Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-06-27

!! 7 6he Wings Of the
): ~ By LOUIS
:: "n f9nNn n TRACY j
s: AOx xxQxAf1 Copyright 1905. by
=. ~ Edward J. Clode


lection and splashed the leading sav
ages with molten metal.
Unfortunately jerks rifle beneat
was unloaded, being in Mir Jams pos
session for purposes of instruction
jerks whipped out his revolver.
",ro the cave" lie roared, and MI
JAMS unwillingness to face a goblil
| could not withstand the combined i'm
petus of the sahib's order and the on
ward rush of the enemy. He darte'
headlong for the entrance.
jerks, shooting blindly as he, toe
run for the ladder. emptied the revolv
er just us his left hand clutched {
rung. Three Dyaks were so close tha
it would be folly to attempt to climb
lie threw the weapon into the face o
the foremost man, effectually stoppin,
his onward progress.
The sailor turned to dive into th'
cave and secure the rifle from Mi
Jan, when his shin caught the heav!
crowbar resting against the rock. TIL,
pain of the blow lent emphasis to tn,
swing with which the implement de
scended upon some portion Of Dyal
anatomy. jerks never knew where III
hit the second assailant, but the place
cracked like an eggshel.
He had not time to recover the ba
| for another blow, so lie drove the poin
.,, lAf n WI hn n
| about to make vicious sweep Ut hin
with a parang. The downfall Of thi'
worthy caused his immediate success
sor to stumble, and jerks saw his op
portunity. With the agility of a cat h
dumped up the ladder and reached tn
ledge without injury.
These things happened with th'
speed of thought Within forty seconds
| of Iris shrill cry the sailor was breas
high with the ledge and calling to her:
"All right, old girl! Keep it up"
But here he was close to her, unhur
and calmly jubilant. as was his VIII!
when stiff fight went well. He wal
BY her side now, firing and aiming. too
| for the Dyaks broke cover recklessl!
In running for shelter, and one may IL
fair work by moonlight.
She had strength enough left to plac
| the rifle out of harms way before sh
| broke down and sobbed not tearfully
but in paroXysm of reaction. Sool
all WAS quiet beneath save for the Ia
! bGre,, Efforts of some wounded men t
get far away from that accurSed rock
| jerks WAS able to turn to Iris. He ell
leavored to allay her agitation ant
succeeded somewhat, for tears came
and she Clung to him. 1t was useless
to reproach him. The whole incidNi
was unforeseen. She was herself 1
party TO it. But what an escape.
You have been very good littl'
girl and have earned your supper" 1t
said.
"Oh, how can you talk so callousl!
after such an awful eXperience!' sh'
expostulated brokenly.
1T is small thing to trouble about
sweetheart" lie explained. You spot
ted the enemy so promptly and blaze'
away with such ferocity that they new
er got within yards of me-"
"Are you sure!"
IL VOW and declare that after w
have eaten something and sampled ou
remaining bottle of wine ! will tell yol
exactly what happened"
"Why not now!' =
because | must first see to Mir Jan
[ bundled l.im neck and crop into tin
cave. hope did not hurt him"
You are not going down ther
again?'
NO need. trust
He went to the side Of the ledge, re
covered the ladder which he had has
tily hauled out of the Dyaks' reach aft
er his climb, and CRIED:
mir JAM"
"Ah, sahib! Praised be the name o
the Most High, you are alive. l wa
searching among the slain with sor
rowful heart"
The Mohammedan's voice came from
| some little distance on the left.
"The slain, you say. How many"
/ give, sahib."
impossible! fired blindly with tn
revolver and only hit one man har'
with the iron bar. One other droppe
| near the wood after obtained rifle.
Then there be six, sahib, not recko on
ing the wounded. l have accOunte'
for one, so the miss sahib must have
"What Is he saying about meT In
Quired Iris, who had risen and joine'
her lover.
HE says you absolutely staggere
the Dyaks by opening fire the momen
they appeared"
How did you come to slay one, Mi
Jan?" he continued.
"A son of black pig followed IN
into the cave. l waited for him In tn
darkness. 1 have just thrown his bod
outside"
"Well done! Is Taung SAIL dead b
any lucky chance?
mo, sahib, if he be not the sixth.
will go and see."
"You may be attacked"
81 have found sword, sah1D. 70
left me no cartridges"
jerks told him that the clip and tn
twelve packets were lying ut the foe
of the rock, where Mir Jan speedil
discovered them. The Mohammeda
gave satisfactory assurance that he III
derstood the mechanism Of the rifle b
filling and adjusting the magazine
Then he went to examine the corpse
the man who lay in the open near tn
quarry path.
The sailor stood In instant READINGS
to make counter demonstration wer
the native assailed. But there was
sign of the Dyaks. Mir Jan returne
with the news that the sixth victim
the brief yet fierce encounter was
renegade Malay. He was so confider
that the enemy had enough OF 1t fC
the night that, after recovering Jenk
revolver, he boldly went to the we
and drew himself a supply Of water.
During supper jerks told Iris
much Of the story as was good for ht
that is to say, he cut down the cast
atty list.
/ 1t was easy to see what had hal