Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-29
CHAPTER vI.-(Continued.)


Wraxall was reloading desperately.
Tice started to send the canoe toward
me once more, but, suddenly catching
sight Of the leaking bottom, dropped Oh
his knees and tried to draw the ripped
flaps together.
Behind my tree tore cartridge
open. rammed in painful of buck
shot, primed and fired, tearing the
whole bow out of their fimsy bark
craft. The canoe stood up like post,
stern in the air, and Wraxall lay foun-
dering, while Tice shrieked and fell
sprawling into the river head first, like
plunging frog, paddles, poles and
rifle following.
They were swimming my way now,
but shouted to them to sheer off and
at rifle point warned them across the
river to land where they might and
thank God l had not driven them to
the bottom with an ounce of buck.
was still watching them to see they !,
landed safely and had half turned to
take the trail again when almost under
my feet human hand shot up above
the river bank and seized my ankle,
tripping me fiat. The next moment
man leaped up from the shore where
he had been crouching, but as lay on
my back / gave him q violent kick in
the face and rolled over out of reach.
Before could grasp my rifle his
Ratchet flew, pinning one flap of my !
hunting shirt to the ground. l wrench
ed the Ratchet free and hurled it back
at him SO that the fiat of the blade
smacked his face, and he dropped into
the water with scream.
Shaking all over, l rose and lifted
my rifle, instinctively repriming. But
the sight of the man in the mud, crawl
ing about, gasping and blowing bloody
bubbles, made me sick, and the next
moment turned tail and ran like
rabbit.
It was late in the afternoon when I
turned once more from the trail and
limped into the forest, and was now
close enough to exhaustion to feel for
the first time in my life touch of that
desperation which makes a fury out of
a cornered creature, be it panther or
mouse.
AS / crept once more into the forest
my hatred for Butler gave me new
strength, and staggered on, searching
for a vantage coign where l might
take another shot at the grotesQue
crew Up and up I crawled family
alarmed at my increasing weakness,
for now when vine tripped me I
could scarce make out to rise again. l
needed rest. An hour would have suf-
feed to steady the palsy of exhaustion.
If only the night would come quicklyl
But there were two hours of daylight
yet-two long hours Of light in which
to track my every step.
] caught distant glimpse Of them
far below me, searching the ravine and
river bank. How they had been lured
off to the river know not, but it gave
me brief chance for breath, though
not for shot, and rested my face on
my rifle stock and closed my eyes.
had been kneeling behind granite
rock In bare waste Of BURBERRY
scrub, close to the edge of the woods
and presently as l attempted to rise
fell down and began to claw around
like blind kitten.
Then culver swept through me like
an icy wind. With pang 1 remem
bered my mission and the wampun
pledges, the boast and the VOW to Sil
William. Darkness crowded me down
my head reeled, yet l rose again to m,
knees, swaying and clutching at th,
rock which I could barely see. Al
around thick night seemed to hen
me in. CROPPED through chilly voit
for my rife; it was gone. Panic strick
en-, staggered up, drenched with dew
and I saw the moon staring at me owe
q mountains ghostly wall.
Slowly l realized that I had slept
that death had passed me where la,
unconscious in the open moorland.
Ny heel struck my rife. In an in
slant I was down behind the rock t
prime with dry powder; but, to my hol
ror, found flint missing, charg
drawn, pan raised and ramrod stickin
helplessly out of the barrel. The shoe
stunned me for a moment; then
snatched at knife and Ratchet only t
find an empty belt dangling to M
ankles.
In the impulse of fury and despair
crouched fiat with cllnched lists, tren
bling for spring, and at the same il
slant tall figure rose from the bushe
at my elbow, laughing coolly.
Greeting, friend,' he said. go
save our countryw
Speeches. and dazed, turned
face him. but he only leaned quietly o
long rifle and pinched his chin an
chuckled.
There are some gentlemen yonde
looking for you, young man." he SAT-
II sent them south, for somehow
thought you might not be looking fc
them
Weakness had dulied my wits, but
found speech presently to ask for m
knife and Ratchet.
Nov. Now Let us go SLOW
friend" he said. Let us converse Q
several subjects before you begin baw
Ing for your playthings. In the fir