The Rajah's Fortress — page 306: what you’re looking at

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

THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. 291 the darkness of the arsenal across the corridor, and as the dungeon door is suddenly jerked shut with a clang, the unbidden spectators of this portentous scene draw backward and stare helplessly at each other with eyes that reflect back unutterable horror and lips that refuse to speak. Guy for the first time covered his face with his hands and walked across the room. How could he ever reconcile his thoughts to death with these aw- ful scenes brought up before him? The sight of those two victims—the Hindoo and the Chinaman —marching to their doom seemed burned in letters of fire upon his eyes. He could not shut the sight out. ‘““What are they going to do with them?’’ he asked, huskily, of Loyd. Loyd shook his head. ‘*Don’t ask me,’’ he said, in a hoarse whisper. ‘*It’s too horrible to speak of. Brace up, Chutney. It will soon be over now.’’ ‘*It’s not that,’’ said Guy, with a strange glitter in hiseyes. ‘‘I don’t mind the cannon. But our friends at home and at Rangoon and Mandalay. They will never know our fate. If one could only send some word—some message——’’ He turned abruptly away and walked tothe other end of the apartment. Suddenly a confused sound was heard in the cor- ridor, the rumbling of wheels and the heavy clank and rattle of bars. It passed the door, grew fainter and fainter as it receded down the corridor, and finally ceased alto- gether. ‘*Will these tortures never end?’’ cried Guy, an- grily. ‘*It’s the cannon,’’ said Forbes, softly. ‘‘ They are taking it outside from the arsenal.’’ COLUM 1OOO co