Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-10-01

SOrD1ng QetallS, registered them upou
his consciousness.
The blade, within an inch of his
head, seemed to fly off into the air as
though torn from the others hands;
a revolver roared behind him, the hot
breath of it on his face, and Ram
Gulab Singh flung up his hands; her
voice was calling his name again and
again-and then he had smashed his
fists full into Ram Gulab Singh.
Mechanically his arms locked around
the other; and hurting downward
over the sprawled bodies on the lad
der-steps, bowling those behind over
like ninepins, Wallen spun, twisting
and turning in the air, a dead man
clutched in his embrace, and crashed
upon the deck, and his arms relaxed,
and he lay still.
When he opened his eyes he was in
Gunga's arms, and Helen MacKay was
binding something about his head; and
there was strange stiffness about
him-strange because the roar OF the
flames was stiffness where 1t seemed
there should be shouts and cries and
demoniacal screams and the clash OF
arms and the shrieks of dying men.
He staggered up to his feet.
Sailors In naval uniform were rum
ming about the decks, and young Of
ficer was peering into his face Wal.
len tried to place the other, and failed
at first, because his head was swim.
ming so dizzily; and then he remem-
bered that it was Lieutenant Damon.
of the gunboat York. who had crossed
with him once in the Tokamaru.
"a narrow squeak, old chap!" Da-
mon was saying with a grip on Wal
lens hand. 1.-THE old Yorks chasing
those devils out there now-hear the
guns! We got the whole story from
Miss MacKay two days ago. The'com'
mander sent me off with a couple Of
boats crews in the hope that we'd find
some Of you alive; and he sent me be-
cause I'd know you, Wallen. my boy
if you were really Wallen."
"I-I don't understand" said Wal.
len weakly.
"No-I dare say not!" Damon
laughed cheerily. "And there isn't
much time now to explain; we've got
to take to the boat. But, in word,
Miss MacKay here wirelessed your
servants story to Singapore and asked
for help for herself, giving a nautical
position that she said she had succeed
ed in getting from the second officer.
You had days start of us, but you
must have been averaging over twelve
knots, or we'd have come up sooner.
"They didn't know what to make of
that story of Drink-House Sans MUIR
der as your servant told it, but they
rounded up the Chinese and Malays
that he accused; and two of them con-
fessed, duplicating the others. That
clears you, old man. Here-steady !!
Don't wabble like that! I'll get a
couple of my men to carry you to the
boat" He turned away, hurrying along
the deck.
Wallen's hand, raised to sweep
across his eyes, touched the hand that,
not so deftly now, little tremblingly
now, was still making a pretense at
knotting the bandage.
"YOu-you sent-the stOry-my
story" he said eagerly. "Then-you
believed me all the time!"
She shook her head.
Ell wanted to believe-Oh, / want.
ed to-" she said wistfully. "Only
~
And then her head bent lower, very
close to his, and her cheek brushed his
and it was wet with tears.
"Helenw he whispered.
"Come on!" called Damon, return.
ing. "We'll have to tumble into the
boat. The commander said / was to
take you ashore and wait for the York
to get back; but there's a fellow out
there-a Scotsman-who's come out
from shore in a big prOa that passed
as we came aboard, and that'll be bet.
ter than three-mile pull.
''He can't come alongside, of course
too risky maneuver with the head
way the fires made aft--but he's wait
ing for, u.s. In the word | had with
him when / told him to stand by, he
seemed to know you, Wallen."
And then, as though to corroborate,
Damon's words, across the water came
q hail in strong, big voice.
aboard there! Wallen TITS Mac
Knight o. Arru, Wallen! Mon, is it
well wi yea"
And Wallen lifted his head at the
cry. He was faint and dizzy, and very
weak; but the flames were lighting up
those brown, tear-dimmed eyes, and
the eyes were smiling into his.
Eyes" he cried, and his voice rang
glad and buoyant out into the dark
ness, out to MacKnight Of Arru. "All's
well, MacKnight! ALPS welll"
1.-THE ENID