The Rajah's Fortress — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. 245 escape me. It is well. To-morrow you will die together. From a cannon’s mouth your fragments will be flung in air, and the jackals will have a rare feast.” | The robber paused. His lips worked convul- sively. His hands were clenched and his eyes shone with a baleful light. Forbes stared at him in amazement. Was the scoundrel lying, or was he speaking truth, and were the English indeed close by? It would be just like Chutney, Forbes reflected, to have pushed on to the fortress with a handful of men in the rash hope of seizing the chief. There was one consolation. If it was really Chutney, he would see his old friend again, and perhaps they might find some way of escape yet. The robber advanced another step. “ Ha! Ha!” he criedin afrenzy. ‘“ My dream of vengeance is coming true.” “ You fiend,” hissed Forbes. ‘ You copper- colored dog! Take your vile presence away.” The robber’s eyes glared with uncontrollable fury. He felt for his scimetar with an impre- cation, and would no doubt have slain Forbes where he stood in cold blood, but as he drew the blade from its bejeweled scabbard a dull sound of firing suddenly penetrated the silence of the dun- geon. A faint outcry followed, arushing of feet, and then the sharp crack of rifles echoed intermittently through the dungeon walis. COLUM 1OOO SS co