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'f ' -/L I J rct c ¶ A TAIl 0r iii CUBAN W ( .
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f t . l' . . Copyright lSDi by F. 'l'CJIIYSOJNeeJ ) ' Copyright 1S9D by Street and Smith.
! . . CHAPTER XVII.-Coltinuec.
No ono Is hurt , but each man draw
, n long" breath , us -If comprehending
that the lJullle Is now on , and that It
will not cease until much destruction
t
has been wrought.
So Jack scrambles to his knees and
i f has his arm out of the window almost
l i _ " , immediately. That hand holds a
, weapon , and one he Imows well how
( ( to IUunlpula
I I The guerrillas present as fair a tar
get as anyone could wish , seen In the
L :1- : light of the fires. Jaclt 'l'ra\'ern ; has
. . -t- : hud many opportunities for becoming
un expert shot.
If ho were dealing with wild beasts
; of the chaparral he would have 110
iI : more thought of mercy than he feels
. toward these lawless outcasts whose
1
hands are raised against both sides
r : and whose daily calendar is marked
br terrible (100(15.
' ' merrily
So 'l'ravers opens right
upon them , his only desire being to
male each one of the six bullets give
a good accounting.
He Is not allowed to monopolize the
. whole affair. Smfthct's Is just as eager
to have a hand In It , and his gun
P sounds about as regularly as Jacle's
The senor and Spencer also manage
to get In a shot or two , and taken
m all together , the reception they spring
upon the astonished guerrillas is fully
as efficacious as it Is sudden.
pmt
- A temporary demoralization seizes
upon the assailants , and they melt
\ awar. Some run to the shelter of
. .
t T.'i . : trees , others to the opposite side of
the carriage , while a few drop to the
ground , hoping that among the
wounded they may be safe for Uo
present. :
'Vell done , " crIes Don Rafael ; "but
is anybody hurt ? "
They have lucIdly escaped all in-
fury , which fact may he lalll to the I
' unprepared condition of the enemy.
I
Perhaps when a second engagement .
has ended they may not uo able to
t . present such a fine showing
a' "Listen ! " exclaims lacl"
The report of firearms can be heard.
"Sarno of them have entered the
carriage ! " exclaims Roblado , for the
shots certainly sound close to their
ears.
Jack scouts the Idea.
"Not quite so bad as that , " ho sn 's.
IF" " , ' ' r II 11 ' I I I _
1 i ; III I
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'
-
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zlj or/ ' - " - _
Travers opens right merrily upon
them.
.
"But listen. Those reports are surely -
ly just beyond this thin partition.
Ca1'l'amlJaas ! two shots sound at
once.
" 'fhnt Is true. But they are fired
I I ) by the guard and my servant , who ,
I cut off from this compartment by the
advance of the enemy , have been com-
pelled to take refuge in there. "
i .
"I believe you ' are correct , senor.
That Is n piece of luck : In our favor. "
A sudden silence has fallen on the
scene-a silence that seems to pre-
sage the coming tempest-a silence
that Is even more terrible ! than the
clamor that has preceded It.
The situation is certainly very
black , and even sanguine Squire John
does not dare to think of what the
immediate future may hold for them.
To defend the ' '
successfully carriage
against these daredevil guerrillas is
a task well-night ImposslJlo. ! Above
all , Jack dreads lest the enemy conceive -
cel\'e the idea of utilizing fire In order
to accomplish their end. The old carriage
riago if once kindled would burn
like tin d 01' . So Travers finds himself
in the position of :1. master at chess
who 11IsCO\'er8 a weak point i1) ) his de-
Tense whereby he may be ! mated , and
as it Is his ! : opponent's move , he sits
there emi nettles awaiting the discovery -
cry that will bring ! his defense to
i
naught.
Smithers knocks on the wall.
"Hello , there ! " he calls , and the
guard answors. ,
"Hold the fort : load up again , and
he ready for a sortie If necessary , "
again calls the agent.
Time silence does not last long ; but
In the interim the guerillas have evidently -
denllr been heavily reinforced , if the
fearflll chorus of screeches and
"Again ! " shouts Roblado , pushing
close to the opening ; "and let It be
to the death , enOJ's ! : all ! "
.
- - -
CHAPTER XVIII.
