Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-07-23

The girl, gagged and held by her
captor's hands. struggled and moaned
deSpairingly, and. crouching back OF
the boat, they might have escaped dis
covery In the gray morning light had
ii not been for the telltale fire-a tiny.
cracking blaze no larger than mans
hat 1t betrayed them. Tie dan Ing
craft upon which their eyes were
fixed whipped about, almost leaping
from the water at one stroke then
came toward them, now nothing but a
narrow thing, half again the width OF
a mans body. The current carried it
down abreast Of them. then past, and
Runnion rose, releasing the girl, who
cried out with all her might to the
boatman. He made no sound In reply.
but drove his canoe Shoreward with
quicker strokes. 1t was evident lie
would effect his landing near the lower
end Of the spit. for now he was with
in hearing distance and driving closer
every instant
Necia heard the gambler call:
"Sheer off. Doret! You can't land
herer'
She saw gun In Runnion's hand
and terrible. sickcning fear swept
over her, for he was slowly walking
down the spit. keeping abreast Of the
canoe as it drifte'
keep away or IN fire. threatened
Ruunion again. and she screamed:
Don't try ii. poleon! He'll xiii yen"
At her words RuDnion raised his
weapon and fired. She heard the
woods behind reverberate with the
echoes like a sounding board, saw the
white squirt Of smoke and the Ski,ter
Of the bullet as it went wide. 1t was
long shot and had Leen fred as final
warning. but Doret made no outcry.
nor did he cease coming Instead his
paddle Glove the water with the same
steady strokes that took every ounce
Of effort In his body RunniOn threw
open his gun and replaced the spent
she'll On came the careening, crazy
craft in a sidewise drift, and with it
the girl saw coming terrible tragedy
She started to run down the graveled
ridge behind her enemy. not realizing
the value or moment Of her action nor
knowing clearly what she would do
but as she drew near she saw Run
Mon raise his gun again and without
thought of her own safety threw her
self upon him Again his shot went
wide as he strove to hurl her off, but
his former taste of her strength was
nothing to this now that she fought
for Poleon's life. Runnion snarled an.
Grily and thrust her away, for he had
waited till the canoe was close.
"Let me go. you devil" he cried and
aimed again But again she ran at
him. This time. however she did not
pit her strength against his, but paus-
ed, and as he undertook to fire she
thrust at his elbow. then lodged out
Of his way Her blow was crafty and
well timed, and his shot went wild
Again he took aim, and again she de-
stroyed it with a touch and danced
out Of his reach. She was nimble and
light and quickened now by cold
calculation of all that depended upon
her.
Three times in all she thwarted
Runnion. while the canoe drove closer
every instant. On the fourth, as she
dashed at him, he struck to be rid of
her, cursing wickedly-struck as he
would have struck at man. Silently
she crumpled up and fell, pitiful.
draggled. awkward little figure sprawl
ed upon the rocks. But the delay
proved fatal to him. for, though the
canoe was close against the bank and
the huge man in 1t seemed to offer a
mark too plain to be missed he was
too close to permit careful aim. Run
MON heard him giving utterance to a