Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

78 where their meat was broiling. With a hard grip on her shoulder he said quietly: “Lass, I'll put ye in the canoe wi’ a stout lad as’ll see ye safe to th’ sea. As for me, ’s long as a bold comrade sticks wi’ me I’ll play the game to the end. Here I ha’ yet twoscore o’ sturdy rogues, wi’ steel and powder and shot; who dares say all’s lost?’ “And dare ye hint o’ my running away then?” cried Nell hotly. ‘By Satan! Ha’ ye seen aught o’ fear in me in all the cruel work back yonder? Ha’ done! I did but try ye, Ed.” Davies smiled softly across the fire at her. He took a gobbet of raw meat away from Bravo, the parrot, and stuck it on a twig to broil, and caressed the bird’s gaudy poll. “Till the end o’ the venture then, Nell,” he said quietly. “Ha, ha, ha-a-a-ah! Blood an’ bones! Ra-aw-awk!”” screamed Bravo, gripping Davies’ finger in revenge for the loss of the piece of meat. (em THE camp was silent in slumber until mid-afternoon; except for a solitary sentinel and the dozing parrot all were still as dead men. A brown head was raised stealthily above a thicket, and a pair of piercing black eyes surveyed the sleeping bivouac of the gold-seekers. At sight of Davies and Nell Clark the dark face assumed a*hideous scowl; it changed slowly to a softer expression, which melted again into sorrow. Phe head vanished, and the camp slum- bered until evening drew on, cool and shad- owy. Then, as he had ordered, Davies was awakened, the report given to him that all was quiet, and the men sprang to life, alert and refreshed, to resume the match, Until midnight they marched, keeping to the shore where possible; then in front of them a light flickered in the trees, a startled shout rang out, and a musket blazed forth, to be followed instantly by pandemonium. XXX “BACK to back, lads, and face*all “*§ sides!” roared Davies, confused by 'Mmdid a ring of great fires that suddenly blazed high as if by magic. Half-blinded by the glare, the startled seamen stood stoutly enough while a flight of arrows played sore mischief with them, and fired a crashing volley of musketry into ony! °° 4 Adventure the leaping shadows. Then while they were hampered by the cumbersome operation of reloading, a great rattling and clashing of steel resounded, the snort of horses, a sharp word of command in Spanish, and through the smoke of fires and powder a body of steel-clad horsemen charged, bearing down brushwood and hurling aside cane stems as a great ship divides and crushes down the seas. In a moment the battle developed into a savage mélée of desperate hand-to-hand combat. The snorting horses added terrors to the long Spanish swords which gave the seamen, fiercely though they fought, small chance to show their best. Davies, fighting like a fiend, endeavored to keep Nell behind him; she in turn fought him to keep where she might do her part; and a tall Don pressed his horse through the clashing battle to reach them. Davies was backed to a dense thicket, gripping Nell by the arm, as a terrific onslaught of the horse- men mowed down the seamen. and swept them into disastrous retreat; with the end of all things in sight, he hoarsely bade the woman slip through the forest while yet there was time and seek safety. He bent down and pressed a hot kiss on her lips, laughed joyously as she cursed him, and turned to meet the tall Don’s attack. Under his sword-arm a pistol roared, the horse went down, and he felt Nell’s moist hand upon his own; her smoking pistol fell across his feet, and she tugged fiercely at his arm. “Quick!” she panted. Indian’s wi’ us!” As he plunged through the jungle growth which seemed to dance and writhe before him like a thing alive while the fires yet blazed behind, led by touch of Nell’s hand as she in turn was led by the dark shape ahead, Davies heard a sound off to the left which his seaman’s ears could never mis- take. It was the sound of heavy boats on the shore; and the clamor of many voices indicated the landing of men, Spaniards. “They come too late, Nell,’ he laughed “Quick, Ed! Th’ grimly. “The Dons’ horsemen ha’ done aplenty already. me, but Dll go back He “Hfasten, fool! There’s naught but th’ death of a madman back there. Did ye not see the last 0’ yer lads flyin ’in th’ dark like a bat o +e” She tugged savagely at his sleeve. Go NOOK AUUG (C@