Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-06-17

that had been 50 potent. Her allusion
10 the box of water soddeu matches
had given him the notion OF utilizing
as an active ally the bleached remains
OF the poor fellow who had long ago
fallen victim TO this Identical mob
4 OF cutthroats or their associates. He
had gathered the principal bones from
4 their resting place near the well. rub
bed them with the ends OF the matches
after damping the sulphur again and
I arranged them with CHASTITY effect on
the pile of rubbish at the farther end
OF the cave. creeping under the chevaI
de frise for the purpose.
| Though not SO vivid as he wished.
the pale glimmering headless skeleton
In the Intense darkness OF the interior
was appalling enough in all conscience.
Fortunately the fumes OF the sulphur
fed on the bOny substance They en-
dured a sufficient time TO scare every
| Dyak who caught a glimpse OF the
mOnstrous object crouching In luminous
horror within the dismal cnvern.
Not even the stirring exbOrtatiOns or
the chief whose voice was raised in
furious speech. could induce his adher-
ents TO again approach that affrighting
spot At last the daring scOundrel him
self. still welding his naked sword,
strobe right up to the very doorway
Stricken with sudden stupor. be gazed
at the ftful CLEANS within. lie prod
ded the cheval de frise with the pa
rang. Here was something definite and
solid. Then he dragged one Of the
wounded men out into the moonlight
Again jerks experienced an itching
desire to send a bullet through the
Dyak's head Again he resisted the
impulse And SO passed that which Is
vouchsafed by fate to few men-a sec
ond opportunity
| Another vehement harangue by the
chief goaded some venturesOme spirits
into carrying their wounded comrade
out OF sight. presumably To the hut
Inspired by their leaders fearless ex-
ample. they even removed the third in
jured Dyak FROM the vicinity OF the
cave. but the celebrity OF their retreat
caused the wretch 10 bawl in agony
The next undertaking was no sooner
appreciated by the sailor than he bur
riedly caused Iris TO shelter herself be
meath the tarpaulln. while he covered
close to the door OF the ledge. looking
only through the screen OF tall grasses.
They kindled dire near the well. Soon
Its ruddy glare III up the dark rock
with fantastic chickering's and drew
scintillations from the weapons and or
naments Of the hideOusly picturesque
horde gathered in its vicinity.
They spoke language OF hard
vowe!s and nasal resonance and ate
what he Judged To be dry fish. milets
and strips OF tough preserved meat.
which they cooked on small iron skew
ers stuck among the glowing embers.
His heart sank as he counted sixty
all told. assembled within forty yards
OF the ledge. Probably several others
were guarding the boats Or providing
about the island. Indeed. events prov
ed that more than eighty men had
come ashore In three large sampans.
roomy and heet craft. we'll fitted for
! plratcal excursions up river estuariss
or along a coast
| They were mostly barelegged rascals.
wearing Malay hats. loose jackets
| reaching ID the knee and sandals one
man differed essentially from the 9th
ers- lie was IlOited in the conven.
uonal attire o. an Indian Mohamme-
4 Jan, aud hiS skin was brown. while the
swarthy DyaGs We're yellow beneath
the dirt. jerks thought from the man
| ner in which his turban WIS tied that
he must be Punjabi MaSsulman-very
likely M escaped convict from the An.
| damans.
The most careful scrutiny did not re-
veal any arms of precision They all
carried muzzle leaders. either antiquat-
Ell h.ntiOckS or guns sufficiently mod
ern 10 be- lifted with nipples FOR per.
cussion caps
Zach Dyak, or course. sported a pa
ranS ana dagger-like creeSc. a Few bore.
spears, and about dozen shouldered
a long straight piece OF blm1oo The
nature OF this implement the sailor
could not determine at the moment
In the neigbbOrhood OF the tire AN
animated discussion took place. Though
II was easy TO see that the chief was
all paramount, his fellow tribesmen ex-
ercised democratic right OF free
speech and outspOken opinion.
Flashing eyes and expressive hands
were turned toward the cave and hut
Once when the debate grew warm the
chief snatched up burning branch
and held 10 over the blackened embers
OF the tire estlnguished by jerks. lie
seemed TO draw some definite conclu-
sion from an examination Of the char.
coal. and the argument thereforth pro-
ceeded with less emphasis. Whatever
II was that ne said evidently carried
conviction
Iris. nesting close to the sailor. whis-
pered:
do you know what he has found
outg"
i can only que . that he csn tell by
ting appearance OF the burned wood
how long 1t Is since IL was extinguish-
ed. Clearly they agree with him"
Then they know we are still here?"
Either here or gone within a few
hours. In any case they will make a
thorough search OF the Island at day
break"
"Will IL be dawn sOon2"
yes. Are you tiredg"