The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-07


freshness of green English meadows,
until a monkey chartered and recalled
MIN to the steamy dimness Of the
tropics
Some beast moved through the under
growth; with shock Of rafting branches
the monkeys fed, and the bush seemed
filled with noises, then the silence that
followed grew almost overwhelming.
Kennedy looked about him, but no one
stirred in all the camp and the fires had
sunk to circles of pale embers, until he
heard sentry stumble among the creep
ers, and the sound brought comfort, for
at least 1t betokened tangible human
presence. Then a stick snapped Sharply,
and though nothing followed he became
prey to the feeling that the surround
ing blackness was filled with hostile be-
ings; but the sentry gave no warning,
and he determined to dose himself next
morning, for Kennedy, who was ma
terlalistic, smiled at psychology. But
the feeling would not be shaken off, and
presently, hearing a rustic like that
made by Tightening tent line, the bridge
builder rose sharply-too late.
Something smote him from behind, and
as half dazed, with fingers tightening on
the rife trigger, he turned, there was
patter of naked feet and little men came
pouring half seen out of the shadows.
Once the repeater flashed, and though
the bridge builder fired from the hip
choking cry rose up in answer; but it
did not flash again, for some one crawl
ing in the grass gripped his ankle and
he lost his balance. Then he had only
dim recollection of hearing a clamor
break out in the startled camp and see
ing his alien laborers leap into the jun
gle, while sinewy hands closed tightly
about his throat. Next, while his tenn
pies throbbed distressfully, he found him
gIf
threshold of the tool store, where two
little, narrow-eyed men also sat scowl-
ing at him. There was plenty of light
to see them by, for the moon was clear
of the forest now and the red glare of a
burning hut fell athwart the bridge
Quaint figures with naked limbs in
loose drapery scurried to and fro across
1t, hewing at the cables with glinting
blades, and wrenching up the half-laid
roadway while others piled hammers
that were too heavy for those unaccus-
toned to WELD them, or howled when as
the chisels slipped from the elastic steel
comrade brought the sledge down upon
the holders arm. Even then Kennedy
smiled as he watched them, knowing that
twelve months labor so applied would
be thrown away; for, though the light
structure vibrated under the blows, the
men who made those ropes had done
their work thoroughly, and the wire re-
sisted all efforts to cut 1t in that fash
ion. Still, in other directions. the de-
stroyers did damage enough, and Ken
nedy wriggled f1ercely under his bonds
when each thud rising out of the black
ness below told of some heavy piece of
metal hurled into the gorge. The veins
or his forehead grew swollen, the tough
creepers bit into his flesh, but they re-
FUSED TO yield, even when his guards
seeing him helpless, slipped away to ioin
in search for plumber.
Nevertheless, he looked on with grim
satisfaction as, with lighted torches
they approached one particular hut, for
quantity OF giant powder was stored
In It, So while shattered cases and ce-
ment bags We're strewn about. diminu-
1--WE men fitted round it under burdens
until the roof fell in with a crash. Then
sudden blaze shot up, fragments y,
burning timber HURLED out of IT and
though giant powder requires a detona-
tor to produce its full effect, the expan-
sion was clearly sufficient to burn and
badly frighten some of the depredators
FOR they vanished into the shadows.
screaming shrilly. Afterward there vas
only the clink and clash of hammers on
the bridge until some native genius sug-
Sested new procedure and a group of
pent hgures appeared rolling a boulder
toward Where he cables sloped to the
anchor plates.
With That for an anvil their efforts
might become dangerous, and Kennedy
sroaned, Keeling he would give the rest
of his life to save the bridge. Yet. living
there, with bleeding wrists and ankles
coughing in the acrid smoke, he could
90 nothing, nor even decide whether
when the ruin was completed he would
De held for ransom or hurled into the
gorge. From Cochrane's description he
could recognize the Bob, a slight vet
commanding figure moving among the
others, whose flashing tools and gar
ments changed color under the freight
like the glasses of a Kaleidoscope. and
then a. regular clang of hammers broke
OUT different from anything which had
preceded it, for the destroyers had the
boulder beneath the chisels now There
was no more running to and fro. the
claWor died away, for men waited
methodically for their turn at the ham
mers, and Kennedy realized the end
must be near. He could char the cables
vibrating in a duller tone, and once he
fancled sound in the jungle which
made his heart beat wildly But this
also died away, and he started when a
shaooWy object wormed it's way through
the grasses, and ne recognized the voice
OF his Pathan artificer
Lie still, Sahib; stretch out your
ndhus' II SAID. There Is help in the
jungle. The ankles now" and Kennedy
felt his bonds yield beneath knife. He
lay still after the first movement which
sent shock Of pain through his stiff
ened limbs, then following the other
wriggled toward his tent, hoping the
looters had not found the revolver under
the pillow of his cot No one saw MIN
and he weapon was there, while the
Pathan had discovered a crowbar which
he whispered grimly might serve, and
AGAIN for space the two sat still
breathing hard, while Kennedy debated
how to commence the diversion he knew
was urgently needed.
Even as he did so. sudden and intensa
the cell # II whistle pierced the shad,
oWs, and, following it, spurts Of flame
streaked the jungle. Some5hi rang
metallically upon the bridgework. I'M,
seen missiles hummed out Of the dark
ness, and the swarm of wreckers opened
OUT, clamoring like a flock of startled
WHO FOWL Where they all went to Ken
nedy did not know, though he could hear
Few smashing through the creepers,