The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-09-27
CHAPTER XVI.


Oso-Bark sat down. Garu ,Saak
looked at him with q glow of pride.
With his hand on the hilt of his sword,
the stern officer had stood motionless
and silent while his fellow-Jumar had
dealt the tyrant his telling blows.
When the orator o. Talmooch had
finished, the warrior of Galneor said
but one word:
"Good!"
Hen-Ko.Hi stood covering beneath
the awful tones of the Thunderer as
the story of his evil deeds was told.
Mr.. Avery, while Oso-Bark had
been speaking of his wife. sat white
and still, the tears of anguish rolling
down his shrunken cheeks. For o
moment after the Jumar had ceased
the silence of the room was oppres-
sive.
I turned to Mr.. Avery, and he
arose.
He lifted his one good arm and raised
his eyes toward heaven.
The impressiveness of the scene
cannot be portrayed.
In calm. unimpasssoned voice the
missionary prayed.
80, Thou God, who art wiser than
we, look down upon US in this hour of
darkness and guide US. Thine eye
hast seen the crimes that have been
committed by this man, over whom we
sit in Judgment. Shall it be Thy will
that we show to him that mercy shown
by no being save Thyself since man
has lived? Or shall it be Thy will
that the law of Moses shall be the law
by which this man must meet his
punishment? Guide US, Thou God of
Peace and War. Place in our hands
that instrument of good or i'll that will
enable Thine own wishes to be fulfilled.
o Cod
"Your majesty"
Bado-Ror had come into the room
and stood before me, evidently labor
ing under great excitement.
"Speak!' I said.
s'While the lookout was watching
speck on the eastern horizon that
looked like ship, q large war vessel
has come upon Us from the west. 1t
flies flag that we have never seen
before. There are hundreds of men
swarming in the rigging and on the
decks. What are your orders?"
''Sound the call to arms, and order
the gunners in the battlements to be
ready to open fire. Have the alarm
bells rung, and see that the mea are
supplied with ammunition as they
come in"
Just then T heard some of the guns
in the battlements thunder their
reception to the unwelcome visitor.
Then the boom of distant cannon was
heard, and a ball came crashing
through the window of the palace and
smashed the skull of Hen-Ko-Hi.
His headless corpse fell prone upon
the floor.
''Thus hast Thou answered me, o
God!" murnured Mr.. Avery, as he
turned away from the horrid sight.
"Mr. Avery" I said hurriedly,
"fnd Miss Arnold at once and get to
q place of safety. Tell her to have no
fear. 1t will be no easy task for an
enemy to land. But I cannot imagine
who is making the attack. No ships
were at Quiental when we took the
citadel, and none have been here since.
How, then, did the news of the down
fall reach the ears of the EMPEROR"
"I know not" he said, bewildered.
I left him tottering from the room,
and rushed through the corridor
toward the southern tower. Miss Ar.
mold met me.
"What is this?" she cried. ''I hear
cannon. They tell me there is more
war-that we ara attacked from the
sea. Is it true?"
''It is true, but there is no danger.
I have not seen the enemy, but am
told there is but one ship. We can
ilefeat her. Come into the south
tower"
Another boom from that distant
cannon startled US, and we hurried
over the stone floor. The great build
ing shook with the rattling of the guns
in the defenses Of Quiental.
There was O small window in the
south tower that overlooked the bat
Elements. I rushed Miss Arnold to
this window. Mr.. Avery reached my
side. I opened the window.
One look was enough.
'Great Scott" I exclaimed. "This
is awful. How can stop the firing?
Do you see that iag?"
"No, Crickmore, my feeble eyes,"
said Mr.. Avery. "What is it?"
"The stars and stripes! That is an
American man-o'-war. I am attacked
by my own countrymen. must stop
this somehow"
dived down the steps and few
across the park to the battlements.
"Stop" I yelled at the top of my
voice. "Cease firing! Those are my
own people! Raise a white flag! o
that I had flag of our country with
us! By heavens, I'll go with one
wrapped around my body the rest of
my life. Cease firing, I tell you!
Raise white flag"
Garu-Saak aud Bado-Ror gazed at
me almost in stupor. They thought I
was going to surrender.
Oso-Bark sprang forward and raised
q white cloth Oh the flagstaff.
"These are my couutrymen, I said
again. "They have not heard OF the
revolution, and came to fight Hen
Kohl. We ere safe in their hands. +"
The firing ceased-on the ship as
we'll as on the land. I stood on the
naranat- my heart eating with emo