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


from the crew forward--the answer d
demoniacal mob-scream from close
aboard, and, It seemed, thousand
tiny flashes as the fire was returned.
They were close alongside noW-he
heard the swish of the others screw
going astern to stop the way. They
were preparing to board Why! Why
not stand off and sink the Monleigh!-
the MOnleigh was probably sinking
now. Yes, he knew why. They were
afraid that what Mott had suggested
might be true-that he in the darkness
might escape in boat.
He laughed suddenly. What was it
Gunga had said: "a fight, sahib, that
/ would to Allah l might see again
before l der Well, Gunga had not
prayed to Allah in vain. Gunga would
have his fight. They were going to
board. God, how they lined the decks
and rails out there-they were in their
hundreds!
1t was light now, like the play of
lightning with the vOlleying of the
small-arms. Aye, Gunga would have
his fight He laughed again wildly
and then terror came.
1t seemed to freeze his soul with
horror unnerving him, unmanning him
for an instant. What of her! And
then Wallen's face drew into set, rigid
| lines, and there came into his eyes a
look that was not good to see-and he
| turned and dashed below.
"Open, Gunga, quick!' he shouted.
And as the door swung back: Miss
| MacKay-both of youths way!'
They ran out to meet him, and he
caught her suddenly, steadying her as
there came a violent shock-and with
| the shock hideous, louder outburst of
| yelling.
| 1t was Ram Gulab Singh alongside
Half carrying her, half guiding her,
Wallen, with Gunga behind, gained the
top Of the companionway, ran out onto
the deck through the starboard door
of the lounging room and, protected
on this side by the Lighthouses, rushed
forward toward the bridge.
1t was a last stand; that was all
ultimately the same as though they
had remained below, except that here
they could die fighting and not as rats
in trap.
He and Gunga could hold the bridge
ladders until the Monleigh went down,
or until at least every other part of
the ship was in the hands of Ram
| Gulab Singh; and the charthouse
would serve as protection for hex
until-until-his brain went sick again
with fear at thought of her-and it did
/ not seem to be his voice that was
shouting SO reassuringly over the hor-
'.hler babel around him.
CUP you go, Miss MacKay! That's
"lo~di1' Now into the chart
room J" He pushed her almost forci-
bly, inside-and swung toward Gunga.
"Gunga, take the starboard ladder
I'll take the port
Around him was an inferno /;
screams, shrieks, yells and cries, the
shrill hiss of escaping steam, the sharp
crackle of flame leaping upward
through the engineroom hatch, the
crash and rattle of small-arm fire filled
| the air.
Below on the forward deck it was
as though hell itself were loosed. The
great looming shape of vessel lay
against the Monleigh's bow, from
which, to join scores already there,
white clothed figures, like a horde OF
ghouls, poured onto the MOnleigh's
| flush deck; and, as fire same shot
heavenward, Illuminating the scene to
daylight brightness, the naked steel OF
| the kris flickered in it's downward
sweep, and dark, grimacing features
| showed, and out of the features in a
horribly incredible way the eyes gilt
/ tered. And here and there upon the
| deck forms law sprawled and prone as
they had fallen.
Wallen ripped open box of car
tridges with his thumb nail, and let
them tumble loose into his pocket, as
he stared over the Weather-clOth.
What was left of the Monleigh's crew
was already driven back on the lad
ders leading to the boat deck. Ram
Gulab Singh was making short work of
it-as he must!
/ With the Monleigh afire, even il the
fire were still amidships, it was pre-
carious thing for that other vessel to
lay there alongside! That was Layn-
ton and two of the crew on the star
board ladder fighting like demons; and
directly below him, on the lower port
ladder, were Mott and Larsen and two
others-no, there were only Larsen
and two of the crew-Mott had
pitched downward into the sweep OF a
kris, seeming most curiously to meet
the CLINT Of 1t in mid air.
Six left!
What was the matter below there
now? What was that infuriated, trl'