The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-31

MA uaudDlan anchored IN rnldStredus
and the whole city was in a state of ex-
element.
From their concealment the Englishmen
could see some numbers Of dusky soldiers
of the Jehadia with their Birmingham
supplied rifles, making their way through
the gate towards the river.
They spread themselves out and com
menced to beat the edge of the forest of
rushes like keepers beating out pheasants
for a September battue. To vary the in
terest, at intervals they fired desultory
shots into the thick growth, in the hope
of killing or wounding their quarry.
The boat, well-stocked with provisions
and guarded by a heavily bribed Arab was
moOred in safety a mile farther down the
river, but as the dervishes did not sus>
poet the method of escape, and as 1t lay,
moreover, absolutely hidden from the
shore on the river verge of the reeds, IL
was improbable that it would be discov-
cred. The plan of the two men was to
make their way cautiously through the
reeds and sedge toward the waiting Arab,
then to let the boat drift to a point lit
tie farther down and wait till the given
time for the girl
Steiner and Forrest having lain quite
still for half an hour, and the firing hav-
ing ceased-though IL was evident a close
lookout was beng kept on the land side
commenced to move stealthily toward the
boat. 1t was an arduous task, for they
were up to their loins in mud and sogged
vegetation, and the river banks were
clogged with trunks of trees and masses
Of debris brought down by the swollen
stream at this season of the year.
But though their movements were
stealthly, crafty Sudanese who had been
moving along the banks on his hands and
knees, detected them. The next moment
he brought his gun to his shoulder and
taking aim through the reeds fired. A
sharp cry of pain from Forrest told shat
he had been struck, but fortunately the
wound was slight. The bullet had grazed
his cheek and left him tingling, but not
seriously hurt.
You dog" cried Sterner. as the ma
tive, flushed with his success, rose to his
feet and came crashing through the rushes
toward them. Let that pay off the
score"
He leveled his revolver; there was a
sharp ping and the man, finging up
his arms, sank to the ground without a
cry
The pursuers, however, had now scent
ed their quarry, and half dozen came
hurrying to the scene. Steiner and Forrest
kept to their ambush, and as one after
another appeared in the opening made by
the Inflated Sudanese warrior, he was
met by a bullet.
One, two, three, four men fell in that
narrow gap, but the firing only served to
attract the whole horde in pursuit Across
the open space, between their covert and
the city wall, the Englishman could dis
tinguish the white fardas of numbers of
Sudanese making their way towards the
river, and 1t was evident that the fight
could not be continued longer.
Sterner at once resolved upon a new
plan.
I'VE shall have to swim for It," he said
GIVE the scoundrels the full benefit of
your revolver, and then follow me-"
Already several men had picked their
way over the bodies of their dead COM
rades and were making a passage, some
what cautiously through the blackness
to the waters edge.
"Now's your time whispered Sterner,
fire every chamber, and then into the
river. Once in, dive; the current will do
the rest"
Both men acted upon this "Cliek click"
went the triggers of their revolvers, and
at each resounding ping a swarthy Su-
danese rolled over to block the way of his
followers.
Their weapons were now exhausted
Turning they waded further out through
the sedge, and as they approached the
open water fearlessly plunged into the
black and swifty-howing river. Their
heads reappeared five yards down the
stream, and as they rose to the surface
their pursuers, who had by this time
crowded to the waters edge, fred wildly
at the darker spots upon the dark water.
The bullets Kissed and battered around
the swimmers like a shower of hail
olive, for your life!' shouted Sterner
The injunction was needless; the bullets
had been hint enough for Forrest, and
filling his lungs with a mighty gulp of
air he allowed himself to sink like stone
Sterner was obeYing his own command
wi himself
from behind. A pair of sturdy arms grip
ped him like bars of steel, and, looking
over his shoulder, he saw two cleaning
balls of white set in a black and hideous
countenance. A Bazinger had leaped into
the stream, and with cliuched teeth and
a fiendish purpose cleaning from his eyes
had evidently set himself to the task of
either dragging his prisoner to the bank
or drowning him in the attempt
Then commenced one of the most re-
markabe duels ever fought by mortal
man. The black had the advantage at
the outset, but Steiner was perfectly at
home in the water, and was so active and
resourceful that he could have wagered
himself as able to gain release from the
grip of anything less tenacious than an
octopus.
For a few seconds the water was dashed
to foam as the men writhed and strug-
gled. Those on the bank who could see
mute OF nothing Oh the struggle, but un-
derstood what was going on forbore to
fire. for fear of injuring their comrade,
and. though they endeavored to keep level
with the combatants, yet the mud and
reeds caused them to make circuitous de-
tours, and they were soon left behind.
Forrest, who had by his dive put him
self fifty yards down the river, was un-
able to stem the current or wait on the
tide till the two men reached him, and
was. therefore, obliged to listen to the
noise of the struggle without being able to
lend his friend a hand.
The negro soldier was an expert swim
mer and, with all Sterner's efforts he
could not free himself from that death
grip. The Englishman sank, he rolled in
the water, he twisted and writhed to get
face to face with his enemy, but the hold
was not relaxed, and the net result of all
his efforts was loss of breath and
strength.
Suddenly he remembered an old dodge
taught by his swimming master at Har-
row. His hands were fortunately free
and, instead of pulling with might and
main at the negros swarthy arms, he gen
fly slid his fingers along them until he