The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-05-08
MYNHEER> JOE,
SSSsSSsSSSSSSSSS
BY ST. GEORGE RATHBoRNE.
SSssSsSSsSsSSSSS
CHAPTER Y. y

eLAY1NG TEN-P1NS WITH HUMAN oN>HH'
The head Of a man is outlined IN
the window - features invisible, Tor
It is only a silhoutte against the
background formed by the moonlight
without. Evidently the unknown has
some of the climbing qualities of an
ape. since he has clambered up the
face Of @ wall ten feet in height, aided
by only a few running vines.
Mynheer Joe shuts his teeth togeth-
er with a click, and then, turning part
" over, coolly watches the window,
not forgetting to breathe regularly, as
a sleeping person might.
The head remains stationary for per-
haps q minute, and it is evident that
the man is bending his ear to listen
eagerly. Then the head vanishes once
more.
Joe takes advantage of the respite
to change his position still more, as
Stunning one where he can concentrate
all his muscles into giving a tremen-
dous leap. Then he calmly awaits
the turn Of events.
Before long the head reappears
again, this time seeming to have more
confidence than on previous occasions.
Nor does the man stop there-his
shoulders appear and gradually he
pushes his way up over the sill Of the
window. All, he is coming in, this
unlimited guest!
Now he has passed the Rubicon and
crouches upon the foor-Joe can just
see him in the moonlight and at the
same time notes another fact that fills
him with wonder. A second head
has bobbed up beyond the line of the
sill. Again he has the dark silhouette
against the light background.
"Confusjon" thinks the traveller.
"Are my apartments about to be in
vaded by an army? Has Ell Mahdi
sent his advance guard against Cairo,
or are they just common, everyday
robbers bent on plunder!'
He is not the man to lose time in
useless speculation. Precious seconds
are passing, and something must be
done at once ere more of his unknown
enemies gain the room.
Fortunately this man is accustomed
to meeting emergencies, and thinks
very little of it under ordinary cir
cumstances. His plan OF action is
very simple and characteristic Of his
nature.
The recumbent form upon the couch
becomes imbued with sudden life. 1t
Is as if steel springs have been given
to it. A stone could not be shot from
a catapult with greater rapidity than
he passes through space.
There is hardly q sound to indicate
his coming, and the crouching wretch
upon the floor cannot have sufficient
warning to get out Of the way. He
hears a rushing noise, and then some
thing falls upon him, just as the eagle
swoops on its prey.
A brief struggle ensues, during
which the unknown emits several cries
of rage. The man at the window
hardly knows what to do, as he can
not tell the exact status Of things in
side, but believing his assistance may
be needed he starts to crawl over the
sill.
At this instant something comes
against him with crushing force. 1t
Is the body Of his companion, whom
Mynheer Joe has bodily raised, with
all the strength Of his powerful arms,
and tossed toward the opening.
This conclusion proves too much for
the fellow who is in the act of clam
bering in. He looses his hold, clutches
at the body Of his companion, and,
locked 10 each others arms, they 60
plunging down to the flags below. Joe
hears the thud of their fall, and i'm
mediately looks out Of the window.
He sees writhing mass below. Then
a man scrambles to his feet and scut-
ties across the open, looking more like
q skulking jackal than aught else.
A groan from below. The second
fellow is picking himself up now. He,
too, moves Off with painful limp, as
though his fall has given him cause
for suffering. Mynheer Joe laughs
aloud in mocking way.
"Come again, my friends! The latch
string is always out" he calls softly.
There is no answer. And the sec
ond skulking form hides itself, as did
the first, among the shadows on the
other side of the plaza.
The traveller still leans from his
window and ponderS. There is some
thing about this business that puzzles
him, and causes his brow to assume
a serious, thoughtful expression. What
did these men seek-his money or his
life? The first thought is, of course,
that they were ordinary robbers. Cairo
swarms with them in spite of military
precaution; and there is no more cum
ming thief in the world than he of
EGypt-he can give his fellows all
over the globe points and beat them.
A second idea that has flashed into
Joe's mind is connected with the False
Prophet. FL Mahdi has emissaries in
Cairo. Can it be that already the word
has been passed among them to do
him to death-him, the sole foreign
survivor OF the Khartoom massacre?
Even this, though singular, seems to
be near the truth, and yet Mynheer
Joe has third idea. He gropes after
it in darkness, nc being able to grasp
the details and make a connected the
ory of it.
"Well?" comes in a calm voice not
more than five feet away from his
ears, causing Joe to turn his head
Immediately.
He sees a human head in the moon