The Rajah's Fortress — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. 75 silence that followed the start, and then from every corner of the square, from every house and window, from every possible point of cover, a hot fire was poured. Man after man dropped in the ranks. The hollow center was choked up with wounded, and yet no retaliation was possible, for the enemy kept well out of sight. The rifles blazed from all four sides of the square, but their only effect, as far as could be seen, was to form a dense cloud of smoke, which, however, possessed the advantage of making it difficult for the foe to aim correctly. Bleeding, powder-stained, yet not despairing, the brave little army marched steadily forward, grimly bearing the dead and wounded with them. The murderous fire showed no signs of abate- ment. Ifanything, it wasincreasing. The temple in the rear was now one mass of flames, and the whole square was as light as day. The true character of the building they were ap- proaching was now perceived. It was the private residence of some important personage, for the roof was a clustered mass of gayly decorated turrets and. spires, with a gilded dome in the center. A succession of spacious porticoes, with broad steps, surrounded the structure, and all was de- signed with truly Oriental splendor and taste. Here was a refuge for a while at least. Help must soon come, the colonel thought, and all might be well yet. As they drew close to the entrance and hurried COLUM 1OOO SS co