The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-03-24
OF THE END or OUR DESPERATE
EIGHT.
CHATTER Xxx.

Of liib END VIZ OOh DEol LIZA ~
FIGHT.
AS for my own personal faring, the
first that seemed to happen was that
n red-faced man came suddenly before
me, and that he clapped his foot on the
gunwale of his boat and made fierce
slash at me.
| met the blow with n strong guard,
and thereupon, very swiftly STOPPING,
1 gave darting kind of thrust, upon
which my weapon was checked some
where in him and he dropped out OF
sight. Then blow-luckily not heavy
lighted on my headpiece, and the
flash and smoke of n pistol shot half
blinded me, and the next that comes
clear is that | was struggling to free
my arm from some ones grasp, and
that I felt n hard knock on my breast
piece. as though a sword or dagger
point had struck there.
l made n full recovery of my senses
with that. II was the negro Gabriel
who was gripping my sword arm. and
he it was who had dealt me the blow
doubtless aimed at another spoO that
I had taken so luckily on my cuirass.
No one else seemed to be striving with
me, and indeed the negro himself was
between me and most of the others, he
l,.,.i,,,, r,,.,o1 49,, Il soo,,cd boc1, "a.
ward the rail There was no time
for aught but desperate action. My
left side was swung away. and in my
1oft b,rd ,yos Sin NV dorror Lod
not foraottor csrtoi, tricl, 1cornod
alo,,,,.l,a.o nr1 ,r;tbo,,+ t., tbo lo,s+
strnScIinc to rroe NV arm set nv
foot sndoenlv fotcbing ne botb 70 n
stondstiu and before bo could in tbe
loost ouoss ms. ,,,,rnosa LOT Nv low
Int powerful Kick cornot say
whether tbe sbipbones Of n nepro are
Of tbe tenderness tbnt is soii Int I
do know that Gabriel rave an agonizcd
veil and Instantly released nv arm.
His hand was already lifted. with his
knife In il. but that business went with
the pain. and he let 90 the weapon and
ran duclting backward. grading the
leg in his locked fingers. / stayed not
to give him time to recover. NV sword
now free, made quick dash and let
go n vengeful thrust The point took
him fair in the midst of his broad
breast. and he gave kind of below
and thrashcd instantly forward and to
the deck. So quick and peculiar was
his fall that had no time to withdraw
nv blade, and il snapped short off
close by the hilt. Considerably dis
mayed for il was n poor time to be
disarmed. let fall the useless hilt and
Jumped backward. had scarce
alighted when something gave n hard
bump and rolled to my feet, and there
upon uncurling-I can describe the
motion no otherwise--I perceived ii
TO be the manned and bloody figure of
Towland. lie was no more than be-
fore me when there came Il surge OF
tangled fighters, both Mr.. lynn and the
captain in the midst, and like straw
before their impact | was flung stag
gering back, whereupon, bringing up
at the rail, could not, despite des-
perate scramble, save myself, and
went over backward into the water!
Notwithstanding the hendlong man
ner of my falling and my heavy cui'
rass, came pretty quickly ( o the sur.
face. was too good a swimmer to be
easily put about by such mishap, and
therefore swallowed no water except
at first. and made the strokes that re
turned me to the surface with meas
urable composure. The sloop had al
ready drifted three or four fathom'
away. and | could therefore get the
range of her deck. which | did in {
kind of desperation. little doubling
that should behold the worst,
To my passing great amazement
while Sellnger and Mac Ivrach haC
6isaDpeared. Mr.. Tym still maintained
.he struggle. He had fought his wa,
10 the forward deck. and. brought Il
Inv tbere was steodiIv HOLDING off tn,
,,.loIa oro,,1ino uool,i
Vat moment of this for of cours,
q corId not last PouI CRADLE an,
nit nodo n fnrious rusb Rlvte wen
-, ,,,,Ilo. - Iiorh+,iro-lil,o tbr,et I'm
NS'A ''''NNA - - = - = 800 N'' 'E