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' ) /rUOIIN :
: . . I JJ ' I $ A TALE or lltr : CUBAN WAR , ,
' _ , . , _ , . } \J J. _ y .56" MWPQPAE . J
Copyright , ISU7 ' , IIy 1. 'j'l'1I111'RUII Neely.
CHAPTER XIX.
Surrounded by Fire.
Truer words were never sllolwn
than when 'frnyerH declares they had
hot work before thOlll
All the others comprising the little
' party or defenders COIIIO tlllllhllng ( Oil t
f
of the COIIIJllll'Llnonts whldl they have
IlofCllllecl so hl'l1vol ) ' , they , too , IJiS'
cover the advance of the gllorrlllas ,
IIInrlwd liS It. Is hy a dozen waving
flnlnhlIl1x ! hastily mint ched from the
. fire ! ! .
.JnC'l Is hy instinct It leader or lI1en
IIIR ( fllllcl mlnll grasps a problem )
and almost on the Instant solves It ,
I lie seollls to know by Intuition , l1S
I It appears , just what sort of action
suits un emorgoncy.
' Speedily ho places nls turn where
they can do the most ! execution , and
In the darkness they crouch 111011g.
side the carriage , awaiting the coming
I of the un om ) ' ,
There Is hardly a breathing spoil bc
fore those ! ' ; who come rllnnlng along
the railway tin clt will ho close enough
to invite IIn opening of the engage-
ment.
'I'ho gllelTllluH of course ( 'I\nnol Hee
the carl'la-c ! : , since all lights have
heon oxLingnlshod ; hilt knowing the
nature of the ground , they are able
, , to guess Its present position willi
some degree of certainty.
Jack Is there In the vlln really to
give a good account of himself. lIe
has regulated matters tO there may
* ho no great waste or ammullition.
.p - Smlthors surd hllnHolf are to open the
' hall , nllll If It heconws neCeSHl\l'y , the
others will chlrl10 In.
The two cOlIIl'lllles are close together .
el' , and have time for the exchange
or 1few sentences ere the nearest
torchbolll'l'l'S COIIIO wllhln the ( range
where they have mnl'l\Cd an Imaglil
ary lead : 11110
Then the hllll op'ns
Doubtless the advancing guerrillas
understand the situation as soon as
, the double flash \ cleaves the darkness
up the rise , for their savage shouts
seem to InenH\so In vol\11no.
Those In the lend are naturally the
ones to stiffer when meeting . with
such an obstaele.
Two torches are seen to plunge
downward , and those who carried
them will 11I1l'lIy give further tI'OU'
IJle.
ble.Still
Still , hohlnd prossea n throng ; the
catastrophe has nol dlllled their enthusiasm .
thuslnsm , but rather whetted their ap
petite for rovenge. _
Again Jack and Smithers let loose
They are us cool and collected as
though practicing ut wooden targets
Each second is the signal for a double
discharge , and the regularity of this
death dealing report stamps itself
upon the mind with awful distinct-
ness.
I Unseen hr 'fl'avers , two heads : have
appeared at the carriage window. An
overpowering curiosity to see the nl\
. taro of the danger that hangs over
<
/1 them has influenced Jessie and the
Spanish girl to thus endeavor to sur-
\ . vey the scone
, . . 'fho ' discover the advancing
1\ torches , and hear the shouts of the
assailants ; then come the reports
or firearms and the terrible confusion
\ that ensues down the tracl , . Secretly .
lr ono 01' these gentle hearts Is praying -
1 ing for the safety of the man who
has offered his body as a bulwark between -
twoen those desperate dm'lIs and herself -
.
I self ; for Jessie Cameron has Indeed
made a startling discovery , though
, site does not as yet breathe its nature .
tuo even to her stopslstor.
, Meanwhile , the fusillade has borne
fruit Even bravo men might recoil '
I
call before such systematic firlnr-
I The shots continue to ring ; out as It
, 3 l machine work- each dtacharrd :
Y jj
CUJIYl'lght , lS9V , by Street and Smith.
IIIlght ho the pulsation of a mighty
heart capable of sending leaden hall
whistling through SImco.
1"1'0111 " Incarnate rage the shouts
blenll Into cl'les of alal'm- , even
of tOI'l'OI'
The advance Is not given up , hut a
new system of tactics brought \ Into
1)1111' .
One i nangives his torch a toss Into
the slll'l'ollllliing jungle. Another
sees the point and follows sull. For
n brief Interval the air seollls filled
with lIamlJellux , each describing a
parabola and llLllllillg ill the thicket .
