The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-06-07

crest by tne passage OF tue DydhS,
AeW down the face Of the cliff and be
gan q clrcling quest for some safe
perch on which to afght.
Jenks swore with an emphasis not
4he less earnest because it was mute
ard hook ssady aim at the Dyak's, left
! breas The birds duttered about in
ever smaller circles Then oneof them
dropped easily on to the lip Of the
rock. Instantly his bright eyes encoun-
tered those OF the man, and he darted
or with scream that brought his
mates after him.
The Dyak evidently noted the. behay-
for of the birds his only lore was the
asadfng OF such signs-and gazed In
aently at the ledge. jerks he could
not distinguish behind the screen Of
grass. He might perhaps see some
portion Of the tarpaulin covering the
stores. but at the distance it must re-
seme3e weather beaten segment Of
che cliff. Yet something puzzled him.
after steady scrutiny he turned and
yelled to others on the beach.
The crucial moment had arrived.
Jenks pressed the trigger, and the
Dyak hurued through the air, falling
neadlong out OF sight
The sound Of this, the first shot Of
real warfare, awoke Rainbow island
into tremendous activity. The winged
ziaesof the place filed the air with rau-
Sous cries, while shouting Dyaks sour
red Ii all directions. Several came in
60 the valley. Those nearest the fallen
man picked him up and carried him to
The we'll He was quite dead, and, al
though amid his other injuries they
soon found the bullet wound. they eyi-
gently did not know whence the shot
came, for those to whom he shouted
had no inkling of his motive, and the
slight haze from the rife was instantly
swept away by the breeze.
Iris could hear the turmoil beneath.
and she tremulously asked:
Are they going to attack us?"
ss -sNot yet, was the reassuring an
awer. .I killed the fellow who saw US
before he could tell the others"
It was a bold risk, and be had taken
It though now the Dyaks knew for
certain their prey had not escaped
there was 40 prospect Of their speedy
departure. Nevertheless the position
was not utterly hopeless None Of the
enemy could tell how Or by whom their
companion had been shot. Many
among the excited horde jabbering be-
meath actually looked at the cliff over
and OYER again. yet failed to note the
potentialities Of the ledge. with its few
tufts Of grass growing where seeds had
apparently been blown by the wind or
dropped by passing birds
jerks understood. of course, that the
real danger would arise when they Wis
ited the scene Of their comrades dis
aster. Even then the wavering bal
ance Of chance might cast the issue in
Elis favor. He could only wait. with
resdy rife, with the light Of battle
lowering in his eyes. Of one thing at
least he was certain-before they con-
Guered hin, he would levy terrible
foll.
he glanced back at Iris. Her face
was pale beneath it's mask of sun
brown
The chief was listening intently to
the story of the Dyak who saw the
dead man totter and fall. He gave
some quick order. Followed by score
or more Of his men, he walked rapidly
TO the foot Of the ciiT where they
found the lifeless body.
jerks stole one more hasty glance at
Iris The chief and the greater num-
Der Of his followers were out Of sight
behind the rocks. Some of them must
now be climbing to that fatal ledge
Vas this the end?
Iris bent forward sufficiently in her
sheltering niche to permit her to gaze
wits wistful tenderness upon jerks.
She knew lie would dare al for her
sake. She could only pray and hope.
Suddenly clamor of discordant yells
fell upon her ears. jerks rose to his
knees. The Dyaks had discovered their
refuge and were about to open fire. He
offered them a target lest perchance
Iris were not thoroughly screened.
Z "Feep close" he said. 'They have
found us. Lead will be flying around
soon"
She finched back into the creyice;
fhe sailor fell prone. Four bullets spat
into the ledge, of which three pierced
the tarpaulin and one fattened itself
against the rock.
Then jerks took up the tale. So Gu
risssIy constituted was this man that,