The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-09-15

leapeu forward, Squealed In agony
gave convulsive spring into the ali
and rolled sideways with loud crash
against the bamboos, half dozer
revolver shots in it's vitals.
Shadowy figures rushed on Waller
as he shook his feet clear of the stir.
rups and reeled to the ground. He
fell on his knees, and a Chinaman
aimed vicious blow at his head with
short stabbing sword. Waller fired
up over his left shoulder and the man
dropped dead in his tracks.
A deafening din of wild yel1s,> cries
and firing broke out, and the patch
Of opening where the pony had fallen
became the scene OF whirling strug-
gle. 1t was the very anxiety of each
of his assailants to be the first to
seize him that enabled Waller to
elude them and gain the shelter O.
the forest
At the first leap he almost Drained
himself, his head coming into violent
contact with the enormously thick
stem of a bamboo The bamboos
grew so close together that way
between them was only made posi-
BILE by walking sideways through the
narrow lanes
Bullets crashed after him, rebound
ing from the hard and polished sur
face of the shiningx stems like peas
from plate glass. The Chinese were
spreading out to encircle him, and
Waller could actually see the gleam-
ing barrels of their revolvers pointed
at him.
Once one giant of man doomed
up in front of him, and Waller could
hear the quick intake of his breath
as he threw up his hand clutching the
knife. He never breathed again, for
Waller shot him through the heart.
Still on followed the Chinese, their
numbers seeming to increase, the cir
Gle they had formed to grow smaller,
and more complete. How was that
circle to be broken? That was the
question that Waller asked himself.
He set his teeth tight, lifted his re-
volver, and pulled the trigger. 1t
snapped down, but there was no an
swering report. Every barrel was
discharged, and he had no fresh
cartridges with him. They were. in
bag of the saddle on the dead pony.
Nearer and nearer the fitting fig
ures approached. taking no precau-
tionary cover now that they knew the
man was practically defenseless.
Waller watched the advance with a
curious fascination He began to
count the rapidly lessening number
of bamboos intervening between him
and the nearest foe. Twelve-eleven
ten nine eight seven - six -
A hand shot out
and caught Waller by the throat.
The touch aroused him to pas
sion of action. He gripped the wrist
with his left hand, gave it sharp
twist, and brought. down the butt of
the revolver on the tense muscles be-
low the elbow joint
The Chinaman reeled back with
shrek of agony, and Waller, a red
mist swimming before his eyes, hit
Out dI InS ASAJ Hail.
But club, swung from behind,
fell with fearful force on his shout
der, and the straight lines of tower
ing bamboos, the savage faces, the
blazing stars. disappeared in. black
darkness. K
1t was early morning when Waller
opened his eyes, conscious of ter
rifle pain in his shoulder, and found
Japanese soldier watching over him.
What's this?" said Waller, rising
to his feet and staggering drunkenly.
SWhy, there's the sea-but what are
all those ships?"
"The Japanese have come to take
said a little, wizen-faced
soldier. "The ships came during the
night
But how did 1 get here?" asked
the bewildered Waller. @Last night
was attacked, and--and left for
dead, l should think.
you were in great danger last
night, continued the japanese, "and
if some of our troops had not been in
the bamboo forest you would have
been killed by the Chinese"
He stopped and looked closely at
Waller for moment. Then he spoke
again.
"A ship leaves for Hong Kong at
I have orders to see that
you go by that ship. And to tell you
that the Peppohoan chiefs will not re-
quire the 10000 rifles. Steps are
being taken to secure their peaceful
submission.
Waller stared at the mask-like face
as one would do in trance.
"Bamboozled!" he murmured
Bamboozled! "-Pittsburg Press.