Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-08-18
M " =
Copyright. 1908. by
Edward }. Clode

4 NAL 81 much as looked sideways. Mir
Jan WAS telling the truth.
You are right, Mir Jan. What is
Tuang sab doing now"
"Cursin". sahib. for the most part.
His men are frightened. He wanted
them 10 try once more with the tubes
that shoot poison. but they refused. He
could not come alone, for he could not
use his right hand, and he Was wound
ed by the blowing up of the rock. You
nearly killed me. too. sahib. l was
there with the baZaar-born whelpS. By
the prophets beard, it was a fine
stroke"
Are they going away, Them
mo. sahib. The dogs have been
whipped so sore that they snarl for re-
vcnge. They say there Is no use in
firing at you, but they are resolved to
kill you and the miss sahib or carry
her off If she escapes the assault"
What ASSAULT
Protector of the poor, they are build
ing scaling ladders-four In oil. Soon
after dawn they intend to rush your
position. You may Stay some. they
say, but you cannot Stay threescore.
! Taung sab has promised gold to every
man who survives If they succeed.
They have pulled down your signal on
the high rocks and are using the poles
for the ladders. They think you have
n charm, sahib, and they want to use
| your own work against you"
This was serious news. A combined
attack might indeed be dangerous,
though it had the excellent feature that
IL 1t failed the Dyaks would certainly
leave the island But his sky sign de-
stroyed. That was bad. Had n vessel
CHANGED to pass the swinging letters
would surely have attracted attention.
Now even that faint hope was dis
PEELED.
"Sahib, there Is a worse thing to tell"
said Mir Jan.
Say on, then"
Before they place the ladders against
the cliff they will build fire Of green
wood so that the smoke will be blown
by the wind into your eyes. This will
help to blind your aim. Otherwise you
never miss"
THAT will assuredly be awkward,
Mir Jan"
1T will. sahib. Soul Of my father. If
we had but half troop with u.s.
But they had not, and they were both
80 intent on the conversation that they
were momentarily of their guard. Iris
was more watchful. She fancied there
was light rustling amid the under
growth beneath the trees on the right.
And she could hiss, too, If that were
the correct thing to do.
So she Kissed
jerks swarmed halfway up the lad
der
Yes, Iris" he said.
Il am not sure, but I imagine some
thing moved among the bushes behind
the house"
"All right, dear. will keep u sharp
lookout. Can you hear us talkingT'
Hardly. Will you be long?"
Another minute"
He descended and told Mir Jan what
the miss sahib said. The native was
about to make a search when jerks
stopped him.
"Here"-he handed the man his re-
volver-'T suppose you can use this?"
Mir Jan took It without a word, and
jerks felt that the incident atoned for
previous unworthy doubts Of his dark
friends honesty. The Mohammedan
cautiously examined the back Of the
house, the neighboGing shrubs and the
open beach. After a brief absence he
reported all safe. yet no man has ever
been nearer death and escaped it than
he during that reconnaissance. He, too,
forgot that the Dyaks were foxes, and
foxes can lie close when hounds are a
trife stale.
Mir Jan returned the revolver.
'Sahib." he said, with another sa-
laam, II am q disgraced man, but II
you will take me up there with you
will fight by your side until both my
| arms are hacked of. I am weary Of
these thieves. Ill chance threw me In
to their company. I will have no more
Of them. II you will not have me on
the rock, give me a gun. will hide
among the trees, and promise that
some Of them shall die tonight before
they find me. For the honor Of the
regiment. sahib. do not refuse this
thing. All ask is If your honor es-
capes that you Will write to Kurnal
I-shpence-sahib and tell him the last
net OF Mir Jan, corporal in b troop"
jerks was profoundly moved. He
reflected how best to utilize the serv-
Ices Of this willing volunteer without
exposing him to certain death in the
manner suggested. The native misin-
terpreted his silence
Il am not rascal, sahib," he ex-
claimed proudly. II only killed man
BECAUSE
Listen, Mir Jan. You cannot we'll
mend what you have said. The Dyaks,
you are sure, will not come before
morningT"
They have carried the wounded ia
the boats and are making the lad
ders. Such was their talk when I LEFT
them"
"Will they not miss you"
They will miss the goatskin, sahib
It was the last full one"
mir Jan, do as bid and you shall
see Delhi again. Have you ever used
Lee MetfordY
Il have seen them, sahib, but bet
ter understand the Mahtini."
Il Will give you a rifle, with plenty
OF ammunition. Do you go inside the
cave, there, and
Mir Jan was startled.
Where the ghost is, sahib?" lie said
Ghost! That Is q tale for children
There Is no ghost, only a few bones
OF man murdered by these scoun.
drels long ago. Have you any foodr
"Some rice sahib; sufficient for day
or two Mt pinch"
Good! We will get water from the
well. When the fighting begins at
dawn fire at every man you see from
the back Of the cave. On no account
come out. Then they can never reach
you If you keep full magazine. Wait
here"
! Il thought you were never coming"
protested Iris when jerks reached the
ledge. Il have been quite creepy. l
am sure there is some one down there.