The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-01-30


| ing against it, The girl followed.
Again came the warning blast from
the steamer and the voice of Gn OIL
Ger:
Clear away that stern line
ooh. We'll be left she Greathed, alI
somehow il stuck Glenister that she
feared this more than the ne: whose
approaching feet he heard.
You en- make i all right. lie urged
her roughly. You'll get hurt if YOU
rtay here Eur along and doa't mind
Us We've been thirty days on ship
! board and We're praying for something
Ia hapNe1." His voice was hoy!Sh.y
glad. as if lie eXuIted in the fray that
waS>Io come. ana no sooner had he
sp ~an the sailors came ont OF
/ [: ...Nuc'S upon them.
l.Iring The space y: Il few heartheatS
tharc was only tanG!e Of wEirlin@
forms with the sOInd Of fist on faSA.
then the blot split u1. and forms
p,u2gn,l citN Lrl. falling heavily. Again
the sailors rushed. attempting to clinch.
They maSSed upon DeXt:y. only -
grasp empty air. fo- he shifted with re-
marHable agility. striking bitterly. as
an old wolf snaps. II was battling
work. however. for in the darkness his
blows fell short or overreached.
GieniS:er. on the other hand. stood
| areIe>Siy. beating the men off as they
cane TO him. lie laughed gloatinSly.
deep il his throat. as though the en-
counter were merely some rough sport.
The girl shU;,GCred. for the desperate
silence Of the attacking men terrified
her more than din. and yet she
stayed. crouehed against the wall.
Dextry swung at dim target and.
miss in. 4. was whiTled of Ills balance.
Instantly his antagonist grappted with
hiN. and they fell to the floor, while
th:rL man shuff,ed about them. The
girl tarot:.e;i Il scream.
I'm goin' TO kick i'm. Bill" the man
painted hoarsely. "Le' me f1 i'm
He swung his heavy shoe, and Bill
cursed with stirring ehquence.
low. You're kickin' me. I've got
I'm safe enough. Tackle the big un-"
Bits ally then started toward the
others. his body bent his arms fleTed.
yet hanging loosely. He crouched l'c-
side the girl. ignoring her. while she
heard the breath wheezingSfrom his
lungs: then silently he leaped. Glenis-
ter had hurled man from him, then
stepped back TO avoid the others. when
he was seized c-Om behind and felt the
mans arms wrapped about his neck.
the sailors e. 3 locked about his
thighs. Now came the girls first
knowledge Of real fighting. The two
span back and forth so closely in,
twined as to be indiStinguiShable the
others holding off. For what seemed
many minutes they struggled, the
young man striving 20 reach his al
verSary. till they crashed AGAINST the
wall near her and she heard her cham
pion's breath coughing in his thrcSt
at the, ti&h.cning Grip o. :le sailor.
Fright held her paralyzed, for she had
never seen men thus. \ moment anl
Glenister would he down beneath their
stamning feet-they would kick his
life out with their heavy shoes. Al
thought of it the necessity Of action
smotc her like blow in the face. Her
terror fell away. her shaking muscles
stiffened, and before realizing what
she did She had acted
The Seaman'S back was to her. she
reached out ana srfnped him by the
hair, while her fingers. tense as taions.
sought his eyes Then the tirSt loud
sound of the battle arose. The man
yelled IN sudden terror. aUl the others
as suddenly fell back. T.e next IN
stant she felt 4 hand upon her shoul'
der and heard Dextry'S voice.
",re ye hur,: No? CoEe OF. then.
or well gc; eff" IIe Sro%e quietly.
though his breath was loud, and. glanc-
ire down. she saw the huddlcd form Of
the sailor whom he had fought
That's ali right. lie amt hurt. It's
a Jap trick learned. Hurry up
THEY ran swiftly down the wharf
followed by Glenistcr ana by the
groan< of the sailors in whom the lust
for c, .nhat had been quenched. IS
they scrambled up TIE Santa Maria's
gangplapk a strip of water wiCened
between The boat and the pier.
"CloSe shave. that" painted Glenister,
feeling bis throat gingerly. but !
wouldn't have missed it for a spotted
pup"
"rve been through b'iler explosions
and SnowslideS, not to mention tri-
fin Jail delivery, but fer real sprightly
diversions don't recall nothin' more
pleasin than this" Dextry's enthusi-
asm was boylike.
what kind of men are you?' the
girl laughed nervously, but got no an
swer.
They led her to their deck cabin.
where they switched on the electric
light, blinking at each other and at
their unknown guest.
They saw g graceful and altogether