- -
A Change of Base.
They come sweeping forward very
hoarse yells that marls their second
advance is any criterIon.
like the hurricane that sometimes
devastates Cuban sugar plantations.
Jack Is really appalled at the number
of desperate men opposed to his little
hand , and more than ever does he
realize what an uphill task lies before !
them ; indeed , it must be through a
miracle that they escape , If at all.
As the guerrillas advance they open
fire on the carriage with all manner
of guns : f0 while this firing lasts It
is necessary for the defenders to lie
low , lest some of the missiles that sing
so lively a tune , and snap splinters
from the framework above , find a
more congenial lodgment within their
bodies.
Smithers seems to realize that their
enemies are poorly ) provided with fire-
arms. Ho believes they will speedily
exhaust their fire , when It may be
reasonably safe for himself and allies
to rODly.
Just as he figured so It comes to
Ilass. The shots , which dropped so
fast In the beginning , become more
scattered and about cease.
"Now , give It to them ( ! " roars
'
Smithers.
A gallant hurst follows-Oro flashes
in splteflll streaks from that side of
the carriage.
Again they scatter , as before , leav-
Ing a portion of their number on the
ground ; hut Jack notices a difference I .
In their actions. The majority dash
alongside the carriage. 'rhey are
thus out of the allies' range unless
one dares thrust his head and arm
outside , which action would bo almost -
most suicidal.
Sounds are heard as of some one
pounding. They como from under-
neath the carriage , and mystify even
Smithers for a time. It Is evident that
their enemies surround them , and
have even mounted to the root , as
they ; can uo heard moving about.
The suspense Is torture.
Smithers has kept on guard , watch-
Ing the opening : nor does he watch
In \'aln. Without warning , ho sud-
denlr fires his pistol , and from the
_ _ _ n _ , _ _ A _ . _ ,
,
"c. . .
.
time roof with I
floundering on , togetJtor
the terrible Spanish curses that cause
the girls to clap their hands over their
enrs. it seems positive that some
reckless fellow allowed curiosity to
get the better of discretion when ho
lowered his head In time attomllt to imi-
vestlgate the Interior oC the ca'l'lnge.
Jack can stand It no longer.
Ho already imagines ho can hear
the crackling of flames underneath time
carriage. Something desllernto must
be ! tlone.
"Senor , assist mo In opening time
other door just wide enough to allow
the passage of my Jody ! , " he says to
noblado.
"Carnjo ! what would you do , young
senor ? " asks the Spaniard , while Jack
sees the girls rise to their knees at
his words as though in alarm.
"Something must bo done Imme-
diately. I do not like to alarm lie
ladles , but I fear those wretches mean
to burn the carriage-that they may
be even now starting fires underneath
us , " returns Travers , qulcltly , ties'
pem ately.
"But tell me , how would your going
have any effect ? They will shoot you
on sight. You are a bravo } man ,
senor , hut wo cannot afford to lese . .
you , " declares Roblado' I
"I must go. I believe I can change
our conditions. The light of these
fires is apt to prove our ruin. See ,
they are upon the curve ; this other
side Is almost In shadow. I will take
my chrmces. Once ant , senor , I can
send the carriage perhaps two hundred - I
dyed yards away from this fatal spot. " I
"Alone-you , senor ? " !
"It Is easy , I tell 'ou. There , you
have the door ready to open. I shall
go. "
"Senor , I see you are determined ,
so good-b , and Heaven protect you , "
says Rohlado , squeezing his hand.
Jack gravely wrings that of Smith-
ers , for he hardly expects to see him
again-at least , the chances are
against It.
Then , I1S he turns to squeeze
through the narrow opening , ho Is
stopped by the s ( 11or's daughter , who
seizes his hanel.
"Sir , the Virgin guard you. This
night you : may win that whIch you
prize above all else on earth. Jessie ,
bid him Godspeed , " says the Spanish
girl , hastll . .
Then Jack for the second time In
his life holds the hand or his wife
in his own , and ere he releases it ho
has pressed a kiss there.
H'J dares linger no longer , but filled
with high aspirations regarding the
desperate plan that has flashed upon
his mind , he slips through - tlme narrow
olening .
