The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-09-09

dangerous index of their faulty prac-
tice. Telling Iris to at once occupy
her safe corner. he rapidly adjusted
rife on the wooden rests already pre-
pared in anticipation of an attack from
that quarter and fired three shots at
the opposing crest whence came the
majority of gun flashes.
One at least of the three found hui
man billet. There was a shout of SUI
prise and pain, and the next volley
spurted from the ground level. This
could do no damage owing TO the angle,
but he endeayored to discomfort the
marksmen by keeping up a steady fire
in their direction He did not dream
of affirming other than a moral effect
as there is a lot of room to miss when
aiming in the dark. Soon he imagined
that the burst of flame from his ri ~
helped 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
nipulation of the wooden supports he
cafIeu TO fIisYodge the occupants. Ey-
cry minute one or more ounces of lead
pitched right into the ledge, damaging
the stores and tearing the tarpaulin.
while those which struck the wall of
rock were dangerous to Iris by reason
of the molten spray.
He could guess what had happened.
BY lying fiat on the Sloping plateau or
squeezing close to the projecting Shout
der of the cliff the Dyaks were so little
exposed that idle chance alone would
enable him to hit one of them. But
they must be shifted. or this night
bombardment would prove the most
serious development yet encountered.
Are you all right, Iris?' he called
out.
Yes, dear" she answered.
"Well, / want you to keep yourself
covered by the canvas for n little
while. especially your head and Shout
ders. / am going to stop these chaps.
/ They have found our weak point, but
can battle them
She did not ask what he proposed to
do. He heard the rustling of the tar
paulin as she pulled it. Instantly he
cast loose the rope ladder and, armed
only with revolver, dropped down the
rock. He was quite invisible to the en-
envy. On reaching the ground he lis
tened for a moment There was no
sound save the occasional reports nine
ty yards away. He hitched up the low
er rungs of the ladder until they were
six feet from the level and then crept
noiselessly close to the rock for some
forty yards.
He halted beside a small pooh tree
and stopped to find something imbed-
could plainly hear the muttered con-
versation of the Dyaks and could see
several of them prone on the sand. The
latter fact proved how fatal would be
an attempt on his part to reach the
well. They must discover him instant
ly once he quilted the somber shadows
of the cliff. He waited perhaps a few
seconds longer than was necessary,
endeavoring to pierce the dim atmos-
phere and learn something of their dis
position.
A vigorous outburst of firing sent
him back with haste. Iris was up there
alone. He knew not what might hap
pen. He was now feverishly anxious
to be with her again, to hear her voice
and be sure that all was well.
swaying gently against the rock. Some
one was using it. He sprang forward.
careless of consequence, and seized the
swinging end, which had fallen free
again. He had his foot on the bottom
rung when Iris voice, close at hand
and shrill with terror, shrieked:
Robert, where are you:"
''Here.'' he shouted The next in
slant she dropped into his arms.
A startled exclamation from the vi
cinity of the house and some loud cries
from the more distant Dyaks on the
other side of Prospect park showed
that they had been overheard.
"Upr' he whispered. Hold tight
and go as quickly as you cam
Not without your
up, for Gods sake, 1 follow at
your heelsr'
She began to climb. He took some
article from between his teeth. string
apparently. and drew it toward him.
mounting the ladder at the same time.
The end tightened. He was then
about ten feet from the ground. Two
Dyaks, yelling fercely. rushed from
the cover of the house.
lose your nerve whatever happens. /
am close behind you"
Il am quite SAFE she gasped.
Turning and clinging on with one
hand. he drew his revolver and fred
at the pair beneath, who could now
family discern them. and were almost
within reach of the ladder. The shoot
ing made them halt He did not know
or care if they We're hit To frighten
them was sufficient. Several others
We're running across the sands to the
cave, attracted by the noise and the
cries of the foremost pursuers.
Then he gave steady pull to the
cord. The sharp crack of a rife came
from the vicinity of the old quarry.
He saw the fash among the trees.
Almost simultaneously bright light
leaped from the opposite ledge, filum-
mating the vicinity like meteor. 1t
Lit up the rock. showed Iris just van
ishing into the safety of the ledge and
revealed jerks ana the Dyaks TO each
other. There followed instantly q ire
mandous explosion that shook earth
and air, disIodging every loose stone