The Van Buren press., 1896-12-12

wearied with the alarm and anxiety OF
the previous night, she fell asleep.
"She awole with a sudden sense of
terror knocking at her heart BY The
light of the moon which penetrated
through a small window in the hut she
saw Sleiman extended by her side; for
p short space of time she heard nothing
but the noise of his loud SHORES. when
suddenly q sort of shutting sound IN
side the room struck her as something
strange. 1t seemed as though some ami
nal was crawling along the floor, and
as she looked with trembling expect
ancy toward the direction whence 1t
came, the face of Tong slowly rose
beside Sleiman from the other side ot
the low bed on which she lay. She held
her breath, hardly daring to keep her
eyes fixed on him lest the intensity of
her gaze should draw Tong's attention
TO herself. A flash of something bright,
u long-drawn groan, short struggle,
and then pillow flung over the mouth
which was still capable of crying out
for help, and brawny muscular arms.
pressing it firmly down till the convul-
sive heaving ceased, and all was still as
death. 'Tijah closed her eyes with
one deep shuddering sigh and tainted.
When she regained her senses, she
feared to move or look at first, dreading
what CHASTITY sight would meet her.
She put out her hand and felt about
cautiously The dead form of Sleiman
was still beside her; the pillow rested
over the face; in the room no sound,
but below a stealthy passing to and
fro-Tong and his wife preparing to
get rid of the body.
"'Tijah paused. thinking what to do;
then she rose slowly and crept outside.
The door of the house was open, and
Tong had evidently just gone cut She
caught up sarong Skirt which lay
near her on the floor, and flung it over
her head; then. without a backward
glance, she fled through the doorway,
and as fast as her terror stricken limbs
would carry her down to the seashore.
1t took no time to unfasten the koleh,
and in few moments she had grasped
the paddle and had set out in her tiny
boat to row over the miles of sea which
lay between her and her parents home
in Malacea. 1t was a frail bark for
safety; but she felt she could trust 20
1t sooner than to those bloodthirsty
creatures she had left behind. A long
way she rowed, and the next day when
the sun got up and scorehed her, she
pulled in her paddle and rolled herself
in her sarong and lay down in the bot
tom of the boat and slept. She was
aroused by the movement of her cookie
she'll. 1t was night; a breeze had
sprung up and squall was coming;
white crests tipped the waves and 4
heavy bank of clouds obseured the star
light, and in a few moments black
pail of darkness enveloped her. The
wind struck the fragile craft, whirling
it wildly round, and before she could
seize the paddle to try and steady it, the
boat capsized, and she was flung into
the angry sea. She struck out boldly
and swan until her hands touched the
upturned bark, to which she chung, en-
dcavoring to right it. Poor grill she
knew not where she was, how far from
shore, how long her strength would
last, and whether there was any hope OF
succor.
AT last the squall passed over and the
water became comparatively calm, but
the moon had not risen and she could
see nothing. She began to get exhaust
ed and felt that she could not hold on
much longer and would sink and drown
unless Tuan Allah took pity on her.
She thought sadly that she was young
to die, and prayed for help. A small
thing as light as a feather touched her
cheek-a mosquito, sent to save her
life. When she heard the sound which
Tuan cursed just now she knew that
land must be quite near, for mosquito
never flies out to sea. She let go her
anchorage, and, making one more eff
fort, swan bravely on, and very soon
her feet touched the beach.
meanwhile those cruel murderers
had finished their work, and before day
light dawned had got rid of every trace
Of their i'll doing. The neighbors in
CURED what had become of Sleiman and
why ha had come and gone so sud
denly.
ooh said Tong, he left hurriedly;
he took 'Tiiah with him and went away
in the koch at daybreak to catch
steamer which would pass there going
to Singapore
at was a very mysterious affair, and
no one could make out the truth; but
when the police had given up all search,
finding they could prove nothing, quite
unexpectedly the murder was found
out. A man of the village went into
the Jungle to cut wood, and at midday
he walked down to the creek TO wash
after bis food Coming back through
the swampy mangrove near the river he
noticed n very great swarm of flies!
They were like a cloud, they were so
thick. What have we hereP he
thought; some dead animal, perhaps.'
and went to see. Sunk in the mud where
the river washed over il at high tide he
found a barrel, from which proceeded
a very nauseous smell. His curiosity
was aroused, so he put in his hand;
feeling something hard. he drew it out.
II was a skull, the skull of man, and
projecting from the upper jaw was a
long tooth, like a tusk. 'Aha! he cried;
'Sleimanl'
He went and told the police, and they
came end took the easll, and the muir
der was proved, because the clothes