Jack IIIlIlerstallds what It means ,
and has no 1lldng for the advance
that must follow , since it means the
possible arrival of the guerrillas at
the car , unli a possible haI1l1-t.o.hnnd
conflict that will work against them
on account of Inferior numhel's.
lie sees many dark forms stumbling
forward over the hollies of those who
have fallen ; the torches have not gone
out , but kindle Incipicnt confillgra ( ,
tions among the dellll leaves
"I"ire1 ! Give It to them hot , " Is
whtlt Squirt John l'xclalms
With t a crash the others opon. Even
Ah Sin can (10 his share , since Jack
has no use for a I'otalnerlIIahlo to
hllnlllo 11 gun , and In the early days
of their intimacy taught the Celes-
tllll how to aim and fire , though the
Inaman cannot bo broken or gun-
0-
r ; I I
4m
/ is :
I/ - 1
Lr ' . -
Mlib
r-
- -
J
Then the billl opens.
shyness , 111111 persists In shutting his
eyes ouch time ho palls trigger.
Such a wholesale discharge ! is
enollgh to quite finish the business ,
The advance has been feeble \ before ,
fore , but now It ceases entirely. When
the seeds of a panic are sown they
germlnato with lightning raplcllt
Front lip t.o lip the cries of alarm
IIUSS Perhaps never before In all
their experience have these barbarians
mol with such It desperate resistance
as this.
They met ! way , these fierce guer ; .
I'lIIas.
In the dim light their fleeing figures
can bo seen In various quarters in
< ! eHJOrato ) flight. 'rho shots continuo
so long ILS any are In sight , and while
probably lacking In exeellllon , certainly -
talnly add to the temporary terror of
the mob
Some have sought safety 1n the forest .
est , and Jacl's attention being called
to this fact , ho awakens to It new
danger that confronts them.
The lead leaves and brush catch
fire easily at this time of the year ,
since the opening of the rainy season
has been deh\ ) 'ed.
Already In half a dozen places ,
where the descending torches alight.
ed , can be seen 1\ rapidly-spreading
haze. The breeze SClHnlS to be In-
- - - - -
creasIng with the passage or each
minute of time , and fanning the
flames Into vigorous life
Jack knows better than any of the
others the full measure of the new
danger menacing them.
Still , what can ho done ?
'rhero Is a fire for every man , some
of them already burning no 1 fiercely
flat It would tax the Ingenuity of u
single Individual to encompass the d0
ct.rucllon of the hlaze
Should they attempt to extinguish
the fires that already begin to snap
and crackle as they greedily seize
IIIOU ) new material , they will naturally -
ally become a target for those of
the hushwhaclcers who may still linger .
gm' neal'
Hence nothing can he done
The others begin to notice the increasing .
creasing light.
They comment on the fact that
presently they will offer fair targets
to the aim of the enemy ; but
strangely enough none or them appear
lo grasp the most serious part of
the Impending disaster
Even Smithers , usually so quick to
see such things , makes no mention of
It.
It Is suggested that they seek the
Interior once more. None of them are I
loth to 110 so. The guard and Ah
Sin fillll an asylum In the end compartment .
I IJfirtmont as heforo.
Smithers appears to dislike \ this division -
vision or their forces , and one of his
first acts upon entering Is t.o examine '
amine the partition het.ween.
Ills scrutiny appears to satisfy him ,
for ho at once opens an assault on
the , wall , which proves to be a mere
shell , and In wretched condition at
that ; for under the vigorous ilea-
sUl'es brought Into play by the ener-
getic agent , there Is an opening made
through which the stoutest of the
party can pass with easo.
Don Roblado and Spencer are
keeping watch at one door , and Jack
opens the other In order to take an
ohsCl'vatlon
lie is really startled and not a little
worried al tine amazing progress
made by the fires They have eaten
their way along on that side of the
track until the lines of separation
have ceased to exist , and all arc
uuited. Thc flames , fed by dead
leaves and branches from trees lopped
off during the passage of some West
India hurricane , now leap hungrily
Into the air , HS though snapping at
the branches overhead.
'rru\'ers cam.ot remember ever see-
ing a fire start with so much vim.
And while -ho leans there at the
door , his mind endeavoring to plan
new methods of meeting the deadly
dangers that keep cropping up so
continually , he feels a touch , and experiences .
lwrleuces a burning sensation Some
monltOl' of the heart , some marvelous
intuition of the spirit ! tells him It Is
the hand of his IIIghland lassie that
telegraphs thus to his soul.
"Is the danger over ? " site asks , I
softly.
