Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-04-27

4
we have to fight we can hold this place
against thousand until he brings help"
Listah departed immediately. They
carried the corpse of Chalpa out and laid
it upon blanket.
Now for preparations" cried Eric.
"First let us wet down the roof, for if
they fight I'D they may try to fire that
first"
This they set about doing at once. As
they worked they heard sounds in tho
city which told them that the people
had been aroused By the rifle shot. They
could see lights moving upon the roofs
and hear the shouts of the people. A
little later they saw group approach
ing the house which was now to be q
fortress. II was too dark to distinguish
the features of those approaching, and
they retired within doors to await them.
The group halted within hundred
yards Of tho house, and the watchers
heard them conversing III low tones.
Shortly afterward another and larger
party appeared and joined forces with
those already upon the ground. Eric
began to feel that they were really be-
sicgod. No move was made by the
enemy, however, and he concluded that
they were awaiting the light of day to
begin operations. 1t was now about two
o'clock IL the morning. Leila had re-
covered consciousness and had been 50
Gained by tho presence Of her lover and
brother that she had sunk to sleep.
Fries own eyes We're heavy, for he had
not slept for two nights. Jan-ila. who
was az fresh looking as a boy and as
wskoful as cat, Whispered to him
When they had grown tired of watching
and waiting for some action on the part
Of tho besiegers:
Lie down, master: YOU and kulcan
both need rest, and will watch them.
If nything happens | viii awaken you
at once"
Reslizing the need of rest. Eric felt
the force OF this advice, and after a few
words of caution to their sentinel threw
himself upon his bearskin. Kulcan
stretched himself beside his sister, and
in d very few minutes they We're both
souudly sleeping. ,Iau-iia sat upon tho
doorsill, with his eyes fixed upon :he now
silent forces Of the enemy. lie felt
rather than saw that there We're ewes in
the darkness watching him, also closer
a1haps than h" imagined. and he iuvol-
unfairly drew indoors as he ,p4crlateu
upon an unseen enemy piercing him with
d stone TIPPED spear or arrow.
Nothing occurred, however. and at
last the nights intense blaclness began
slowly 10 give way to he gray dawn.
lie awoke Eric and Kulcau. aud they
surveyed the array before them with
different feelings.
Eric measured the forces with cool,
calculating eve. H knew that bis re-
voIver ard rifle wcr- equal 10 the task
cf defending his fortress, but he did not
relish the idea OF siauEhtering these
human beings. ard he stiil hoped thai
they were there only 10 parley with him
rnd not TO avenee ChGlpa's death. To
Jan-iia he assigned III. rife, warning
him not TO Ore until he was ordered.
The youth was most bloodthirsty: he
wanted to NOW down whole rows Of the
enemy nj once and disperse tlem before
they could begin tie tack. but Eric
showed him tie folly Of the proceed
ing.
They could see that the Atzlans were
Gisputiug atlong themselves. debating
erhaps the mothod or pruuricty Of an at
tack. but il WIS impossible to hear wi at
was being said. twas now light enough
10 see also tuat there We're hundreds Of
PRIESTS III the horde. and that thcv v,ero
the leaders. A-vet the enemy lad not
tceu the bese!ged al all and know net
how many were in the house. When it
grew lighter they moved uu The slope
and halted again. forming in q great
ep,ulcircle about forty feet away. Te-
pclpec, with great AK and rude sort
Of shield, was eyileuily in command.
He was to the fore few feet. and when.
= moment after they had halted. Eric
sent Jan-ila ont TO speak to them he
raised Il shout OF angry {, hance. Jan-,la
took no notice of him, bat stood in 4n
attitude of somiridiculous dignity, with
most elaborate smile of derision and
contempt on his face, awaiting silence
/, l.,.5,, l.. .rro,I III, l.