The Spectator., 1916-03-07

even as he pushed her back of him
 and faced the strange being from \ whom she mad escaped
 Once more Kitty felt surge across l her the feeling that after all, she was
 weak, and always must be weak; | whereas, he, her late enemy, was strong and always would be strong She was content to cover down behind him and leave the event to him.
 The noise of the oncoming melee be- | hind them grew in volume now as Count Frederick turned to face the | shaggy figure of the man who but now l had been the captor of Kitty Gray. l The muzzle of the pistol pressing to his face spoke louder than any words seemed, indeed, to restore to him a part of the reason he had lost through | dwelling here among the savages, on
 a shore upon which he had been cast
 unknown years earlier. He threw up | his hands now. "Avast, there, cap. | tain!" he cried. q surrender"
 Who are you?" demanded Count
 Frederick. "Or what are you?" The half-demented creature passed
 hand across his face Blessed if I could tell you the truth about that, sir" he said, and that's the truth. But seems to me l remember I was once
 Old Jimmy Wainwright of the ship Ad. venture, out of Clyde. It's maybe we
 were cast away somewhere, years since, and I'm thinking Adam was
 then a boy. Belay all, Friend, cap tain, your honor, don't shoot old Jim | my Wainwright, if so be am him." But what are you doing down here, under the earth, man?"
 Captain, your honor, sir, I came here to live safe. l kill some of them black folks once in a while. They think I'm crazy, and maybe they're right. How can 1 tell, captain, your honor, sir?"
 You know this placer" exclaimed Frederick. Thus far we are safe, but listen to them coming"
 "Ay, ay, sir; fighting like cats and dogs. They always do. We must cut and run, or they'll kill us all, and put us in the big fire yonder Don't I know? I've seed sights a plenty, up there. I couldn't a-beared to seen the white lady burned
 Lead on!" said Frederick, quickly. We must hide, or it will be too late"
 This way, captain, your honor, sir! And bear a hand lively!"
 Count Frederick and Kitty Gray fol lowed him as he fled deeper into the cavernous interior of the lava hill. Theysturned corner after corner, until at length the sounds of the pursuit be- came fainter and died away far at the rear
 Ere's my 'ome. sir" began the old sailor at last. as they paused before a rude cabin, which showed some ami mal-like proof of human occupancy. Well be safe ere, I'm thinking"
 But they were not safe for long. The keen instinct of the savage trailers, hot in the blood lust which now pos sessed them. brought them on ulti- mately along the trail and to it's end They heard the savage shouts of their pursuers gaining in volume, heard the thud of their bare feet on the rocky floors. A moment, and the yelling band stood before the entrance to their cavern.
 The natives were spearmen and their shafts were cast with strength and accuracy. Those beleaguered ones ha Gh ;aI1 such weapons, and yet for one instant a barrier was offered to the assault.
 With a savage. half-animal roar, the old sailor-whose full history never was to be known-cast himself in front of his new friend, opposing his shaggy breast to the leveled spears. He fell pierced by dozen shafts, still roaring his defiance Above his body now spoke again and again the weapon of Count Frederick. A half dozen dusky forms fell and filled up the opening. The savages behind gave back and sought to fee.
 This instant of their hesitation gave Frederick one more opportunity. Catching Kitty by the arm he passed back to the rear of the little cavern in the hope there might be egress that way-for surely the wall of steel in front could not be passed. He found it--a narrow passageway. Pant ing and breathless, stumbling, falling and rising, the two hurried on until at length they heard no more in their ears the din of fighting.
 The passage way now seemed grad ually to rise, it's walls closing in. At length, far ahead, they saw a faint tinge of light. It deepened as they advanced. until at length it became visible through broken aperture be- yond which shone the full light of day. Gasping their joy at this, they hurried up and on until at length their feet stood upon the surface of that earth to which they had been accus- toned.
 It was strange and new scene which lay before them now. There