The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-05-05

| III II failed the Dyaks would certainly
leave the island. But his sky sign de-
stroyed! That was bad. Had a vessel
I Glanced to pass the swinging letters
would surely have attracted attention.
Nov even that faint hope was dis
i~pelled.
| "Sahib, there is worse thing to tell"
said Mir Jan.
"Say on, then"
Before they place the ladders against
the cliff they will build a fire of green
wood so that the smoke will be blown
By the wind into your eyes. This will
l.help to blind your aim. Otherwise you
never miss"
THAT will assuredly be awkward,
Mir Jan"
ut will, sahib. Soul of my father, If
we had but half troop with u.s.
But they had not, and they were both
so intent on the conversation that they
were momentarily off 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.
Eyes, iris" he said.
81 am not sure, but 1 imagine some
thing moved among the bushes behind
the house,"
l.. ''All right, dear will keep sharp
lookout. Can you hear us talkingY'
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-'I suppose you can use this?"
Mir Jan took. it without 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. neighboring 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
trifle stale:
Mir Jan returned the revolver.
"Sahib," he said, with another -sa-
laam, II am disgraced man, but If
you will take me up there with you
will fight by your side. until both my
arms are hacked off. I aim weary Of
these thieves. III chance threw me in
to their. company. I will have.no more
Of them. If you will not have me on
/ V rock; give me a gun. 1 will hide
| among the trees, and 1 promise, that
some Of them shall die tonight before
they find me. For the honor of the
regiment, sahib do not refuse. this
thing. Al. l ask is if your honor es-
capes that you will write to Kurnal
I-shpence-sahib and tell him the last
act 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.
IT am not rascal, sahib," he ex-
claimed proudly. II only killed man
because'-
TListen, Mir Jan. You cannot well
mend what'y have said. The DyaFs,
you are sure, will not come before
morningTt.
tod dnI 10
the boafs. and are. making the lad
ders. Such was their talk when left
| them"
Twill they not miss your
"They will miss the goatskin, sahib.
twas the last full one."s
mir Jan, do as bid and you shall
see Delhi again. Have you ever used
Lee-Metford?"
II have seen them, sahib, but bet
| ter understand the Mahtini."
"T will give you rifle, with plenty
Of ammunition. DO you go, inside the
cave, there, and'- e
Mir Jan.was startled. :
"Where the ghost Is, sahib?" he said.
"Ghost! That is tale for children.
| There is no ghost, only a few bones
of man murdered by these scouh-
drels long ago. Have you any foodr
"Some rice, sahib; sufficient for day
| or two at a pinch"
"Good! We will get water from the
we'll 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"
II thought you We're never coming"
protested Iris when jerks reached. the
ledge. II have been quite creepy. I
am sure there Is some one down there.
And, please, may I have another
| drink"
The sailor had left the crowbar be
meath. He secured rifle, q spare clip
and dozen packets Of cartridges,
meanwhile briefly explaining to Iris
the turn taken by events so far as Mir
Jan was concerned. She was natural
~ delighted and forgot her fears in
the excitement caused by the appear.
ance Of so. useful an ally. She drank
his health in trimming beaker OF
| water.
/ She heard her lover rejoin Mir Jan
and saw the two step out into the