Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-06-20

| tiers Dy dozen determined men and
he must surely succumb.
Were ii not for the presence OF Iris
he would have given no second thought
| to the peril. To act without consult
ing her was impossible, so they dis
cussed the project. Naturally she
secuted it.
"The Mohammedan may be able to
help u.s." she pointed out. I'm any
event let us wait until the moon wanes.
That Is the darkest hour. We do not
know what may happen meanwhile"
The words had hardly left her mouth
when an irregular volley was fired at
them from the right flank of the en-
emy's position. Every bullet struck
yards above their heads, the common
failing Of musketry at night being to
take too high an aim. But the impact
of the missiles on a rock so highly i'm
pregnated with minerals caused sparks
to fly. and jerks saw that the Dyaks
would obtain by this means most
dangerous index of their faulty prac-
tice. Telling Iris to at once occupy
her safe corner, he rapidly adjusted
rifle on the wooden rests already pre-
pared in anticipation Of an attack from
that quarter and fired three shots ut
the opposing crest whence came the
majority of gun flashes.
One mt least of the three found hu-
man billet. There was shout Of sur
prise and pain, and the next volley
spurted from the ground level. This
could do no damage owing to the angle,
but he endeavored to discOncert the
marksmen by keeping up steady fire
in their direction. He did not dream
of attaining other than a moral effect,
as there is Il lot of room to miss when
aiming in the dark. Soon he imagined
that the burst of flame from his rifle
helped the Dyaks, because several bull
lets whizzed close to his head. and
about this time firing recommended
from the crest.
Notwithstanding all his skill and ma
nipulatiOn Of the wooden supports he
failed to dislodge the occupants. Ey.
cry minute one or more ounces OF lead
pitched right into the ledge, damaging
the stores and tearing the tarpaulin,
while those which struck the wall Of
rock were dangerous to Iris by reason
Of tile molten spray.
He could guess what had happened.
BY lying fiat on the slOping plateau or
squeezing close to the projecting shoul-
exposed that idle chance alone would
enable him to hit one of them. But
they must be shifted. or this night
bombardment would prove the most
serious development yet encountered.
Are you all right, Iris?' he called
out.
"Yes. dear" she answered.
"Well, l want you to keep yourself
covered by the canvas for Il little
while. especially your head and shoul-
ders. I am going to stop these chaps.
They have found our weak point, but
can battle them
She did not ask what he proposed to
do. He heard the rllstling of the tar
pauln as she pulled it. Instantly lie
cast loose the rope ladder and. armed
only with n revolver, dropped down the
rock. He was quite invisible TO the en-
emy. On reaching the ground lie lis
tened for a moment There was no
sound save the occasional reports nine
ty yards away. He hitched up the low
| er rungs Of the ladder until they were
six feet from the level and then crept
noiselessly close to the rock for some
forty yards.
He halted beside n small pOOn tree
and stopped to find something imbed-
ded near its roots. At this distance he
could plainly hear the muttered con-
versation Of the Dyaks and could see
several Of them prone on the sand. The
latter fact proved how fatal would be
an attempt on his part to reach the
well. They must discover him instant
" once he quilted the somber shadows
II
Of the cliff. He waited perhaps Il few
seconds longer than was necessary.
endeavorng to pierce the dim atmos-
phere and learn something Of their dis
| position.
A vigorous outburst Of firing sent
him back with haste. Iris was up there
alone. He knew not what might hap
pen. He was now feverishly anxious
| to be with her again, to hear her voice
and be sure that all was well.
To his horror he found the ladder
swaying gently against the rock. Some
one was using it. He sprang forward,
careless of consequence, and seized the
swinging end which had fallen free
again. He had his foot on the bottom
rung when Iris voice. close Mt hand
and shrill with terror, shrieked:
Robert, where are you!'
"IIerew he shouted. The next i.i-
| ,t,nt eha Jronpad info his nrmS