“Forward!” he cried; “we must reach the ranch house first.”
He saw that this was their only hope to save the inmates.
Then a cry of joy leaped from his lips as tongues of flame leaped from the vicinity of the house, directed upon the advancing men from the river. He heard an order given sharply in the English tongue and a volley shattered the darkness asunder.
“American soldiers!” he cried jubilantly.
O’Neil and his men had meanwhile circled away from the river in hopes of making a rush for an entrance; now with sudden consternation O’Neil saw that the appearance of the soldiers from the river would place him in the line of retreat of those now surrounding the ranch house. Selecting the protection of a tree trunk he called upon his men to do likewise. He heard the order “Charge” given in the silvery peals of a bugle and the next moment the terrified natives were fleeing directly toward him, the hindmost slashing with their bolos those in front of them in their mad haste to seek safety. Then the drumming of hoof-beats was heard and three horsemen appeared suddenly from the night, emptying their revolvers as they came into the fleeing savages.
A woman’s scream pierced the night and the figure of a man silently dropped from the roof and disappeared in the darkness.
CHAPTER XVI
A FILIPINO MARTYR
Phil and Sydney were hard pushed to keep up with the native as he spurred his horse forward over the dark road.
“The ranch is being attacked!” Lopez cried in a voice of fear. “My poor master will surely be killed!”
Phil’s thoughts were only for the frail girl whom he had begun to look upon as his own especial charge. He knew the cruelty of the Filipinos when once their anger was aroused and he believed that her part in Espinosa’s betrayal must now be known to that treacherous leader. Probably Colonel Salas himself formed a part of the attacking force, and the lad thought fearfully of the vengeance he would take upon the helpless girl if she fell into his hands. As they approached the ranch, the volume of fire increased alarmingly.