Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-05-03
COPYRIGHT ~ VIC caAn1An

hideous echo along the tunnel. me
second savage turned and began
scrambling back like a mole, but Win
ton fired again and heard the shutting
stop, as II the bullet had been instan-
taneOusly fatal. A shower of earth
came rafting down.
And now the faint, reflected flare
that came into the tunnel and the
roaring from above told Wlnton that
the cottage was ablaze The sounds
Of shouting grew fainter. The negroes
must have been driven out BY fire.
Wlnton raised the body Of the man
nearest him and set 1t in the tunnel
in such way that 1t formed an OBJ
stacle to anyone approaching from
the rear. He would hear the sound OF
its dislodgment If the attack were
renewed.
But the sayages had had enough of
the tunnel. Winton loaded his re
volyer with his last handful of car
trldges and began scrambling after
Sam, calling in low tone.
liz tAGul u toHtAl y hiHtUlll answer anu
made his way as fast as he could along
the tunnel Would the natives be
waiting at the other end? They could
make the distance above ground more
swiftly than they could. But Winton
doubted whether their minds would
work in that manner. with plumber to
be had in every compound store along
the diamond ridge. He was right in
his presumption. for presently he saw
Sam and Sheila sllhouetted against
the faint light at the other end Of the
tunnel
He caught Sheila to him fercely.
keep up your courage dear" he
whispered. 1--WE are going to be free.
Stay here with Sam, while / go for
ward and explore"
For moment she chung to him and
pleaded with him not to expose him
self TO danger, but II was wonderful
how brave she was, Instructing Sam
to stay with Sheila, Winton began to
creep forward along the ground,
D,t In moment he saw Sam beside
him. MIR Garrett, I'll go" said the
negro. Il guess it's safer for me,
looking Ike this"
That was a fact. Reluctantly-for
he would have preferred to face the
danger-Winton went back and al
lowed Sam to proceed upon his scout
ing mission.
All along the fields the stores were
burning aercely. Against the light Of
the leaping flames could be seen the
bodies Of the savages, struggling to
carry of their plumber. Bales Of cot
tons and cloth, blankets packing
cases Of comestibles were being borne
on naked black shoulders The store
on the compound into which the fugi-
ttves had emerged was, however, al
ready Quilted. and there were no ma
tiyeS Immediately at hand
1t was the old story, repeated a hun
dred times in the bloody history of
South Africa. OF the untamable nature
OF the aborlgine reasserting itself
against white supervision grown lax.
Winton, few yards from Shella,
suddenly perceived the body OF a man
lying face downward upon the ground,
Immediately inside the barbed wire
which separated the compound in
which he was from that adjoining.
He recognized It as that of Josephs
1t was pinned TO the earth with two
upright spears. Death must have been
instantaneous.
Winton's Jaws clamped with a spasm
Of fury. He sprang to his feet. but
remembering the urgent need Of eau
ton, lay down again beside Sheila,
watching Sam.
He saw the negro worming his way
along the ground upon his stomach.
Suddenly Sam turned toward him with
an imperati 20 gesture to lie still.
Looking up. Ninton perceived Kair
sentry, armed with spear and shield,
on guard at the desert road behind the
devastated and smoldering store that
had belonged once to Kash
/ AAE EANSNt1NN "a AAiAo man WIS UEAlA-
nous. II the outbreak had been con
fined to the diamond compounds. no
sentry would have been set. The fact
OF his presence betokened precon-
certed rising, guided by shrewd
minds from outside
1t betokened something more. For
the man who had placed him there
must have had a personal interest in
Wintons capture. Yet Wlnton was
no object of hatred on the part Of the
natlveS-rather he was one of the
more popular among the clalm-holders.
But Winten realized only the first
part OF the purpose. not its impliea-
tionS He watched Sam spring to mis-
feet and advance boldly toward the
sentry, brandjShjng his spear. There
was nothing to show that Sam was
other than one Of the marauders. He
was just as black, and in the night he
looked Just as ferociouS as ny Of
them Tie sentry turned ana looked
Y Sam in inquiry, then went rward
to meet Eir3.
SANS muscular arm wenr b. 4. and
The spear. driven unerriRgIy. some
ayavistic impulse. went home ough
the kafrS throat