Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-10

A slow tread softly crunehing the wet
sard in the driveway, drew toward them
from the main bungalow. 1t stopped.
Some yards off large white figure
halted. Mr.. Justus Hemnes had evil
IDENTIFY come to bid his bachelors good
moment later the white bulk moved
away, the footsteps departed. In deep
bass notes like the drone of a good
natured humble bee. the planter hummed
an air as he went back to his wife. He
would report all quiet.
Now whispered Rama with fiery
satisfaction. Now we have it to our
selves"
AS the minutes Jagged by this opinion
seemed literally true. The veranla be-
fore them. overhung by the trellis. showed
black and imEenetrable as the face of a
rock: and yet had anything moEed never
SO lightly inside the watchers would have
known. SO, at least, thought David: for
Eow that all the little noises of training
water had passed away. and left only a
crisp, irregular dripping among TN" trees.
he felt no other change in The *,,ilness
round about. Muscles in arm and shoulder
began to ache, from their cramping in
the long suspense.
Another shrill challenge from the =a,re-
cock startled him. and after unlimited
waiting yet another. The outbreak reused
queer echoes in Davids inemcr"-Sin on
Peter: the platform at Eisi1ore: cruel
main that he had seen two cocks fight
aboard lorcha in the Pasig: spring
mornings at home. the warm air and q
perfume Of bonfires over the country SIDE.
Why should he remember oil these. in a
tumble? And why would nOtlin-s hap
pen?
Then, in the dark, once more he feat
his companion shiver and hristte, like a
dog about to growl.
From under the trellis a shadow formed
I'm the starlight. Greater thtn 4 man
low and long. with the contour and move
ment of a quadruped. 1t came slowly out.
sheered off and was creeping coward the
tennis court.
The sultan sprang afoot and aaiked
deliberately up to 1t.
Il have what you want" he said. quiet
~, in his native tongue. Mari sini.
Come here and take it,
At his call the shade gave bound. SUI
Tered q convOlving leap or thr) De and split
in twain. It became the figures 3f two
men running for the end of the backstop
nets. The sultan gave chase.
On the smooth floor of the cour. David
overlook them, just as all three snarling
like cats, rushed together in a knot. lie
plunged at random, caught a naked arm,
and threw one man clear OF The scrim-
mage. AS he did so the other two stag
gered apart and began singular dance,
face ct to face ace; dotsi each eth.r
voice. Don't come betweenl Take your
own-AmOk, amok.
The cry ended in a hurried clash and
grating. as when a carver whe.s knife on
steel. The dancers had wheeled close
and jumped asunder.
David obeyed the voice. turned to meet
the fresh onslaught Of the man he lad
, flung aside. From the gray stripe of tile
service line sprawling black shape re-
coiled and came at him. He had time to
see this rise off the ground. to pull the
| scabbarded kriss from his armpit. to
| draw. to balance it in his hand: but also.
| and as lifelong wonder. to find that no
white man could use any such weapon.
He tossed it away and welcomed his
enemy with bare fists.
| leaged by srunt. But sting under the
left ear told him that something shs rp
had missed his throat and that the out
come lay between boxer and fencer. d.
vid laughed and caught glimpse OF the
tropic stars. 1t had never entered any
dream that he should fight for dear life
on tennis court.
His man returned. ready, but circling
wide David kept his guard partly by
shadow partly by the dim wilderness OF
a breechclout. This few toward him. low
and wriggling. He struck out with all
his might. felt hot pain slice along his
forearm ard heard rather than saw, q
solid body fall at his feet.
He was not surprised that it lay there
without moving, for. his fist had gone
home at full swing and was numb from
the shock.
Behind him the whetting and grating
had stopped. A sick man lay on the
ground and coughed.
s"Oh, the good fight!" Rama was chant
ing, In ecstasy. "Oh, the good fght!
AS David turned he saw light COM