The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-31
THE FIGHT IN THE BUSH.

across the beach. and afterwards, by the
glimmer of it in the trees she got her line
up hill. 1t was only when had got TO
the top or was in the cellar that she wan
dered-Lord knows where and lost a
sight of precious time, afraid to call out
lest Case was at the heels of her, and fall
ing In the bush. so that she was all
Knocked and bruised. That must have
been when she got too far to the south
ward, and how she came to- take me in the
flank at last and brighten me beyond what
I've got the words to tell of.
Well, anything was better than a devil
woman, but / thought her yarn serious
enough. Black Jack had no call TO be
about my house, unless he was set there
TO watch; and il looked 10 me as if my
tomfool word about the paint, and per-
haps some chatter of Maea's, had got us
all in Glove hitcn. One thing was clear
Una and | were here for the night; we
daren't try to go home before day, and
even then it would he safer to strike round
up the mountain and come in by the back
of the village, or we might walk into an
ambuscade. 1t was plain. too. that the
mine should be sprung Immediately, or
Case might he in time TO stopi
i marched into the tunnel, Una keeping
tight hold of me. opened my lantern and
lit the match. The first length of it
burned like spill OF paper, and | stood
stupid, watching 1t burn, and thinking We
were going alott with Tiapolo, which was
none of my views. The second took bet
ter rate, though faster than | cared about !;
and at that | got my wits again. hauled
Una clear of the passage, blew out and
dropped the lantern. and the pair of US
CROPPED our way into the bush until
thought It might be safe, and lay down to-
gether by tree.
"old lady" said. ~ won't forget this
night. You're a trump, and that's what's
wrong with you"
She bumped herself close up to me- She
had run ont the way she was, with nothing
on her but her kilt; and she was all wet
with the dews and the sea on the black
beach. and shook straight on with cold
and the terror OF the dark and the devils
Too much 'fraid," was all she said
The far side Of Cases hin goes down
near rs steep as precipice into the next
valley. We were on the very edge of it,
and L could see the dead wood shine and
hear the sea far below. l didn't care about
the position, which left me no retreat but
Was afraid 10 change. Then |
saw ! had made \ worse mistake about
the lantern, which | should have left
lighted, 50 that could have had crack
81 Case when he stepped into the shine of
ii. And since hadn't had the Wit TO do
that, IL seemed a senseless thing 10 leave
the good lantern TO blow up with the
craven images. The thing belonged to
{
might come in handy. Ii | could have
trusted the match. l might have run in
still and rescued 1t. But who Was going
/ - trust the match2 You know what
/ trade Is. The stuff WAS good enough for
kanakas 10 60 fishing with. where they've
| got To look lively anyway. and the most
| they risk is only To have their hand blown
/ oil. But for anyone that wanted to fool
! around a b!ow-up like mine that match
was rubbish.
Altogether. the best | could do was 10
| lie still, see my shotgun handy, and wait
/ for the explosion. But ii was a solemn
| KIND OF business. The blackness OF the
night was like solid; the only thing yon
| could see was the nasty hoEy giImuer of
/ the dead wood, and that showed Won moth.
ing but itself; and as for sounds.
stretched nav ears u!l | thought | could
/ have heard the match burn in the tunnel
! and that bush was as silent So a coffin
| Now and then there was a bit of a crack :
/ hut whether 10 was near or far. whether It
/ Vas case stubbins his toes within few
/ Yards of me. or a tree breaking miles away,
/ / knew no more than the hahe unborn.
} And then. all of sudden, NeSuvius
/ went OF. 1t was a long tIme coming, but
when IL came Though say that 1t
/ shOulin'tl no man could ASA - see a bet
! ter. ~ first il was just son-Ot-a-gun Of j
! row and a spout oi fire, ANA the wood
/ lighted up So that Won could see e. read.
/ And then the trouble began. I ma ana |
/ We're half buried under - Wacontui ci
( earth, and glad Il WAS no worse, Tor one Of
/ the rocks at the entrance OF the tunnel
Was fired clesn into the air. fell within i
/ couple al tathoms OF where We Iay and
/ bounded over the edge of the hill and went
pounding down into the next valley
. -