The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-23
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y The Barrier or nr.N
BY Edmund Smell.

saving the bulk of the rubber. Which
is Mr.. Richards ?"
A man standing close behind
Hewitt held up his arm.
"Is there boat to get the ladies
away in? 2"
"There was motor-boat, sir; but
I'm afraid this Soamcs. Teller Will
have taken it."
"Get down after him as quickly as
you can. Turn out the coolies-you
others-and get busy" He raped out
| the words like a man accustomed tc
! command.
Dawson" said the Commissioner
hoarsely, "collect the ladies and get
them down to the shore. The rest of
US had better hurry to the scene of
action right away"
Dawson, amiable, undisturbed, con-
Quoted his ladies through the avenue
| of waving rubber, chatting all the
,, while with the volubility of a Cooks
guide. The light from the encircling
conflagratlon aided their progress
| and they emerged on to narrow
strip of sand to see two figures knee
deep in the shadows, in the act of
launching boat.
| As Dawson dashed forward, dark
form shot from the water, ducked
| smartly to avoid Soames' fire, then
| judgment of a panther. The two men
closed in frenzied combat and the
actors pistol spoke again. The bull
1ok ho,, ys~ H. ,,,<'
| side-so close did the flash SEEM
and the girl who had called herself
Enid Bromley uttered little gasp
ing cry. She fell against the boat,
one hand pressed to her side, then
rolled awkwardly downward, splash
ing beneath the undulating surface
of the incoming sea.
There were two things uppermost
| in Dawson's mind-to aid the man
who had tackled Soames and to save
the vessel from capsizing. He was
relieved from the former duty, how
ever, by the sound of an exultant
"Got you-my friend" as he came
up with them.
"Pennington!"
"You can bet your life!" laughed
the other, swapping something over
Soames' wrists. ~ started out with
young Gwynne, but fancied this d
be the locality where some of the
amusement'd take place."
"He paid me to do this" he said
duly.
| Pennington nodded.
~ don't think l care what happens
to me-now. Every hand was against
me over there. I didn't let myself
realize what all this preparation ac-
tually meant. If I'd been normal Id
never have shot Richardson her"
A man came racing from the dark
ness. He tripped over a root, recov-
cred himself and recognized Soames
"You swine!" he screamed. "You
darned swine! The coolies have
struck. They're leaning ON their
axes down their now. Chai-Hung's
told them to, and they're doing moth
ing till he tells them otherwise. This
is your doing!"
1t came to Pennington in a flash.
"Shut up, Bourne" he said quiet
ly. II think I've found way out"
The other choked down his wrath.
"Soames," broke in Pennington,
"Have you got your makeup box
handy?"
Soames started
"It's in my kit somewhere"
"Thcn come on, for the love of
heaven. Bournes nip down and tell
Hewitt I'm here"
Into the light of the conflagration
where white men stripped to the
waist toiled like fiends-and swart
Cinnamon stood sullenly resting on
their implements, there walked with
placid dignity an immense Oriental
with white tunic and baggy black
trousers. A gold watchchain stretch
ed across his chest-and his left arm
rested in scarf that was knotted
behind his neck. At sight of him the
coolies fell prone and the Britishers
remained momentarily motionless,
staring before them in incredulous
amazement.
"My God!" said Hewitt. "Chai-
Hung!"
I One single phrase, cultural and
penetrating, escaped the pursed up
lips of the arch-bandit:
"Obey your white masters"
He paused only to watch the cleo
trical effect of his utterance, then
strobe back through the trees. Hew-
lit, gazing after him in bewilderment,
saw Gwynne slip after him, revolver
in hand like that!"
The Commissioner dropped his axe
and ran for all he was worth.
He was ten yards from Gwynne
when he fired with deadly accuracy.
When Chai-Hung pitched forward on
his face, Hewitt was aware of an
enormous weight lifted from his
mind. He was glad somehow that
he hadn't done it; but Chai Hung
dead! It would mean the beginning
of new era.
Gwynne was on his knee. He
turned suddenly.
cts not Chai-Hung. It's!
Hewitt, are we all going mad?"
The Commissioner, a choking SEN
sation in his throat, realized that
Soames had played his last part.
, 1.-THE Wisdom of Rabat-Pilai," the
:. next episode of this gripping series,
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