Just as he feared , the crafty assail-
ants are endeavoring to start n new
blaze under the forward end. Their
diabolical intention Is to have the
carriage afire , when those who have
twice given them such a warm recep-
ion must come forth to their fate or
roast In the flames.
'fravel's has a chance to lint his
little plan Into operation.
Creeping along beside the carriage ,
ho reaches time wheel where Ah Sin
placed the Iron pin.
1\Iuch depends emi his ability to with- I
draw this. As the weight of the car-
riage must In a measure be resting
upon It , he mar find this task be-
yond his strength.
Backward and forward ho twists it ,
while the fire rises higher. Ills energy
Increases : in sheer desperation he
puts forth gigantic efforts. All the
while he Is encouraged ur the fact
that the pin moves more freelr.
At length a tremendous rally on
Jack's part gives him success-the
coupling pin Is In his hands.
Now , If the carriage will only take i
a notion to descend the short grade !
But there is no occasion for mental
anxiety with regard to this , since the
withdrawal of the Iron pin is instantly -
ly succeeded hy a movement on the
part of the railway carriage.
Jack has driven In his first stake ,
and it remains to be seen whether ho
can hold his claim against all comers.
Upon finding the car in motion
there is a burst of shouts from those
underneath and others on top.
In this emergency nothing can ho
found with which to block the wheels , i
- . . . r
amid already too much momentum luau
been acquired to accolllllllRh this J'e-
salt br mere muscular effort
Jack , finding lint It will not be nec-
eSS1J'y for him to stand br nnll 111'0-
vent tummy detaining action with his re-
volveJ' , censeR to 1'111I alongside the
carriage , clutches holll of tI'o Ildl' ! , t
and swings hhusplf on the footbou ( .
The heavy carriage guhlR 11I11'
uncut t uni al It IJI'ol'edR. . .Jrwl : only
wishes there might uo a down grade
all the way to Havana , when they
wonld reach the Cuban capital wllh
flying colol's.
Alas ! It Is but It baby run-llerhaI1 :
two hundred feet , then a ' short level ,
and after that a rise , where they will
again bo stopved. m
1I
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F
1 * 3 _ a
Backward and forward he twIsts It.
Nell , that Is the limit of his hopes ,
and ho can find 110 cause for com-
plaint.
Already they are on the level ; the
momentum acquired causes the car-
rialto to ascend lie other rise thirty
yards or more , when it gradually
ceases to push onward. Jack : la on
the alert ; ho jumps off and ma1ws
an admirable use of the iron pin ,
against : which the harden of the adventurous -
venturous carriage again rests.
I
Jack Is pleased with time result.
They have a fightlug chance , now
that the ( light of time fires does not
betray them.
No sooner has ho male ! sure that
the Irvin will hold than ho rushes
around to the other side , and reaches
the door.
"Senm' , It Is I ! " he exclaims , not
wishing to he too warmly received.
lie If ! greeted ! with exclamations
of joy from within , and his hearing
must Indeed bo very acute to catch
feminine voices from amen the rest.
"It [ was beautifully done , " declares
fiohlndo , with enthusiasm.
"Ve'J'y good ; but we have only ,
made ( a beginning , senor. Listen , and
you will hear their shouts us they
follow. See how they wave torches
snatched from the fires as they come !
We have still more hot work : awaiting
us. "
"You never spoke truer words , sir ! "
exclaims SmllllCl's ; "and we are fools
If we allow them to build more fires
around us. Out , then , every man , and !
keep them at hay. hello ! there , in
the other section ! Open the door and
join us. 'rhe situation has changed ,
and we must not allow ourselves to
be shut up } again. AIl hands on deck
to repel boarders ! "
( To bo continued. ) a
Spain's Periodical Changes.
"On time whole , Spain Is wOJulct'fnlIy (
peaceful and miraculously loyal , " says
a writer "Any native returning to
his country after , say , twenty 'ears'
absence would scarcely know It.
While Victoria was reigning over
gngll1nd Spain saw six sovereigns of
various kinds , and none very good ;
one republic ; several civil wars , and
a whole waste ' paper - basltetful of cout
stl t utlous. "
During the courtship a man declares
he cannot live without lll.'r-and anN
marriage ho often litmus / It impossible
to live with her.-Chll'llgo News.
