Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-12-07

1t might have been mad hope, bui
YET II was hope. Unless the man -Four
Eyes deliberately deceived me, Black
would connive at the murder of fifty
british seamen before another twenty
tour hours had sped. These men would
nave all the anger of desperation to drive
them to the attack and l felt sure that
II could get some arms into their hands,
Che attempt would at least be justihable.
Durlng the remaining hours Of the day
engaged myself in searching the houses
on the beach; but, although I looked into
many of them, I found no sign of armory.
linen l remembered that Black had
stand of Winchester rifles in his study.
mad hopes that they would suffice, with
knives and any revolvers [ might lay
! hands upon, to hold ring of men against
the company. This thought l Rugged to
me all day, going often to the iron plat
form above the creek to know if there
! were any sign of the release of the min
ers, or Of preparation for getting rid of
them
towards evening, when I was weary
with the watching, there was the sound
OF gunshot below in the creek and l
went to my window, and saw the whole OF
cruel scene. Some twenty of these sea-
men, black as they had come from the
coal shaft, were going ashore from long
boat, while an electric launch was bring
ing twenty more from the outer creek
where the nameless ship lay. But the
men who had first landed were surround.
ed by the others of Blacks company
and were being driven towards the hills.
nd +o H. 11oi, ri
snow where no human thing could long
retain life. The pirates hit Justify with
the butt ends of their pistols; the honest
fellows used their fists, and many a man
they laid his length upon the rock. Inch
by inch they gave way, were driven to-
wards the ravines and the countless miles
of snow plain; and as the battle ragged
the armed began to shoot with murderous
purpose. Death at last was added to the
horrors, and, as body after body rolled
down the rocky slope and fell splashing
into the water, those unwounded took
panic at the sight and fled with all posi-
bic speed away up the side of the glacier
mount, and so to their death in that
frozen refuge beyond.
At o'clock | dined as usual l closed
my own door, and for three hours or more
1 paced my chamber, the fever of antici'
patton and of design burning me as with
fire.
Of the doors about, the majority were
closed; but the Doctors was open. l be-
gan to feel my way in the binding dark,
My first proceeding was to run upon some
slight article of furniture and to overturn
it. Twice l went round the room, and
could not put my hand upon the rifles
but at the third attempt l found them
and gave a sigh of relief. Then an over
whelming terror struck me chill and pow
erless. My sigh was echoed from the cor
ner by the window and low chuckle OF
laughter followed it. l stood as a man
petrifed, my hand upon a gun, but my
nerves strained to a tension that was hor
ribe to bear.
In another moment the electric ligh1
flooded the chamber, and l saw Blacl
sitting at his writing table, observing me-
a ieer upon his lips, and all the terrible
malice of his nature written in his keer
and hooking eyes. He had a revolver
cooked at his left hand, but pen in hi
right; while manuscript lay before him
so that he must have been in the room tol
some time, and had extinguished his lIgh
only at my coming. He leaned over ths
table. and drew near to it lounge on
which the skin of a polar bear was spread
"Sit here" he said, and at the bluff
word nv nerve came back to me. You're
a smart boy, and have ideas, but, like
all little boys, your ideas don't go fal
enough. was just the same when l was
your age, always trying to climb perpen
dicuIar places, and always falling dowr
again. Silly lad, to put your head into 8
business which never concerned you.
81 came here tonight to stop your
numbering fifty innocent men," [ said
but he started up at the words and raved
like a maniac.
"And who made you judge? Wht
set you to watch me, or give your opin
ions on what l do or what [ don't do
Who asked you whether you liked it Oh
didn't like it?"
(To be continuedh