Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-23

would free her soul for that eternal meet
ing.
But the men of Oku were running. run
ming for their lives and throwing away
their cherished rifles. lest they should not
be able to run fast enough. Through the
drifting smoke of the burning huts and
the haze now spreading up the bank
from the river she saw little squads Of
dark-clothed Hausas rushing in pursuit Of
the flying blacks. Greatest marvel of all,
scattered among the HauSaS were num-
Der of British sailors. There was no mis-
taking their uniforms or the exceeding
zest with which they entered into the last
phase of first-rate fight.
When the wondrous fact that succor
was at hand penetrated the ecstasy of
that mute appeal to death, she did not
cry it aloud to Warden. Not only would
she mperil both him and his two COM
panions by distracting their attention
from the cut-and-thrust combat on the
stairs. but. sad to relate of a tender
hearted girl. she found a delirious salts
faction in watching the sweep Of gun
barrel and adze and the wicked plunging
of the Hausa bayonet Why should not
these ravening beasts be punished? What
harm had she or any one in the mission
done them that they should howl SO fran
tically for their blood?
But she prayed-oh. how she prayed
that the relieving force would hurry. She
could not tell that officers and men of
the white contingent were astounded by
the spectacle of slight girlish figure.
rObed in muslin and seemingly in no fear
of her life, standing under the bright rays
of a lamp on the veranda Of the be-
leaguered mission house 1t did not oc-
cur to her that they would see her: and,
simply because she was there. they by no
means expected to find A desperate fight
being waged in the narrow space of the
staircase But they soon woke up to the
facts when the foremost man came near
enough to discover the black figures
oRcya6 in hDt ga
Come on he yelled. This is what
we're looking for!''
NO shooting. boys" roared a jubilant
naval lieutenant. "Bayonets only! Dig
em OUT
And dug OFT they were, i'm a manner not
prescribed by the drill book. until the
passages were clear. and the newcomers
were marvelng at the way in which the
mission house was held. and Warden was
free to lay aside that useful gun barrel
and stoop to lift the dead Hausa off Fair
holmes almost breathless body.
The officer. who was first up the stairs,
looked round for some in authority.
He saw an Arab and a girl supporting a
white man between them. To his pro-
found amazement he heard the Arab say:
He is all right. dear. Those cuts are
superficial. just like my own. But he is
thoroughly spent I am almost at the
as nails till that wretched fever bowled
me over in Oku."
But. Arthur, darling" he was even
more astounded at hearing from the girls
lips. where have the troops come from?
What special decree of Providence
brought them to our rescue?'
Here is some one who can tell us?'
said Warden. looking at the lieutenant,
while he placed Fairholme on a chair in
the living room.
May l ask who YOU are?'' demanded
the sailor, finding his tongue but slowly.
my name is Warden Capt. Arthur
Warden Of the Southern Nigeria Protec-
torate-and yours?
Go be continued tomorrow)