Nearly two months had passed before Billy's stock of excuses and delay ran out, and a definite date was set for the commencement of the journey.
"I believe," Miss Harding had said, "that you do not wish to be rescued at all.Most of your reasons for postponing the trip have been trivial and ridiculous--possibly you are afraid of the dangers that may lie before us," she added, banteringly.
"I'm afraid you've hit it off about right," he replied with a grin."I don't want to be rescued, and I am very much afraid of what lies before--me.""Before YOU?"
"I'm going to lose you, any way you look at it, and--and--oh, can't you see that I love you?" he blurted out, despite all his good intentions.
Barbara Harding looked at him for a moment, and then she did the one thing that could have hurt him most--she laughed.
The color mounted to Billy Byrne's face, and then he went very white.
The girl started to say something, and at the same instant there came faintly to them from the mainland the sound of hoarse shouting, and of shots.
Byrne turned and started on a run in the direction of the firing, the girl following closely behind.At the island's edge he motioned her to stop.
"Wait here, it will be safer," he said."There may be white men there--those shots sound like it, but again there may not.I want to find out before they see you, whoever they are."The sound of firing had ceased now, but loud yelling was distinctly audible from down the river.Byrne took a step down the bank toward the water.
"Wait!" whispered the girl."Here they come now, we can see them from here in a moment," and she dragged the mucker down behind a bush.
In silence the two watched the approaching party.
"They're the Chinks," announced Byrne, who insisted on using this word to describe the proud and haughty samurai.
"Yes, and there are two white men with them," whispered Barbara Harding, a note of suppressed excitement in her voice.
"Prisoners," said Byrne."Some of the precious bunch from the Halfmoon doubtless."The samurai were moving straight up the edge of the river.
In a few minutes they would pass within a hundred feet of the island.Billy and the girl crouched low behind their shelter.
"I don't recognize them," said the man.
"Why--why--O Mr.Byrne, it can't be possible!" cried the girl with suppressed excitement."Those two men are Captain Norris and Mr.Foster, mate of the Lotus!"Byrne half rose to his feet.The party was opposite their hiding place now.
"Sit tight," he whispered."I'm goin' to get 'em," and then, fiercely "for your sake, because I love you--now laugh,"and he was gone.
He ran lightly down the river bank unnoticed by the samurai who had already passed the island.In one hand he bore the long war spear of the head-hunter be had slain.At his belt hung the long sword of Oda Yorimoto, and in its holster reposed the revolver of the Count de CadenetBarbara Harding watched him as be forded the river, and clambered up the opposite bank.She saw him spring rapidly after the samurai and their prisoners.She saw his spear hand go up, and then from the deep lungs of the man rose a savage yell that would have done credit to a whole tribe of Apaches.
The warriors turned in time to see the heavy spear flying toward them and then, as he dashed into their midst, Billy Byrne drew his revolver and fired to right and left.The two prisoners took advantage of the consternation of their guards to grapple with them and possess themselves of weapons.
There had been but six samurai in the party, two had fallen before Byrne's initial onslaught, but the other four, recovered from their first surprise, turned now to battle with all the terrific ferocity of their kind.
Again, at a crucial moment, had Theriere's revolver missed fire, and in disgust Byrne discarded it, falling back upon the long sword with which he was no match for the samurai.
Norris snatched Byrne's spear from the ground, and ran it through the body of one of the Japs who was pressing Byrne too closely.Odds were even now--they fought three against three.
Norris still clung to the spear--it was by far the most effective weapon against the long swords of the samurai.With it he killed his antagonist and then rushed to the assistance of Foster.
Barbara Harding from the island saw that Byrne's foe was pressing him closely.The white man had no chance against the superior swordsmanship of the samurai.She saw that the mucker was trying to get past the Jap's guard and get his hands upon him, but it was evident that the man was too crafty and skilled a fighter to permit of that.There could be but one outcome to that duel unless Byrne had assistance, and that mighty quickly.The girl grasped the short sword that she constantly wore now, and rushed into the river.
She had never before crossed it except in Byrne's arms.She found the current swift and strong.It almost swept her off her feet before she was halfway across, but she never for an instant thought of abandoning her effort.
After what seemed an eternity she floundered out upon the mainland, and when she reached the top of the bank she saw to her delight that Byrne was still on his feet, fighting.
Foster and Norris were pushing their man back--they were in no danger.
Quickly she ran toward Byrne and the samurai.She saw a wicked smile upon the brown face of the little warrior, and then she saw his gleaming sword twist in a sudden feint, and as Byrne lunged out awkwardly to parry the expected blow the keen edge swerved and came down upon his head.
She was an instant too late to save, but just in time to avenge--scarcely had the samurai's sword touched the mucker than the point of Oda Yorimoto's short sword, wielded by the fair hand of Barbara Harding, plunged into his heart.With a shriek he collapsed beside the body of his victim.
