The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-02-26
Chapter II
Sialemate

%TE THOSE Dyak TIfiemen are as
good as y1u say. and they're
going to sweep the Malay stock
AIDES all the time, my uncle has a
fine chance to get slot before !
ever get &c him again" said.
Il think he's safe from that. "
answered Christine. Il don't think
the Tenyalang SharpshOOters will
fire until he's out of there. Perhaps
few random shots-that's to be
expected of -hese people But the
worst of II viii hold of"
$50 you think you control them
as well as that"
mo, of course not They got
their orders with their rifles. and
IsuppOse they will obey them. IN a
general way. e ( | haven't enough
communication with them. even If
they were thoroughly disciplined
troops, to change orders in any de-
tail They were told TO sharpShOot
the Malay stOckade until hiantu-
sen took to the river; then they're
supposed to race along the shore,
forming ambush after ambush for
the prsuS. But you see. the Tenya-
lang didn't know what you were
doing at Nantuser's stOckade;
they think Anthony Forester Is
all-powerful here, the same as
Mantusen thinks Clyde IS The fact
that you reached Mantusen at all
shows that they believe ! sent
you"
| thought of the furry of spears
that we had come through. up the
Siderong- But there was no use
TO talk about that. Those might
have come from the disOrganized
tribes. not from the Tenyalang.
In that Ease" / said. Il should
think I'd still have a good chance
OF going back UP there after
Clyde"
IF you were attacking Mantu-
sen, Of course they would help
you in every way"
But | can't attack MantuSen.
Nothing is going to get Clyde out
OF there alive except a complete
smash-up of the Dyak blockade"
She spoke slowly and almost
tonelesSly. THAT is something you
can't possibly do"
I'll do it because I've got to do
It. Look here-if wha- you say is
true"
'Tf?"
well, for the sake Of the argu-
ment, I'll say that ! believe you.
OF course do believe you-partly,
at least. Look here. know you
can't pull the tribes off; but If the
Tenyalang retire. a whole lot of
heart ought to 60 out of the rest"
didn't suppose, OF course. that
she could do much. She had been
able 70 exercise a little authority
over the Dyaks at first. on account
OF Anthony Forrester's reputation
among them, and his promise of
guns but that authority would
break down as soon as all the gum
cargo was delivered | had no faith
IN the future of any continuous re-
volt against the Malays- Those
Dyak tribes mistrusted one an
other too much for that. They
would have a fine interchange of
village raids before the Malays
could get organized again. and by
that time MantuSen'S krismen-
with James Clyde as hostage
among them-wou1d have grown
tired long ago of waiting for rescue
by the Linkang. Whatever was
done for Clyde would have to be
done at once. even IL the best CON-
blned efforts of the Linkang and
the Avon were clumsy and I'M
practicable as to their results.
1mpOSSibIey
IF YOU control the Tenyalang TO
4 any extent at all" | said now
pull them of"
You're asking me 10 try TO make
a 1truce7" she asked uncertainty
there7"
Well, why not? After all. Man
tusen has got Clyde. / know ne
means nothing e you personally
But he's one OF our own people.
Just the same.
Its impoSSiblel"
"Y'hy?"
"Once the Tenyalang start to
draw back the whole thing Will 90
10 pieces We don't have all the
tribes in the Baiingong radius-we
don't have more than quarter or
third Of them III unce the block
ade breaks. he hill tribes con-
trolled by the Malays viii rise. and
our Dyaks y III be hunted clear out
OF existence.
That was true. Of course. There
were numbeTless small Dyak
tribes on Sumantapg. and many Of
them the Malays could throw
against their own people. Almost
any tribe was cust0nariis not only
willing but eager 70 join the Ma
lays against any. others, simply
EsaseaFHesr staa 49, Esarersa- 60