The Florence daily tribune. (Florence, Colo.) 1898-1903, 1898-04-20

4 second bullet carried another man to
his account.
been upon me had not sprung upon
him, thrown away my bar caught up
his companion knife, which had fallen
from his hand, and tried my level best
to drive it in above his shoulder blao,.
But it was easier said than DONE lie
olutched me fiercely and locked hard
and fast we swayed this way and thss.
fighting like wildcats for our lives. He
was smaller man than l. but active
as an acrobat and in the most perfect
training. UP and down. round and
round, we went, eyes glazing. breath
coming in great gasps, our hands upon
each others throats and every moment
drawing closer and closer to the vessel 8
side.
Though the whole fight could not
have lasted minute it seemed an
eternity. 1 was beginning to weaken,
and saw by the look In his hateful aim
ond eyes that my antagonist knew 1t.
But he had bargained without his host.
A heavy roll sent the little vessel heel
ing over to the port SIDE and an instant
later we were both prone upon the deck.
uppermost. From the manner in which
had fallen, however, the advantage
now lay with nue., and you may be- sure
/ was not slow to make the most of it.
Throwing myself over and seating my
self astride of him, clutohed my ad-
versary by the throat and drawing back
my arm, struck him with my clinched
fist between his eyes The blow was
given with all my strength, and it GER
tainly told. He lay beneath me a bleed
ing and insensible mass. Then stagger-
ing to my feet / looked about me. On
the deck were four dead bodies-two on
the break of the poop lying faces down,
just where they had fallen; one at my
feet, his skull dashed in and his brains
protruding horrible sight; another
under the bulwarks, his limbs twitch-
ing in his death agony and his mouth
vomiting blood with automatic regular
ity. My companion discovered sea.ed
astride of another individual admonish-
ing him with what knew was an emp
ty revolver to abstain from any further
attempt to escape.
81 think we have got the upper hand
of them now" he said as calmly as il
be were accustomed to going through
this sort of thing every day of his life.
would you be SO good as to hand me
that piece of roper must make this
slippery gentleman fast while 1 have
him"
Surely it's the leader Of the gang"
I CRIED at the same time doing AS be
had asked me. 1.-The man you pointed
out to me, Kwong Fungi"
You're quite right. 1t isl
And now that you have him what
will his fate be?''
"a short shrift and long rope, IL I
have anything to do with the matter
Therel That's right, don think you'll
get into much mischief now, my
FRIEND
So saying he rose to his feet, rolled
the man over on to his buck and turned
to me.
MY goodness, man, you're wound
ed" he cried, spinning me round to
find out whence the blood was dripping.
And 80 was, though in my excitement
/ had quite forgotten the fact A ball
had passed clean through the fleshy
part of my left arm, and the blood
flowing from it had stiffened all my
sleeve.
With gentleness one would hardly
have expected to find in him my friend
drew off my coat and cut open my shirt
sleeve Then bidding me stay where I
was while he procured some water with
which to bathe the wound he left me
and went or'ard. ! did not, however,
see him return, for now that the excite
ment had departed a great faintness
was stealing over NO. The sea seemed
to be turning black and the deck of the
junk to be slipping away from under
me. Finally my legs tottered, my lenses
left me and I fell heavily to the ground
CONTINUED ON Fourth Pagel