Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-22

theless the position was not utterly hope
less. None OF the enemy could tell how OF
by whom their companion had been shot.
Many among the excited horde jabbering
beneath actually looked at the clin over
and over again, vet failed to note the
potentialities OF the ledge. with It's rev
tufts Of grass growing where seeds had
apparently been blown by the wind or
dropped by passing birds.
Jenl,s understood. of course, that the real
danger would arise when they visited the
scene OF their comrades disaster. Even
then the wavering balance OF chance might
cast the Issue IN his favor. lie could only
wait with ready rifle, with the light OF
battle lowering In his eyes. OF one thing
at least he was certain--before they con-
quered him he would levy terrible toll.
He glanced back at Iris. Her face was
pale beneath It's mask Of sunbrown. She
was bent over her Bible. and jerks did not
know that she was reading tho 9lst Psalm.
Her lips murmured--
II will say unto the Lord, He is my
refuge and my fortress my God, In Him
will trust"
The chief was listening intentiy TO the
story OF tho Dyak who saw the dead man
totter and fall He gave some quick order.
Followed by score or more OF his men
he walked rapidly to the foot OF the clln
where they found the lifeless body,
And Iris read
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror
by night; nor for the arrow that nieth by
jerks stole one more hasty glance at her.
The chief and the greater number of his
followers were out OF sight behind the
rocks. Some OF them must now be climb
| ing to that fatal ledge. Was this the end7
Yet the girl. unconscious OF the doom inn
pending. kept her eyes steadfastly fixed on
| the book.
For He shall give His angels charge
| over thee. TO keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their
hands, lest thou dash thy foot against n
| stone
| He shall call upon me. and l win
answer him; ] will be with him in trouble
l will deliver him and honor him."
Iris did not apply the consoling words to
herself. She closed the book and bent
forward sufficiently in her sheltering niche
| TO permit her TO gaze with wlstful tender
ness upon the man whom she hoped to see
delivered and honored. She knew he would
dps all for her sake She could only pray
and hope. After reading those inspired
verses she placed implicit trust in the
promise made. For lie was good: His wal
the mercy that "endureth forever" Enc
niles encompassed them with words o
hatred-fought against them without
cause-but there was One who should
Judge among the heathen" and 'hll th'
places with dead bodies"
Suddenly a clamor of discordant yell
fell upon her ears jerks rose to hi
| knees. The Dyaks had discovered thei
refuge and were about to open fire. IL
offered them a target lest perchance Iri
were not thoroughly screened.
Keep close" he said. They have foun,
us. Lead will be flying around soon"
She flinched back into the crevice; tn
sailor fell prone. Four bullets spat int
the ledge, of which three pierced the tar
paulln and one fiattened itself against tn
| rock.
Then jerks took up the tale so curiousl
constituted was this man. that althoug
I 49,
sped out their retreat. he was swayed onl
by the dictate Of stern necessity Their
was a feeble chance that further blood
shed might be averted. That chance ha
passed. Very we'll. The enemy must star
the dreadful game about 10 be played The
had thrown the gage and he answered thel
Four times did the Lee-Metford carr
, death, unseen, almost unfelt. across tn
valley.
, Ere the fourth DyalS collapsed limpl
where he stood, others were there firin
at the little pun of smoke above the gras
! They got in few shots, most of whlc
sprayed at various angles of the face Q
the clim But they waited for no NOR,
When the lever of the Lee-Metford wa
showed home for the NTH time the opposin
, crest was bare Of all opponents save tive
and they lay motionless.
!. The fate Of the fianlxing detachment wa
, either unperceived or unheeded by III
Dyaks left in the vicinity of the house an
well. Astounded by the firing that buri
' forth in mid-air, jerks had cleared III
, dangerous rock before they realized this
: here, above their heads, were the whit
! man and the maid whom they sought
} With stupid zeal they blazed away fui
} iously, only succeeding in showerlng fras
ments OF splintered stone into the Eagle
Nest. And the sailor smiled. He quietl
picked up an old coat, rolled II into a ba
and pushed 1t into sight amid the gras
I Then he squirmed round on his stomac
! and took up a position ten feet away. @
course those who still carried loaded gun
, discharged them at the bundle of rag
whereupon Jenks thrust his rife beyon
the edge of the rock and leaned over.
Three Dykas fell before the remainds