The Princeton union., 1905-08-03

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4 She had strength enough left to place
the rifle out Of harms way before she
broke down and sobbed not tearfully,
but IN a paroxysm of reaction. Soon
all was quiet beneath save for the Ia
/ bored efforts Of some wounded men to
get far away from that accursed rock.
jerks was able to turn to Iris. He en-
deavored to allay her agitation and
succeeded somewhat, for tears came,
and she clung to him. 1t was useless
to reproach him. The whole incident
was unforeseen. She was herself a
party to it. But what an escape!
'Ycu have been a very good little
girl and have earned your supper" he
said
"Oh, how can you talk so callously
after such an awful experience" she
eXpostulated brokenly
1T is small thing to trouble about.
sweetheart" he explained. "You spot
ted the enemy SO promptly and blazed
away with such ferocity that they nev-
er got within yards of me-"
Are you sure?''
Il VOW and declare that after we
have eaten something and sampled our
remaining bottle of wine will tell you
exactly what happened"
"Why not now?'
! because l must first see to Mir JAN
bundled him neck and crop into the
cave. l hope did not hurt him.
You are not going down there
again?"
mo need, l 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 jan"
"Ah, sahib! Praised be the name of
the Most High, you are alive. I was
searching among the slain with a sor-
rowful heart.'
The Mohammedan's voice came from
some little distance on the left
"The slain, you say. How many?"
Give, sahib."
Impossible! I fred blindly with the
revolver and only hit one man hard
with the iron bar. One other dropped
|
"Then there be six, sahib, not reckon
Ing the wounded. I have accounted
for one, so the miss sahib must have''-
what is he saying about me?' in
quired Iris, who had risen and Joined
her lover.
"He says you absolutely staggered
the Dyaks by opening fire the moment
they appeared"
"Ilow did you come to slay one, Mir
Jan?' he continued.
"a son of black pig followed me
into the cave. I waited for him in the
darkness. l have just thrown his body
outside''
"Well done! Is Taung SAL dead by
any lucky chance?"
mo, sahib, if he be not the sixth.
will go and see.''
! "YOu may be attacked"
II have found a sword, sahib. You
left me no cartridges
jerks told him that the clip and the
twelve packets were lying at the foot
Of the rock, where Mir Jan speedily
discovered them. The Mohammedan
gave satisfactory assurance that he un-
derstood the mechanism of the rifle by
filling and adjusting the magazine.
Then he went to examine the corpse of
the man who lay in the open near the
quarry path.
! The sailor stood in instant readiness
to make counter demonstration were
the native assailed. But there was no
sign Of the Dyaks. Mir Jan returned
with the news that the sixth victim of
the brief yet fierce encounter was a
renegade Malay. He was so confident
that the enemy had enough Of it for
the night that, after recovering jerks
revolver, he boldly went to the we'll
and drew himself a supply of water.
During supper jerks told Iris so
much Of the story as was good for her
that is to say, he cut down the casu-
atty list.
1t was easy to see what had hap
pened. The Dyaks, having missed the
Mohammedan and their water bag,
searched for him and heard the con-
versation at the foot Of the rock
Knowing that their presence was sus-
pected, they went back for reinforce
nents and returned by the shorter and
more advanta geous route along Turtle
beach.
Iris would have talked all night, but
jerks made her go to sleep by pillow
ing her head against his shoulder and
smoothing her tangled tresses with his
hand
He managed to lay her on a COM
Portable pile Of ragged clothing and
then resumed his vigil Mir Jan Of
fered to mount guard beneath, but
jerks bade him go within the cave and
remain there, for the dawn would soon
be upon them.
Left alone with his thoughts, he won
dered what the rising sun would bring
in its train. He reviewed the events
OF the last twenty-four hours. Iris and
he-Miss Deane, Mr.. jerks, to each
other-were then undiscovered in their
refuge, the Dyaks were gathered
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