The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-06-18
The Spiders Web
COMPLETE NOVELETTE, By S. Ten Eyck Bourke
By S. Ten Eyck Bourke

81 bet that's the dancing chap that
came around yesterday, to tell them
our bridge was an evil spiders web
that would get 'em if they didn''
watch out!"
Instead of descending into the open,
the Burmese, under the priests gui p!
ance, were making for the cliff that
commanded the level where Halpern
had entrenched his men. A sudden
dazing inspiration seized Halpern,
once up there, the Burmese could pick
off their enemies at leisure while the
Americans spent their bullets futilely
1t was a desperate chance, but tn
other way they were doomed, like
flies in spiders web
-Four men to go with me UP the
far side of that cliff and shoot the
fear of hell into those devils!" he
shouted.
You're mad, man! There are 200
against five!" 1t was stones voice.
raised in warning, but Halpern had a
sudden sense of note of triumph
underlying the caution; he could have
sworn he caught CLEAN of triumph
in the mans dark eyes.
Berserk rage swept over him with
the conviction that Stone was at the
bottom Of the jeopardy they were in.
that for purposes of his own he had
wanted the Burmese to wreak their
worse on the bridge.
II don't know how you managed
it, Stone," he cried, "but you've en-
gineered this frame-up on us! I'll ge:
you for it; but first 1 mean to ger
that holy photograph up yonder and
hold him for a hostage against the
safety of our viaduct!"
He was off at the words, his men
at his heels-five men against 200
inexorably climbing to the crest of the
hill. They were more than half way
up before the native priest discovered
them and took up his death chant
Iagain.
"They GOMEZ" he chanted. "The
gods have stricken them mad. We
shall Stay these death devils. who
have brought the thrice accursed
web of the spider in our valley t,
enmesh us in it's strands!
The Americans could not unde'
stand the words, but they knew the
meaning of the knives that cleaned
in the hands of the score of tribes
men who rushed down upon them.
The five waited until they couln
pick out the whites of the eyes from
the savage black faces. Then Hal
perm rasped out a quick command
and the guns spoke, steady and quick
as the rapple of notes drawn out by Il
hand ripped across the keyboard of a
piano.
Like foam crumpling from an on
rushing wave, the Burmese withered
away. Only the white-robed prizes.
carried on by the impetus of his own
downward rush, was flung head-long
down the steep slope, to fetch ur
among the men who had sought him
as their prize-the hostage foI their
safety and the safety of the bridge.
Make back tracks! Hustle, you
chaps!" Halpe,n sang out. "Pll cover
you, but don't let that parson gent
loose, not if you drop holding on to
him."
Standing at the top of his little line,
Halpern pumped his repeater from his
hip, and at each report a charging
Burmese crumpled or leaped shrieking
into the air.
The upward climb, the rush OF their
assailants, and the Americans stand
had occupied but few moments.
Their retreat was even briefer, bu;
now the Burmese were descending,
too, cautiously, keep out of the range
of Halperns gun, but inexorably.
We'll have the real fight down be-
low boys. Best we can do is to make
the bridge and use this nice, dancing
person for shield" he painted when
they reached the lower level. He
made for the steel web that hung
suspended from the gorge, herding
his men before him.