Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-08


hand; the others were armed with
guns, their swords being thrust through
belts. Creeping forward on tiptoe,
though their distant companions were
making tremendous row, they look
ed murderous gang as they peered
across the open space, now brilliantly
Illuminated by the moon.
jerks had sudden intuition that
the right thing to do now was to shoot
the whole party. He dismissed the
thought at once. All his preparations
were governed by the hope that the
pirates might abandon their quest after
hours Of fruitless search. 1t would be
most unwise, he told himself, to pre-
cipitate hostilities. Far better avoid q
conflict altogether, If that were posi-
BILE, than risk the immediate discovery
of his inaccessible retreat.
In other words, he made grave mis-
take, which shows how man may err
when overagonized by the danger Of
the woman lie loves. The bold course
was the right one. BY killing the Dyak
leader he would have deprived the en-
envy of the dominating influence In this
campaign Of revenge. When the main
body, already much perturbed by the
unseen and Intangible agencies which
opened fire at them in the wood, ar
rived in Prospect park to find only the
dead bodies of their chief and his small
force their CONSERVATION could be turn
ed into mad panic by a vigorous bonn
bardment from the rock.
Probably in less than an hour after
their landing the whole tribe would
have rushed pellmell to the boats, ours
ing the folly which led them to this
devil haunted island. But it serves no
good purpose to say what might have
been. As it was, the Dyaks, silent now
and moving with the utmost caution,
passed the we'll and were about to ap-
proach the cave when one Of them saw
the house.
Instantly they changed their tactics.
Retreating hastily to the shade Of the
opposite cliff, they seemed to await the
coming Of achievements. The sailor
fancied that messenger was dispatch
ed by way Of the north sands to hur-
~ up the laggards, because the dis
tant firing slackened, and FIVE minutes
later fierce outbreak Of yells among
the trees to the right heralded COM
bined rush on the Belle Vue castle.
The noise made by the savages was
so great, the screams Of bewildered
birds circling overhead SO incessant.
that jerks was compelled to speak
quite loudly when he said to Iris:
"They must think we sleep soundly
not to be disturbed by the volleys they
nave fred already"
She would have answered, but he
placed restraining hand on her shout
der for the Dyaks, quickly discovering
that the hut was empty, ran toward
the cave and thus came in full view.
AS we'll as jerks could judge the
foremost trio Of the yelping horde were
impaled on the bayonets Of the cheval
de frise. learning too late its formida-
BILE nature. The wounded men shrek
ed In agony, but their cries were
drowned in q torrent Of amazed shouts
from their companions. Forthwith
there was stampede toward the well,
the cliff, the beaches, anywhere to get
away from that awesome cavern where
ghosts dwelt and men fell manned at
the very threshold. The sailor, lean
ing as far over the edge Of the rock
as the girls expostulations would per
NIT, heard a couple of men grooming
beneath, while third limped away
with frantic and painful haste.
what is itT whispered Iris, eager
herself to witness the tumult. "What
has happened7"