Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-29
CHAPTER xIv-cont,nu.d

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- calmly jubIlant. as was his way when
stin night went we'll He was by her aide
now, firing and aiming. too, for the Dyaks
broke cover recklessly in running for shell
ter, and one may do fair work by moon
light, as many hunter OF wild duck can
testify by the rheumatism in his bones.
She had strength enough left to place
the rife out OF harms way before she broke
down and sobbed, not tearfully, but in a
paroxysm of reaction. Soon all was quiet
beneath, save for the labored efforts OF
some wounded men to get away from that
accursed rock jerks was able TO turn TO
Iris. He endeavored to allay her agitation,
and succeeded somewhat, for tears came,
and she chung TO him. II was useless TO re-
proach him The whole incident was un-
forseen she was herself a party to Il. But
what an escapel
He lifted her in his arms and carried her
to seat where the tarpaulin rested on a
broken water cask.
you have been a very good little girl
and have earned your supper" he said.
"Oh how can you talk so callously after
such an awful experience" she expostulated
brokenly.
The Jesults say their opponents. teach
that at times white lie" Is permissible.
Surely this was an Instance 1T Is a small
thing to trouble about, sweetheart" he
promptly and blazed away with such fero-
city that they never got within yards Of
me-"
Are you sure?"
II vow and declare that after we have
eaten something and sampled our remain
ing bottle of wine / will tell you exactly
what happened"
why not now7"
Because I must first see TO Mir Jan
bundled him neck and crop into tho cave.
I hope I did not hurt him."
You are not going down there agaln?"
'fNo naad. 4 trust F"
He went to the side of the ledge recovered
the ladder which he had hastily hauled out
of the Dyaks' reach after his climb, and
cried
Mir Jan"
"Ah. sahibl Praised be the name Of
the Most High, you are alive. was
searching among the slain with sorrow
full heart"
The Mohammedan's voice came from some
| little distance on the left
The slain. you say. How many?"
Five. sahib."
"Impossiblel I fred blindly with the
| revolver. and only hit one man hard with
the iron bar One other dropped near the
wood after obtained rifle"
Then there be six, sahib, not reckoning
| the wounded. l have accounted for one,
| 80 the miss-sahib must have"
What is he saying about me?" inquired
Iris. who had risen and Joined her lover
He says you absolutely staggered the
Dyaks by opening fire the moment they ap-
| peared."
How did you come to slay one. Mir
Jan2" he continued.
"A son of a black pig followed me into
the cave. waited for him in the darkness
l have just thrown his body outside"
| lucky chanceT
mo. sahib, IL he be not the sixth. I will
| go and see."
you may be attacked?"
N'I have found a sword, sahib. You left
me no cartridges"
Jenks told him that the clip and the
| twelve packets were lying at the foot of the
rock. where Mir Jan speedily discovered
| them. The Mahommedan gave satisfactory
| assurance that he understood the mechanism
Of the rifle by filling and adjusting the
| magazine Then he went to examine the
corpse Of the man who lay in the open near
| the quarry path.
The sailor stood In instant readiness to
make a demonstration were the
| native assailed. But there was no sign OF
| the Dyaks Mir Jan returned with the news
that the sixth victim of the brief yet fierce
| encounter was renegade Malay. He was
| SO confident that the enemy had had enough
| of 1t for the night that, after recovering
| Jenks's revolver, he boldly went to the
| well and drew himself a supply of water
During supper, feast graced by a quart
| Of champagne worthy Of the Carlton. Jenkt
/
for her: that is to say, he cut down the
| casualty list.
| 1t was easy to see what had happened
| The Dyaks, having missed the Mahom
| medan and their water bag, searched fol-
| him and heard the conversation at the foot
| of the rock Knowing that their presence
| was suspected, they went back for rein
| forcements, and returned by the shorter
and more advantageous route along Turtle
| Beach,
Iris would have talked all night, but
jerks made her go to sleep by pillowina
| her head against his shoulder and smooth
| ing her tangled tresses with his hand. The
| wine, too was helpful. In a few minutes
her voice became dreamy. soon she was
| sleeping like a tired child.
He managed to lay her on q comfortable
| pile of ragged. clothing and then resumed
his vigil Mir Jan offered to mount guard
beneath. but Jenks bade him go within the
| cave and remain there. for the dawn would
soon be upon them.
Left alone with his thoughts, he wondered
what the rising sun would bring In IT'S train.
| He reviewed the events of tho last twenty
| four hours. Iris and he-Miss Deane, Mr..
| Jenks. 10 each other-were then undiscov-
cred In their refuge the Dyaks were gath
cred around a roaring fire In the valley,
| and Mir Jan was keen in the hunt as the
keenest among them. Now Iris was his
| affianced bride, over twenty OF the enemy
| were killed and many wounded. and Mir
/ Jan, a devoted adherent, was seated beside
the skeleton In the gloom of the cavern.
What a topsy-turvy world II was, to be
surel What alterations between despair
and hope! What rebound from the gates OF
/ Death TO the threshold of Eden How un
true, after all. was the nebulous philosophy
| Of Omar, the Tentmaker. Surely in the
happenings OF the bygone day there wai
more than the purposeless
Piay'd IN a Box whose candis is the Sun.
Round which we Phantom Figures come and go.
He had, indeed. cause TO be humbl,
thankful. Was there not One who marked
the fall Of a sparrow, who clothed the lilies
who knew the needs OF His creatures
There, In the solemn temple Of the night, h,
gave thanks for the protection vouchsafes
TO Iris and himself. and prayed that 1
might be continued. He deplored the use
less bloodshed. the horror of mangled limb
and fostering bodies that converted thi
fair island into a reeking slaughter house
Were II possible, by any personal sacrifice
| TO divert the untutored savages from thei
deadly quest, he would gladly oondone thei
| misdeeds and endeavor TO assuage the tor
ments OF the wounded