The Rajah's Fortress — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. 67 a brief streak of light appeared for a second far below, Dalo was the only one to observe it. He made no sign, but merely continued to strain his eyes in that direction. The light did not appear again, and, after a moment’s hesitation, the Indian, with a careful, stealthy movement, slipped his knife from its sheath, while his face assumed a very sin- ister and forbidding appearance. Another interval of silence, then suddenly wheel- ing partly around and looking beyond Forbes up the river, he said in an excited whisper: ‘¢ Look, sahib, look! What is that?” Thrown off his guard, and never fora moment suspecting treachery, Melton quickly turned and looked behind him. As he did so, quick as light- ning, Dalo raised his arm, and with all his might, struck at Forbes with his long bladed knife. He aimed directly for the back, but a sudden unperceived movement on Forbes’s part diverted the blow, and the point of the knife descended with terrific force on the buckle of a shoulder strap that held Melton’s water flask, and snapped off against the hard steel. A little stunned, but fully comprehending what had happened, Melton turned like a flash. “You infernal scoundrel? ” he cried, “ you would murder me as you slew Hassam, would you ?”’ and jerking out his revolver he cocked it and pulled the trigger just as Dalo made a fierce plunge with the broken knife. COLUM 1OOO SS co