Roblado and his friend lean out :
of the other door and compare notes
over the situation. Smithers has
passed into the next compartment to
speak with the guard , and no one Is
near hut .Tllanita , .Jesslo's faithful
friend and stepsister , who loves her
with the blind affection which the
Aztec worshipers felt for their sun-
god
god."Flint
"That wOllld he hard to say , " he
replies , softly "These men are desperate .
Ilorato characters , and although wo
have temporarily beaten them off ,
they ma ) ' retul'11 I hope ) 'ou will
not bo alarm , howC'er.Ve have
been able to hold ( out this far , and
give a good account of ourselves , and ,
with the favor of heaven , will continuo .
tlnue to do so "
"Wo are under heavy obligations t.o
von ! " she says ; and Jack smiles
grimly at the way bate manages his
ras. .
"I hope you will not think so No
man could stand by and not lift his
hand to defend ladies , " is what he
manages to say.
"Pal'don- an not a Spaniard ,
senor ? "
'fl'a\'I'S suddenly remembers that
ho 110 longer holds the p.Qbble In hIs
.
, , . . . $
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- - - - - - - - - -
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cheek : ho has been talking in his / -
natural tones
" 0 II b' an American , lady , " ho re-
plies
"I thought so , " ho hears her say ,
as though to herself , and Immediately
follows hy asking aloud : "You appear .
pear to be more anxious than before ,
and I imagine we are threatened with t
sonic new dangor. You see I am
brave I would know the worst. So
please let us understand what is coining .
Ing next"
i
"It will come from the fire , " he J
says , qlllclly J
"I understand what you mean , " she
says , us she leans out of the door ,
sustained by his nrm-ICt.he forest Is
afireVo are In danger of being
burned allvo Well , sir , that is a
terrible fate to face , but I had rather
meet It than fall Into the hands of - - < , .
those etches ; " and Jack , remembering - ' .
bering the savage appearance of the
< guorrlllas , fully half of whom were
black devils , can heartily say "Amon"
to her words deep down In his heart
What Jessie characterizes as a
forest fire has really reached the dig-
nity at such a conflagration , for the
flames have seized the branches , and
shoot upward with a vehemence that
promises u wonderful result.
If the wind grows stronger It will
sweep over the ridge anti run a
course or miles until checked by some
stream or savannah.
"Can nothing bo done ? The heat ;
Is already becoming so dread fill. Per-
haps the carriage may take fire , and
we will lose our refuge , " Is what
.Juanlt.a says , just behind thorn.
.Jack has been considering the matter .
tel' , and trying to decide which at
two evils Is the lesser.
lie realizes that whatever Is lobe
must bo accomplished quickly , else
the intense heat may cause the
old tinder-box of a railway carriage
to take fire
Before Travers can make any fur-
ther remark upon the subject , ho
hears Smithers calling aloud for the
"doctor" In the next compart.ment ,
anti It suddenly flashes across his
mind that It was agreed ho should
pass under the name of Dr. Jim.
Evidently his presence Is needed.
Smithers shows some trace of excitement .
cltement In the tone of his hall , and
It may ho set down for certain that
when he allows his woll-t.ralned nerves !
a little holiday , there is good reason
for alarm.
( To bo Continued. ) '
.
- - - - - -
" . "
PANAMA CLIMATE NOT DEADLY.
- -
Temperature and Rainfall Not Worse sK. ;
Than in the United States. ' .
There is a widespread belief that
the climate of Panama is so fatal that
the construction of the canal can only
be accomplished ) at an enormous sac-
rifice of human life. Both malaria
and yellow fever may ho said to bo
to-day practically under control , and
these are the two diseases , says the R
Scientific American , which are most
to be dreaded when the great con-
structlon camps are assembled and
work is In full swing throughout the
whole length of the canal. According
'
to Gen. Abbott , the records of the
hospital of the old Panama canal
company show that the total death
rate among the laborers was far less , _
than is commonly supposed , being in
fact from 4-1 to G7 per 1,000.
n seems , moreover , that the rainfall
has been the subject of as gross exaggeration .
aggeratlon a3 the dlseafJes. It varies
from about 1:10 : inches 011 the Atlantic , ;
to sixty-five inches on the Pacific , a
record that can be duplicated In the
United States , where the average
rainfall on the Atlantic coast is about
fifty Inches and the fall on portions
of the Pacific coast compares In total
precipitation with that of the Atlantic t. .
F
terminus of the canal. Furthermore ,
it will be news to many residents ! of 2 ,
our more northerly latitude to learn
that the temperature ranges at Pana-
F
ma from 70 degrees to 85 degrees
fahrenheit , and that it Is very rarely
that the thermometer reaches the c
u
high temperature which 15 experi .
enced when a hot wave passes over
the United States
