Part 25 (1/2)
”You'll have to, though,” replied Billy ”That's part of the scheme
It won't work any other way” He raised his revolver and fired a single shot in the direction of the howling savages ”That's to let 'em knoe're still here,” he said ”I'll keep that up, off and on, as long as I can It'll fool 'e that we're all here, and cover your escape See?”
”I won't do it,” said Mallory
”Yes you will,” replied theAs et back to her just as quick as the Lord'll let us I can't, so you two'll have to I'm done for--a blind ood for you two to hang around here and get killed, waitin' for htwould be lost too”
”You say hter is on this island you speak of, with Norris and Foster--is she quite safe and well?” asked Harding
”Perfectly,” said Byrne; ”and now beat it--you're wasting a lot of precious time”
”For Barbara's sake it looks like the only way,” said Anthony Harding, ”but it seems wicked and cowardly to desert a noble fellow like you, sir”
”It is wicked,” said Billy Mallory ”There must be some other way
By the way, old man, who are you anyhow, and how did you happen to be here?”
Byrne turned his face upward so that the full hted his features clearly
”There is no other way, Mallory,” he said ”Now take a good look at azed intently at the strong face looking into his He shook his head
”There is so familiar about your face,” he said; ”but I cannot place you Nor does it make any difference who you are--you have risked your life to save ours and I shall not leave you Let Mr Harding go--it is not necessary for both to stay”
”You will both go,” insisted Byrne; ”and you will find that it doesyou, but I see there is no other way I'm the mucker that nearly killed you on board the Lotus, Mallory I' until even that beast of a Si has been alone with o!”
He turned away so that they could no longer see his face, with the e upon it, and co toward the natives oncestood hite face and clinched hands during Byrne's recital of his identity At its close he took a threatening step toward the prostratesword, with ahis upraised arm
”Don't!” he whispered ”Think e hile while Billy Byrne lay upon his belly in the tall grass firing from time to time into the direction fro and Billy Mallory kept on in silence along their dis fainter and fainter, as they dreay from the scene of conflict, apprised the men that their rescuer still lived
After a time the distant reports ceased The talked on in silence for a few one,” whispered Mallory
Anthony Hardingbehind theht turned to day Day rolled slowly on into night once ered on, footsore and weary Mallory suffered excruciating agony from his wound There were times when it seemed that it would be iht that Barbara Harding was somewhere ahead of them, and that in a short tiedly at his painful task
They had reached the river and were following slowly down its bank The eous, flooded the landscape with silvery light
”Look!” exclaimed Mallory ”The island!”
”Thank God!” whispered Harding, fervently
On the bank opposite they stopped and hallooed Alures rushed from the interior of the island to the shore before the ”O hter!”
Norris and Foster hastened through the river and brought the twothrew herself into her father's arrasped Mallory's outstretched hands, and then she looked beyond them for another