Evening star., 1903-07-25
On Sunday there was an air Of suppressed


The natives wandered further than usual,
and gathered often in groups, but there was
no drunkenness or rioting-nO overt act to
give their conspiracy away. They may
have noticed that the sahibs neither fished
nor hunted nor rowed, but kept close to
their stone houses. but If so the fact was
not worthy Of talk. Night brought rest to
all, or so 1t seemed, and morning witnessed
the same sights that had greeted a thou
sand other mornings 1t was to be the last
days work on the big bridge 1t was put
tering work-a job here and job there. At
3 o'clock in the afternoon the officials of the
road, with other notables, would arrive in
a special train across the new structure
and formally declare it open to traffic. At
o clock the 5000 laborers were scattered
along both approaches for a mile. At half
past the engineer saw them begin to
bunch and work nearer the bridge, and he
noticed strange figures fitting along the
edge OF the jungle carrying burdens in their
arms.
"Well." queried Clifford. as he stepped
out of the door onto the bridge and stood
beside his chief
well. 1 don't think 1t will come off. They
are working too steadily for fellows with
murder and destruction in their hearts"
IA sovereign to a shilling that the per-
formance opens on time. Watch that ee-
phant Juno. She can't talk, but she under
stands that something Is coming off pretty
soon and she is excited over it. In five min
utes natives will be climbing the telegraph
poles north and south to cut the wires. Ill
just TICK a message across the bridge for
the boys to be ready"
The Englishman looked around with
something like a sneer on his lips, but made
no reply. He was pulling at his cheroot
and watching the different gangs and not
ing how Jealous they labored, when Clifford
called to him from the door:
rive minutes to ten. Better come in and
make the door fast They may be minute
or two ahead of official time, you know"
Hang it, man, don't you see them hard
at work there and there-and there, -
growled Saunders, as he pointed. I've lived
among these people for fifteen years, and
know EN- from head to heel. You've got
up a row over nothing at all. and I'm half a
mind"
At that instant every elephant on the
works threw up his head and trumpeted.
Clifford reached out and caught the engt-
neer by the arm and drew him inside. The
bar was hardly in place across the door
when there was a rush of feet and three or
four bodies thumped against it. Then. from
5000 ttlroats, arose one long, loud shrek for
vengeance, ana the revolt had started. Ram
l.als conspiracy had come to head a last.
The natives who had been told off to rush
the houses fell back with curses over their
lll-success, and for the next ten minutes
the mutneers were busy arming them
selves
You see. 1t came off on time" smiled
Clifford. Here is message from the other
house, saying that they are safely barred
in. The four can take care of themselves
end We'd better get ready to begin killing
hear mob rushing up the approach"
NeXt> minute the quick-tiring gun. which
was trained on the opening in the wall,
was raining One-pOund shells into the mob
The natives were mown down like grass
before the SCythe. They charged again and
again, but finally gave it IN Saunders
had been steadily using his carbne as
well, and the dead and wounded could be
counted by the score.
Beaten back at the other end too" said
CLIFFORD rs the instrument clicked off the
news. NOW they'll try sonnet hing else
Yes, the~devils will dynamite the piers"
replied Saunders, land | don't see how we
can prevent. There's nearly 1000 pounds of
the stuff on barge No. 3, and an explosion
will send the whole bridge sky-htghr'
Help me over with the gun. That's It,
Now III train her on that point and when
the barge rounds it I'll let loose There'u
be an explosion, but the bridge will stand"
Ram Lal had planned for complete sur
prise and swift destruction. The first part
had been failure and he was for a time
almost benumBad to find the sabibc no
vided with such deadly weapons. When he
rallied he ordered men to man the dyna-
mite barge and row it down the river and
make fast to the middle pier Then tbev
would light a fuse and escape in a small
boat.
Half an hour after the first shot had been
fired the barge was pushed off from shore
amid yells and cheers, bat as she slowly
rounded sandy point Clifford onenad on
her with his gun from the abutment. He
had the range, and only three or four
sheilS We're wasted. Then one plunged
among the deadly stuff, and barge and
men We're swallowed up in the yawning
hole opened in the bosom of the river and
carried down to the mud and ooze forty
feet below.
Now they will rush on US once more and
then give 1t up as a bad job,' said Cliff
ford, as the smoke cleared away around
with the gun She works beautifully. Ell?
You pick off the leaders and III take the
thick of them"
A thousand screaming shrieking natives
dashed up the approach ten minutes later
All had weapons in their hands and des
peration in their hearts, and only death
checked them. The gun belehed fire and
shell, and men died every second After
ten minutes Of fighting the natives drew
off to plunder the store houses set fra to
them and decamped. Clifford turned to
speak to the engineer when the attack was
over and found him lying on the floor
dead. A bullet had entered a loophole and
killed him.
How IS 1t with your" he asked of the
defenders at the other end Of the bridge
I'VE have beaten them back, and two of
US are left" came the answer.
When the official train reached the bridge
at o'clock the camps and store houses
were smoldering ruins A white man stood
at the opening in the stone wall and ea-
Mt cd bo OF an,