The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-06-28


graund Their venomed points to powder
beneath his heel. Gladly would Iris
aud he have dispensed with the friend.
q protection of the tarpaulin when the
cool erening breeze came from the
i south But such a thing might not be
eyen considered. Several hours of dark.
hess must elapse before the moon rose
And during that period, were their foes
30 minded, they would be absolutely at
the mercy of the sunpitan shafts if not
! covered BY their impenetrabie buckler
The sailor locked long and earnestly
at the well. Their own bucket, mpro-
qised out OF. q dish cover and rope,
aay close to the brink. A stealthy crawl
across the sandy valley, half a minute
3 0f grave danger, and he would be up
ehe ladder again with enough water to
serve their imperative needs for days
Co come
There was little or no risk in de
4 bcending the rock Soon after. sunset
lt was wrapped in deepest gloom, fol
hight succeeds day in the tropics with
Wendrous speed The hazard lay in
twice crossing the white sand, were
any Of the Dyaks hiding behind the
house or among the trees.
He held 40 foolhardy view Of his
own powers. The one sided nature Of
The conflict thus far was due solely to
his possession Of modern rifles as OPP
nosed to muzzle loaders. Let him be
surrounded on the level at close quar-
{ hers By a. dozen determined men and
3 be must surely ssccumb.
We're It not fsr The presence Of Iris
he weuld have given no second thought
10 the peril. TO act without consult
Ing her was impossible, So they dis
eussed the project Naturally She
secuted It
sEhe Mohammedan may be able to
help us, she pointed out In any,
event let as 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 fred at
them from the right flank Of the en-
enys position Every bullet struck
yards above their heads, the common
Ealing Of muskeEy at night being to
take too high an aim. But the impact
0f the missiles on a rock SO highly Inn
sfegnafed with minerals caused sparks
30 fy, and jerks saw that the Dyaks
Eouid obtain by this means a most
dangerous index of their faulty prac-
dee. Telling Iris to at once occupy
her safe corner, he rapidly adjusted a
1aHe on the wooden. rests already pre-
nered Ia anticipation of an attack from
that quarter and fred three shots at
The opposing crest whence came the
majority of gun flashes.
One at least Of the three found hui
han billet. There was shout Of sur
esase and pain. and the next volley
Npsfted from the ground level. This
senaad dc no damage owing to the angle.
huH he ende2yored to disconcert the
maxksnen by keeping up steady fire
IN their direction. He did not dream
Nf attaining other than moral effect.
Ns there is a lot Of room to miss when
aiming in the dark Soon he imagined
that the burst Of fame from his rife
helyed 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
hipulatson of the 1ooden supports he
saslea to dislodge the occupants. Ev-
cry minute one or more ounces of lead
h,tehed right into the ledge. damaging
she stores and tearing the tarpaulin.
While those which struck the wall Of
eoca were dangerous to Iris by reason
of tie molten spray.
BE could guess what had happened.
BY lying fat on the sioping plateau or
squeezing close to the projecting saoul-
sser OF the cliff the Dyaks were SO little
exposed that idle chance alone would
enable him to hit one Of them. Bat
they Iaust be shifted. or this night
bombardment would prove the most
&eSious development yet encountered.
sssAre you all right, Iris:" he called
cot.
Nes. dear" she answered
swell. I want you to keep yourself
covered by the canvas for a little
wEsie, especially your head and shoul-
aers. am going to stop these chaps.
They have found our weak point, but
L caA battle them"
She did not ask what he proposed to
dc. Ife heard the rustling of the tar
p2ulsn as she pulled it. Instantly he
cast leose the rope ladder and. armed
ealy with revolver. dropped down the
eock. He was quite invisible to tie en-
emy. On reaching the ground he lis
tened for moment. There was no
Round save the occasional reports nine
" yards away. He hitcEed up the low
er rungs Of the ladder until they were
six feet from the level and ihen crept
hoiseiessly close to the rock for some
forty yards.
he halted beside small poon tree
and stooDed to find something imbed-