Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-13
CHAPTER NNtN
HTba nOy ls EOuaH


afar
He broke into a strange. lmping run
across the slight and shaking bridge: and
as he ran he called to her. words Of cheer
and greeting, words Of encouragement and
love.
But when. having penetrated tho palisad-
cd area and stumbled down the terraces.
he reached her side. he stopped short. shak-
ing, speeches.. with wide and terror
stricken eyes.
Beatrice Beta My God, what's
what's happened here?" he stammeroh.
kneelirg beside her. raising her in his weak
ened arms, covering her pallid face with
kisses chatting her throat, her temples, her
hands
The girl gave no sign Of returning con.
sciouSness Allan stared about him, sens
ing n great and devastating change since
his departure, but as yet unable to COM
prehend its nature.
And, worse than all, here Beatrice now
lay in his arms, stricken by some strange
malady. He could not know the cause
the sleepless nights, the terrible toll. the
shattering nervous strain of catastrophe, OF
nursing of tho swift rebellion.
But he saw plainly now the girl was
burning with fever And raising his face
TO heaven, he uttered cry, half groan,
half sob---the cry of soul racked too
long upon the torture wheel Of fate.
"But-but where's the boy he asked
trying to understand. to act, to save.
whats happened here? God knows! An
earthquake Disaster at any rate! Be-
atrice' Oh, my Beta Speak TO me 80
Unable to solve any Of the terrible
problems now beating In upon him. he
raised her still higher in his arms.
Loudly he shouted for help down the
terrace calling on his Folk to show them
selves; to come to him and to obey.
But though the shattered cliff rang with
his commands, no one appeared. In all
seeming as deserted and as void of human
life as on the first day he and Beta had
set foot there, the canyon broodcd under
the morning sun, and for all answer rose
only the foaming tumult of the rapids far
below.
with strength he knew not lay now
in his wasted arms, he lifted her bodily
and carried her to the door of Cliff Villa,
their home among the massive buttresses
of rock.
But to his vast astonshment and ter.
ror he found the door refused to open.
IT was fast barred inside.
Even from his own house he found him
self shut out an exile and stranger
Loudly he shouted for admission,
agely beat upon the panks, all to no pur-
pose There came no sound from within,
no answering word or sign.
Eagerly listening for perhaps the cry of
his child. he heard nothing. A tomblike
silence brooded there, as in all the stricken
colony.
Then Allan, fired with a burning fury.
laid the girl down again, and seizing u
great boulder from the top of the parapet
that guarded the terraced walk, dashed IT
against the door. The planks groaned and
quivered, but held.
Recoilng. exhausted by even this single
effort, the disheveled wounded man stared
with haggard eyes at the barrier.
The very strength he had put into that
door to guard his treasures, his wife and
his SON. now defied him. And a curse. bit
ter as death, burst from his trembling
lips.
But now he heard a sound. a word,
phrase or two of incoherent speech.
Whirling, he saw the girls mouth move
In her delirium she was speaking.
He knet again beside her Graded her
in his arms kissed and cherished her
and he heard broken, disjonted words
words that filed him with passionate rage
and overpowering woe.
80 many dead-so many And so
many dying.-You, H'yemba You beast
Let me go !--Oh, when the master comes !"
Allan understood at last. His mind,
now clear. despite the maddenng tor
ments of the last week, grasped the stua-
ton in a kind of superscnsitive clairvoy-
ance.
As by lightning fash on a dark night,
so now the blacl<ness of this wonder of this
mystery, all stood instantly illumined. JIe
understood.
What incredible fendishness !" ne ex-
claimed quite slowly. though unable TO
imagine it in human bounds. AT a time Of
disaster and of death, such as has smitten
the colony--what helish villainy!"
He said no more, but in his eyes burned
the fire that meant death, instant and with
out reprieve.
First he looked to his automatic but,
alas, not one cartridge remained either in
its magazine or in the pouches of his belt
N1,o InA nj h1an hag t111
thing Of the terrible agony OF the last few
days.
Gone. all gone" he muttered hut, with
sudden inspiration, bent over the girl.
"Ah Ammunition again.
Quickly he reloaded from her belts One
belt he bucllled round his waist. Then.
pistol in hand he thought swiftly.
Thus his mind ran: THE first thing TO
do is look out for Beatrice and make her
comfortable--flnd out what the matter is
with her and give treatment, ] need fresh
water, but I daren't go down to the river
for It and leave her here. At any minute
Hyemha may appear. And when he does
! must see him first.
Evidently the thing most necessary Is
to gain access TO our home How can II be
Heaven only knows There may be enemies
In there at this minute, Hyemba may be
there"
Anguish pierced his soul at thought OF his
son now possibly III IilO bIlllH : power.
by God :" he cried. something has got
TO be done and quick
His rage was growing by leaps and
bounds.
He advanced TO the door and putting the
muzzle of his automatic almost on the
lock shattered II with six heavy bullets
Again he dashed tho boulder against the
door II groaned and gave.
Reloading ere he ventured in, he now set
his shoulder'to the door and forced It slowly
open, with the pistol always ready in his
right hand.
Keenly his eyes sought out the darkened
corners of the room. Here, there they
pierced, striving to determine whether any
ambushed foe were lying there in wait for
him.
surrender :" he cried loudly In the Meru-
caan tongue. 'If there be any here who
war with me, surrender! At the first sign
of fight, you die !" go
No answer.
Still leaving the girl beside the broken
door till he should feel positive there was no
peril---and always filled with a vast wonder
how the door could have been locked from
a H-|'