The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-20
BY Edmund Smell.

"A shade better off than when we
started. We know that the Yellow
Seven are here in considerable force.
and that the united efforts of three
perfectly good white men armed
with automatics would be about the
forlornest hope ever embarked upon"
They passed through the screen of
cocopalms and emerged on to the
strip of grassland in which Moor
houses bungalow lay.
Moorhouse, hardly awake, reached
down automatically for the blanket
at the bottom of the bed Suddenly,
as his benumbed faculties began to
return to him, he started and blinked
vacantly at the white canopy above
him. Somewhere close at hand
dog was barking. Ten seconds later
he had woken to the realization that
it was the black chow and that the
sound came from the veranda.
"Shut up, Hitam! Lie down."
And then-something black and
shadowy slid noiselessly within the
rectangle of light and out of it again.
The d. O., experiencing that I'M
comfortable sensation that is in
variably associated with surprise
in the early hours, forced his muscles
to act and CROPPED under the pillow
for his automatic. His fingers
touched nothing but the crumpled
edge of the sheet. Always a restless
sleeper, his pillow lay--a shapeless
mass-to one side, and the weapon
had presumably dropped to the floor
without waking him. Swearing soft
ly to himself, he reached down, crop
ing uncertainty in all directions. The
flimsy curtains, blowing listlossly IN
light breeze, touched his cheek and,
bringing his head suddenly upward,
he saw:-as If dangled from the bed
post-a silver hand. The thing
lowered there, glittering in the
patch of light, and for some mo-
ments he stared at it. He withdrew
his gaze with an effort, a wild hope
revolving in his brain.
"Guaya!" The words formed
themselves upon his lips. He had
not seen her since that strategic
retreat from the bandits sentries
Perhaps she had sought him on the
veranda and, failing to find him
there, had come to his room? He
looked up again. The apparition was
still where he had first seen 1T. He
pushed himself upward on his arms
then sank back mute with silent
horror. The thing was left hand
the gauntlet that Chai-Hung had
stolen!
He wriggled over on to his face
and sent his trembling fingers over
the rough floor. They knocked
presently against something soft
and warm--a human foot! He set
his teeth grimly. He must somehow
manage to slip out from the other
side-between the bed and the parti-
tion-and snatch up the water Jug,
anything with which to defend him
self. The bed creaked as he moved
and the curtains parted. A lean
hand fell upon either wrist and, from
out OF the corner of his eye, he saw
that the silver hand had vanished,
There hung in its place Knife with
long thin blade and hilt that he
knew was yellow.
He aimed kick at the arm which
held it suspended, but it moved swift
ly upward and the force of his blow
was spent upon empty air. He could
catch its shadowy outline as it hesi-
tated before descending, and then
the door of the room swung open
and the light Of hurricane lamp H.
Illuminated the whole apartment The
grip on his wrists relaxed and tight
ened again before he could wrench
himself free. The lamp stood un-
guarded on the threshold, as if.it had
come there Of its own accord, and
Moorhouse recognized at one and the
same time the man who held him
and the creature with the knife:
Nyi-Hau-and the great Chat Nung!
He struggled with renewed vIo-
lence, tore one hand from the power
full fingers that encircled it and hit
out at Nyi-Hau with all the force he
could put behind it. The man re-
coiled and the magistrate, rolling to
one side, avoided the fall of the knife I
by hair's-breadth. He caught the
fierce breath of the bandit-and a
third form, gliding stealthily from
behind the door, pushed between
Chai-Hung and his lieutenant. It was
Guaya! Her garment was torn and
travel-stained and her black hair fell
in waves over her dark shoulders.
Moorhouse did not understand the
meaning of her disheveled tresses,
until the dagger with the jeweled
hilt sped downward. She drove. it
with triumphant force between Nyi-
Hau's shoulders-and the creature
pitched headlong across the d. o.
Struggling to free himself of his
nauseous burden, Moorhouse did not
see how Guaya died. He heard her
little, painting cry and threw Nyi-
Hau from him to discover Chat Hung
forcing his great bulk through the
window frame, leaving his knife be-
hind.
The automatic caught his eye. He
vaulted to the floor and, snatching it
up, emptied the entire clip tnto the
tropic Stiffness. Presently he saw
that the silver hand had escaped the
fugitive and rolled to a corner.
"Guaya," he whispered softly, II
have brought you your hand"
He fell on his knees beside her,
thinking that she had tainted, but
the shapely shoulders that his fin
gers touched were unresponsiye.
@The Barrier Of Fire. the next
episode of this gripping series, will
start In our next issue.
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