The Rajah's Fortress — page 125: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

116 THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. and fourrooms. But you see we can’t well put up higher buildingsin Burma. Terrible storms sweep down this valley every year. I hope you will sleep well. Don’t be alarmed if you hear any strange noises.” With a cheery good-night he went into his own room and shut the door, leaving Melton in a con dition of actual bewilderment. What could this well educated American be doing in this strange country? How did he getall these things here, and what strange kind of place was it he had come to across the swinging bridge? “+ Agent for Adolph Rich!” Who was Adolph Rich of New York, and what under the sun could he want with an agent in Burma? No possible solution of the mystery presented itself, and finally Melton got into his soft, com- fortable bed, and instantly fell asleep to dream over his strange experience. He was wakened very suddenly during the night and sprang out of bed in alarm, forgetting the warn- ing Bolton had given him. Close at hand some- where was a great commotion. Angry cries and shouts rose on the night air, and then above the uproar he heard the Irishman cry loudly : “ At it again, you copper-colored hathens. I'll teach you a lesson,” and as a whip cracked audibly on the air the shouts turned to cries of pain, and presently all was quiet again. Melton went back to bed, wondering more than COLUM 1OOO SS co