasant smell of burning
pine, borne to them by the northerly
breeze and filling the air with its aro
ma. The Uyaks kindled a huge fire.
The heat was perceptible even on the
ledge, but the minutes passed and the
dawn broadened into day without any
other result being achieved.
Iris, a little drawn and pale with sus
pense. said, with a timid giggle:
"This does not seem to be so very
serious. It reminds me of my efforts
to cook."
"There is more to follow, I fear, dear
one. Hut the Dyaks are fools. They
should have waited until night fell
again after wearing us out by constant
vigilance all day. If they intend to em
ploy smoke it would be far worse for
us at night."
Phew! A volume of murky vapor
arose that nearly suffocated them by
the first wk!~ :,f its noisome fumes. It
curled like a black pall over the face of
the rock and blotted out sea and sky.
They coughed incessantly and nearly
choked, for the Dyaks had thrown wet
seaweed on top of the burning pile of
dry wood. Mir Jan, born in interior In
dia, knew little about the sea or its
products, and when the savages talked
of seaweed he thought they meant
green wood. Fortunately for him, the
ascending clouds of smoke missed the
cave or Infallibly he must have been
stified.
"Lie fiat on the rock!" gasped Jenks.
Careless of waste, he poured water
over a coat and made Iris bury her
mouth and nose in the wet cloth. This
gave her Immediate relief, and she
showed her woman's wit by tying the
sleeves of the garment behind her neck.
Jenks nodded comprehension and fol
lowed her example, for by this means
their hands were left free.
The black cloud grew more dense
each few seconds. Nevertheless, owing
to the slope of the ledge and the tend
ency of the smoke to rise, the south
side was far more tenable than the
north. Quick to note this favorable cir
cumstance, the sailor deduced a fur
ther fact from It. A barrier erected on
the extreme right of the ledge would
be a material gain. He sprang up,
dragged the huge tarpaulin from its
former location and propped it oa the
handle of the pickax, driven by one
mighty stroke deep into a crevice of
the rock.
It was no mean feat of strength that
he performed. He swung the heavy
and cumbrous canvas into position as
if it were a dust cloth. He emerged
from the gloom of the driven cloud red
eyed, but triumphant. Instantly the
vapor on the ledge lessened, and they
could breathe, even talk. Overhead
and in front the smoke swept in ever
Increasing density, but once again the
Bailor had outwitted the Hyaks' ma
neuvers.
"We have won the first rubber." he
whispered to Iris.
Above, beneath, beyond, they eould
see nothing. The air they breathed
was hot and fetid. It was tike be
lug immured iu a foul tunnel, and al
most as dark. Jenks looked over the
parapet. He thought he could distin
guish some vague tlgures on the sands,
so he tired at them. A volley of an
swering bullets crashed into the rock
on all sides. The Hyaks had laid their
plans well tlds time A firing squad
stationed beyond the smoke area and
supplied with all the available guns
commenced and kept up a smart fusil
lade in the direction of the ledge in
order to cover the operations of the
scaling party.
Je iks realized that to expose himself
was to court n serious woun>l ami
achieve no uaeful purpose. He fell
back out of range. luld down liis ride
and grabbed the crowbar. At brief in
tervals a deep hollow boom cauie ui>
from the valley. At first it puzzled
item until the sailor lilt upon an ex
planation. Mir Jan was busy.
The eud of a strong, r Highly made
ladder swung through the smoke and
banged against the ledge. Before
Jenks could reach It those hoisting It
Into position hastily retreated. They
were standing in front of the cave, and
the Mohummedau made play ou them
with a rifle at thirty feet.
Jenks. using his crowbar us a lever,
toppled the ludder clean over, it fell
outward and disconcerted a section of
the musketeers.
"Well done!" cried iris.
The sailor, astounded by her tone,
gave lier a fleeting glance. She was
very pale now. hut not with fear. Her
eyes,were slightly contracted, her nos
trils uuivering, her lips set tight and
tier chin dimpled. Resting on one knee,
with a revolver in each hand, she seem
eil 110 puling mate for the gallant man
who fought for her.
There was no time for further speech.
Three ladders were reared ag: Inst the
r
Now both crowbar and revolver were
needed.
rock. They were so poised and held
below tliat Jenks could not force them
backward. A fourth appeared, its
coarse shafts looming into sight like
the horns of some gigantic animal.
The four covered practically the whole
front of the ledge save where Mir Jan
cleared a little space on the level.
The sailor was standing now, with
the crowbar clinched in both hands.
The iiring in the valley slackened and
died away. A Dyak face, grinning like
a Japanese demon, appeared at the top
of the ladder nearest to Iris.
"Don't tire!" shouted Jenks. And the
iron bar crushed downward. Two oth
ers pitched themselves half on to the
ledge. Now both crowbar and revolv
er were needed. Three ladders were
thus cumbered somewhat for those be
neath. and Jenks sprang toward the
fourth nnd most distant. Men were
crowding it like ants. Close to his feet
lay an empty water cask. It was a
crude weapon, but effective when well
pitched, and the sailor lntd never made
a better shot for a goal in the midst
of a hard fought scrimmage than he
made with that tub for the head of the
uppermost pirate.
Another volley came from the sands.
A bullet plowed through his hair and
sent his sou'wester flying. Again the
besiegers swarmed to the attack. One
way or the other they must succeed.
A man and a woman?even such a man
and such a woman?could not keep at
bay an infuriated horde of fifty sav
ages fighting at close quarters and un
der these grievous conditions.
Jenks knew what would happen. He
would be shot while repelling the scal
ing party. And Iris! Dear heart! She
was thinking of him.
"Keep back! They can never gain
tue ledge!" she shrieked.
And then, above the din of the fu
sillade, the yells of the assailants and
the bawling of the wounded, there
came through the air a screaming, tear
ing, ripping sound which drowned all
others. It traveled with Incredible
speed, and before the sailor could be
lieve his ears?for he well knew what
It meant?a shrapnel shell burst in
front of the ledge and drenched the
valley with flying lead.
Jeuks was just able to drag Iris 2f.C
against the rock ere the time fuse op
erated and the bullets flew. He could
form no theory, hazard no conjecture.
All he knew was that a twelve pounder
shell had flown toward them through
space, scattering red ruin among the
amazed scoundrels beneath. Instantly
he rose again, lest perchance any of the
Dyaks should have gained a foothold
on the ledge.
The ladders were empty. He could
hear a good deal of groaning, the foot
steps of running men and some dis
tant shouting.
"Sahib!" yelled Mir Jan, drawn from
his retreat by the commotion without.
"Yes," shouted Jenks.
The native, in a voice cracked with
excitement, told him something. The
sailor asked a few rapid questions to
make quite sure that Mir Jan was not
mistaken.
Then he threw his arms round Iris,
drew her close and whispered:
"My darling, we are saved! A war
ship has anchored just beyond the
south reef, and two boats filled with
armed sailors are now pulling ashore."
(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE )
Any kind invitations here.
- '.?TTSEfta ?