The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-03-01

the fiend with the creese.
Kerrigan moved up the trail and
stopped He took his carbine from his
shoulder and held it ready for instant
use. The hammer was back and the
safety notch turned off. He opened
the case Of his watch and put his finger
on the works to stop it.
After waiting until he had become
accustomed TO The usual sounds Of the
jungle, he coushed. 1t was an limo
cent little cough that did not disturb
the silence A man 20 feet away
could not have sworn which direction
il came from-unless he happened to
be a keen.eared Moro,
Kerrigan waited several minutes
and then he heard a slight rustic in
the bamboo trees behind him. He had
his finger on the trigger and he smiled
in the darkness but he did not turn to-
ward the sound until he coughed
again. He got on one knee and put the
muzzle of the carbine down low, for
crawling things are near the ground.
The rustic came again, in the same
direction, but perhaps a foot nearer
Korrigan estimated it to be ten feet
away. He coughed again after short
time. 1t was an encouraging sort OF
cough, or should be, to Nero with
creese.
Again ne heard the leaves move.
The vines grated against something
which was gliding between them 1t
vas progressing slowly. 1t consumed
minute in moving an inch, until 1t
made one long continuous rustic
scarcely to be heard, as the slight
noise blended with the little night
sounds of the jungle.
The noise stopped Had Private Ker-
Tiean fallen asleep on his post? There
had been a stifed yawn and then
peaceful. gentle snorc followed by the
regular. deep breathing OF q weary
man asleep. At intervals there was
soft snoye.
The vines moved again, and now the
thing was holder, but still cautious
Foot by foot IT glided nearer growing
more confident at each snorc. Then
tho noise stopped. The Croese was
being made ready. Ii was the instant
before the Thing strikes.
Kerrlgan snugeled the butt of his
cafbne under his cheek, SO gently
that the movement was caress. His
eyes were Of no use in aim!ng-his
ears were guiding the carbinc sight
Every muscle and nerve was so ronse
that II seemed they would snap. Great
marbles Of perspiration grew on his
forehead, TO break and run down into
his eyes. but he did not mind them.
He was glad the troop could not see
him for he feared they might think he
was afraid. All he feared was failure
He was trying TO do his duty, and that
was of more Value to him than his
life A wave Of gladness came over
him as he realized that he had faced
this Thing IN the dark and was not
afraid He had never known before
that he was absolutely fearless He
hoped that he might live so rs to be
able to enjoy the knowledge. Then
he pulled the trigger.
There was no report The caibine
was still In his hands aud he had
pulled the trigger. He wondered If
ne had been mistaken. lie pressed the
steel again and IT did not move.
A thousand little needles prickod his
spine His hair sprang up and quiz
cred like a million tiny wires undee a
powerful magnet His whole body was
galvanized with fear. He was afraid
nov. lie felt himself growing sick.
He was unable to think. It did not
occur to him that there must be some
reason his carbine did not answer his
pressure. All he knew was that he
was helpless and that the ThiGg was
0efore him preparing to strike. ne
v ondered If the others had found
themselves in the same plight He
had thought nothing could make him
afraid, and he was sick from fright.
\ great lump rose I'm his throat and
his frame quivered in a great silen.
sob-bccauSe he was afraid
The rustic came again. The fear
vanished He suddenly understood
Wildl was NibHS. ne surety UOitu.
lie had thought II open. 1t was closed.
He snapped it back and pulled The
trigger He saw The Jungle open be-
fore him In the powder fash and
black shape almost at the muzzle Of
the carbine prone before him. lie
caught the reflection of the fire which
leaped from his gun, on long, saaky
bit of steel, pointed toward him He
fred again and again until his maya
zine was empty and then he tossed
cartridges 'into'the chamber i'm fever.
ish hate and fired until his fingers
were burned on The hot barrel He
heard the other sent.2Sis calling the
corporal Of the guard md boots and
saddles sounding ia the camp. re
wondered why there was so mach
blowing Of trumpets and shouting lie
laughed at them and kept on firing.
When the guard reached him bis
ammunition was all gone and he was
sitting in the trail laughing and suck
ing his burned fingers They held the
lantern in his face ard he laughed a
the flame and whispered to il: Il