Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-05-17

Wsth the iron bar. One other dropped
Near the wood after obtained rife"
cThen there be six, sahib, not reckon
ing the wounded. l have accounted
for one, so the miss sahib must have
"What is he saying sbout meg, in
Quired Iris, who had risen and Joined
her lover
| "He says you absolutely staggered
the Dyaks by opening fire the moment
they appeared"
"How did you come to STAY one, Mir
JAM" he continued.
"a son Of black pig followed mo
into the cave. waited for him in the
darkness. have just thrown his body
outside"
"Well done! Is Taung Sail dead by
any lucky CHANGER
mo, sahib, if he be not the sixth.
| will go and see"
You may be attacked"
II have found sword, sahib. Yon
left me no cartridges"
| jerks told him that the clip and the
twelve packets were lying at the foot
OF the rock, where Mir Jan speedily
| discovered them. The Mohammednn
| gave satisfactory assurance that he un-
derstood the mechanism Of the rifle by
| filling and adjusting the magazine.
Then he went to examine the corpse of
the man who lay in the open near the
quarry path
| The sailor stood in instant readiness
to make q counter demonstration were
the native assailed. But there was no
sign of the Dynks. Mir Jan returned
with tho news that the sixth victim of
the brief yet fierce encounter was a
renegade Malay. He was so confident
that the enemy had enough Of it for
the night that, after recovering jerks
revolver, he boldly went to the well
and drew himself supply Of water.
During supper jerks told Iris so
much of the story as was good for her
that is to say, he cut down the casu-
atty list.
1t was easy to see what had hap
pened. The Dyaks. having missed the
A1ohammedan and their water bag,
searched for him and heard the CON
velsation at the foot of the rock.
Knowing that their presence was sus-
pected, they went back for reinforce
ments and returned by the shorter and
more advantageous route along Turtle
| beach.
Iris would have talked all night, but
jerks made her go to sleep by pillow
ing her head against his shoulder and
smoothing her tangled tresses with his
hand.
He managed to lay her on com
Portable pile Of ragged clothing and
then resumed his vigil Mir Jan Of
fered to mount guard beneath, but
jerks babe him go within the cave and
remain there, for the dawn would soor
be upon them.
Left alone with his thoughts, he won
dered what the rising sun would bring
in its train. He reviewed the events
Of the last twenty-four hours. Iris ant
he-Miss Deane, Mr.. jerks, to eacl
othar-were then undiscovered in theil
refuge, the Dyaks We're gathered
around II roaring fire in the valley, ant
Mir Jan was keen in the hunt as tho
keenest among them. Now Iris was
his afiianced bride, over twenty of thu
enemy were killed and many wounded
and Mir Jan, q devoted adherent, wa.
Of the cavern
A period Of reflection could hardly
pass without speculative dive int
the future. If Iris and he were res
cued, what would happen when the,
went forth once more into the bus.
world? Not for one instant did h
doubt her faith. She was true q
steel, knit to him now by bonds o
triple brass. But what would Sir Ar
thur Deane think Of his daughter
marriage to n discredited and cashicrc,
officer? What was 1t that poor Mi
Jan called himself-"a disgraced man 2
Yes, that was it. Could that stain b.
removed? Mir Jan was doing it. VIII.
not he-by other means, for his goo,
name rested on the word of pcrjure,
woman? Wealth was potent, but nc
all powerful. He would ask Iris t
wait until he came to her unsoiled b
SANDER, purged of this odium cast III
on him unmerited
To awake her he kissed her; he kney
not, perchance it might be their las
kiss on earth. Not yet dawn, there wa
morning in the air, for the first faiil
shafts Of light were not visible fror
their eyrie owing to Its position. Blu
there was much to be done.
The canvas awning was rolled bac
and the stores built into barricade In
tended to shelter Iris.
"What is that for7" she asked whe
she discovered Its nature. lie told hel
She definitely refused to avail hersel
Of any such protection.
Robert, dear" she said, "if the al
J tack comes to our very door, so t
speak, surely must help you. Eve
!! my slight aid may stem q rush In on
place while you are busy in another"
He explained to her that if hand I
hand fighting were necessary he woul
depend more upon crowbar than
rifle to sweep the ledge clear. Sh
might be in the way.
II every well. The moment you tel
me to get behind that fence will d
so. Even there can use IL revolver"
VI That reminded him. His own pistc
was unloaded. He possessed only 1v
more cartridges Of small caliber. II
, placed them in the weapon and gave |
to her.
"Now you have eleven mems lives ii
your hands," he said. "Try not to mis-
If you must shoot"
In the dim light he could not see tn
spasm Of pain that clouded her face
No Dyak would reach her while Ii
lived. If he fell, there was another us
for one Of those cartridges
The sailor had cleared the main foo
of the rock. and was placing his fou
rifles and other implements within cas-
reach when hiss came from beneath
mir Jan!' exclaimed Iris.
"What now?" demanded jerks owe
the side.
"Sahih they come"
~ nm prnporn1 Int that small.