The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-05

toppled the ladder clean over. 1t fell
outward and disconnected a section of
the musketeers.
well dOne," cried Iris
The sailor, astounded by her tone,
gave a fleeing glance. She was very
pale now, but not with fear. Her eyes
were slightly contracted, her nostrils
/ quivering, her lips set tight and her
chin dimpled. She had gone back thir-
! ty generations in as many seconds.
Thus might one of the daughters of
BOadicea have looked whilst guiding
I her mothers chariot against the Ro-
man phalanx. Resting on one knee.
with revolver in each hand, she
seemed no pulling mate for the gallant
man who fought for her.
( She caught his look.
we win beat them yet" she cried
again, and she smiled, not as d woman
smiles, but with the joy of warrior
when the fray is toward.
There was no time for further speech.
Three ladders were reared against the
rock. They were so poised and held
Z below that jerks could not force them
backward. \ fourth appeared its
coarse shafts looming into sight like
the horns of some gigantic animal The
four covered practically the whole
front of the ledge save where Mir Jan
cleared a little space on the level
The sailor was standing now. with
the crOwbar clenched in both hands.
The firing in the valley slackened and
died away. A Dyak face. grinning like
a Japanese demon, appeared at the
top of the ladder nearest to Iris.
Don't fire." shouted jerks, and the
iron bar crushed downward Two 9th
ers pitched themselves half on to the
ha nd
were needed. Three ladders were thus
numbered somewhat for those beneath.
and jerks sprang toward the fourth
and most distant. Men were croWding
il like ants. Close to his feet lay an
empty water cask. 1t was a crude
weapon but effective when we'll
pitched. and the sailor had never made
better shot for a goal in the midst
of a hard-fought scrimmage than he
made with that tub for the head of
the uppermost pirate.
Another vOlley came from the sands
a bullet plowed through his hair, and
sent his sou'wester flying. Again the
besiegers swarmed to the attack. One
way or the other, they must succeed
A man and woman-eVen such a man
and such woman-could not keep at
bay an infuriated horde of fifty saw
ages fighting at close quarters and un-
der these grievous conditions.
jerks knew what would happen. He
would be shot in the head or breast
whilst repellins the scaling party. And
Iris! Dear heart, She was thinking of
him.
Keep back They can never gain
the ledge" she shrieked.
And then. above the din of the fusil- !
lade. the yells of the assailants and the |
bawling of the wounded. there came
through the air a screaming. tearing, (
ripping sound which drowned all 9TH /
ers. 1t Travelled with incredible speed |
and before the sailor could believe his /
ears-for he well knew what it meant 7
"a shrapnel shell burst in front of the /
ledge and drenched the valley with
flying lead.
jerks was just able to drag Iris fat /
against the rock ere the time fuse op-
erated and the bullets flew. He could /
form no theory, hazard no conjecture.
All he knew was that a tweive-pounder |
shell had flown toward them through /
space, scattering red ruin among the |
amazed scoundrels beneath. Instantly I
he rose again. lest perchance any of |
the Dyiks should have gained a foot
hold on TIE ledge.