The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-24

opened dre on the reOei SpOckhuo.
A fusiIIade from elephant guns fol-
lowed, but few OF the attacking party
were hit. Presently the guns ceased;
a breach had been made in the strong |
walls, built of hardwood logs and al
most as resistant as cement and NOR
| tar.
The regiment spread out in line. |
Bransome ran before them, waving his
sword. Advanced" he shouted.
Then he saw Travis beside him in |
| his civilian clothes. The agents |
white solar helmet made splendid
mark for an enemy. go back, you
fool" Bransome shouted.
But Travis ran beside him, and
Bransome had no time for argument
The whole line followed, with fixed
bayonets, roaring behind him. The
bullets churned among the trees and
cut splinters from the boughs. Show
ers of leaves came down.
/. The yelling, defiant Krus manned
the walls of the preached stockade.
! The assaulting party was compelled
| to form into column to mount the
; breach. And now the enemy displayed
I its secret resource, nothing less than
, an old brass ships gun, which might
/ have done good service In the sixties,
!. and was none the less effective here.
A roaring defamation, and grape shot
, burst among the British troops. They
! fell in heaps, cut down by the we'll
q directed charge.
v But the gun was, of course, not q
quick-firer, and had to be reloaded.
!. The troops closed up. Bransome, who
v had by some miracle escaped I'M
a scathed, put himself at their head
:. again. Advanced" he shouted.
j, And again he was conscious Of
Travis In his white helmet, cool and
l. smiling, beside him.
It was a mad rush toward the walls.
D. Just as the foremost man set foot in
the breach the cannon roared again.
The files were swept away. And
II again Bransome found himself unin-
T. jured.
Now, boys!" he shouted, amazed to
Or find that he was still alive.
~ The attacking party, which had re.
coiled, heaped one man against his
It neighbor, and, the dead all about
r. rushed forward, cheering. Like cata
ract the khaki-clad column swept ovel
| the hEeach, driving the logged negroes
; before them. pinioning them with the
bayonet. m . moment the fort wal
carried.
II From hut to hut the flying Krul
III were pursued. They fell in writhinl
III heaps, their own gun turned agains
III them. For perhaps half an hour tn
Hi bloody struggle lasted. Then the Brit
Hi ish were IN possession Of the village
Hi Bransome stopped; he had forgot
IOl ten everything in the excitement G
NH the battle His sword was bloody, an
VII yet he could not remember havin
vi struck down a man. A trickle Of bloc
was running down his face. He limpe
from slug in his leg that he ha
III never felt.
a where's Travis?" he demanded {
n his surviving captain.
u The agent could not be found. "
It was Travis who represented tn
majesty of the British raj, and it We
~ Travis who must interview the trer
bling old king, now a prisoner in b
own mud hut, guarded by sullen. d
iant chief wife, and a younger on
who held the royal red parasol ov'
him.
N.Y. Bransome went back, searchir
among the fallen. Travis was not
was the town; he was not anywhere with
red. the fort. Bransome came upon nj
in at last just outside the breach. +
to had been struck down by a doz'
,me slugs from the brass cannon the sc
,nts ond time the weapon was discharge
mis- Travis lay under q pile of dead Kru
ling but he was alive. He recognized Bra
in some.
Bransome hailed the stretch'
lay, bearers and had two men place h
With upon a stretcher and carry him in
All the town. They brought him to t
The kings hut, and Travis pronounc
the sentence. The king was to go in ex
pio- to the coast, to spend the last OF
test. days there.
met The surgeon came up, looked at
agent and shook his head. There m
lmn be chance for him." he said. e
bes. him out of here. put him in hut Il
her, hasn't been used. There's smallI
ugh everywhere among the Krus."
hing Travis did not catch smallpox,
the It became clear, after a week OF
CARS lirium, that he was dying. His M
rose grew clear toward the end. He I
ONE toned to Bransome to open the lit
ime. satchel he carried with the COVE
" he ment papers.
con- Bransome did so and found in it
little box containing Mary's ring.
ntly, looked at Travis and saw that
agents eyes were fixed upon 1t.
two put it in Travis hand.
)ften With fingers that almost failed
some Travis slowly pulled of the cover
1t he held up the diamond ring. 1t was
ents congruous to see the gem spark
IN the dying mans wasted he
, fer Travis motioned to Bransome to b
enc down.
The The engagement ring gave b
It'll he whispered. She is as true