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

body hurting the other from his feet
and neither of them knew whether
any or all of the last bullets had taken
effect.
Poleon had come. like an arrow,
straight for his mark the instant he
glmpsed it, an inSensate. unreasoning.
raging thing that no weight OF lead
nor length Of blade could stop. In his
haste he had LETT Flambeau without
weapon of any kind, for in his mind
such things are superfluous. aud he
had never fought with any but those
God gave him nor found any living
thing that his hands could not mas
ter. Therefore he had rushed head.
long against this armed and waiting
man, reaching for him ever closer and
closer till the burning powder stung
his eyes They grappled and fought,
alone and unseen. and yet 1t was no
fight. fer Runnion. though vigorous.
heavy muScled man. was beaten down.
smothercd and crushed beneath the
onslaught of this great naked fellow.
who all the time sobbed and whined
and mewed in a painting fury.
They swung half across the spit to
the farther side. where they fell in a
fantastic CONFUSION. slipping and
sliding and rolling among the rocks
that smote and gouged and bruised
them The gambler fought for his
life against the naked flesh Of the 9th
or, against the distorted face that
snapped and bit like the muzzle Of a
wolf, while all the time he heard that
fearful inarticulate note of blood
hunger-at his ear. The Canadians
tlinched hands crushed whatever they
fell upon as If mailed with metal. The
fingers were like tearing tongs that
could not be loosed 1t was fright
full combat, hideous from its inequali-
ty. like the battle Of man against a
maddened beast whose teeth tore and
whose claws ripped. whose every
move was irresistible. And so it was
over shortly.
Poleon rose and ran to the fallen
girl, leaving behind him huddled and
twisted likeness of man. He picked
her up tenderly, moaning and Groom
ing But as her limp head lolled back.
throwing her pale. blind features up
to the heavens, he began to cry. this
time like a woman Tears fell from
his eyes-burning tears. the agony of
which scared his soul. He laid her
carefully beside the waters edge, and
holding her head and shoulders in the
crook Of his left arm, he wet his right
hand and bathed her face, crouching
over her, half nude dripping with the
sweat Of his great labors. tender,
palpitatiug figure of bronZed muscle
and sinew. with all his fury and hate
replaced by apprehension and pity
The short moments that he worked
with her were ages to him. but she re-
vived beneath his minstrations. and
her first frightened look of conscious
ness was changed to melting smile.
"W-what happened, PoleonT she
SalQ. j was dIralu
He stood up to his full height. shak-
ing and weak as the water that drip
ped from him, the very bones In him
dissolved For the first time be ut
tered words, TANK God, ba gosh!'
and ran his hand mp over his wet face
Where 10 be?" She started to Der
knees affrightedly: then. seeing the
twisted. sprawling figure beyond. be-
gan to shudder. "He-hes deadY'
81 don't know" said Poleon careless
ly You feel 1t purity good now, eh.
w'at?"
"Yes-l-he struck met" The remem-
brance Of what had occurred surged
over her. and she buried her face in
her hands. "Oh, Poleon. Poeon! He
was dreadful man"
"He don trouble you no MORE"
HE tried-he-- Ugh! I'm glad
you did it, She broke down. trem-
bling at her escape. until her selfish
ness smote her, and she was up and
beside him on the instant. "Are you
hurt? Oh. | never thought of that!
You must be wounded"
The Frenchman felt himself over and
looked down at his limbs for the first
time. no: guess not" he said, at
which Nccia noticed his meager attire,
and simultaneously he became con-
scious of it. He fell away pace, cast
Ing his eyes over the river for his
canoe. which was now speck In the
distance.
pa gosh. I'm hi of ting for
lookin' at" he said. I'm paddle hard;
OATS wy. Sacre, bow sweat" He
hitched nervously at the band Of his
overalls, while Necia answered:
That's ali right, Poleon." Then,
without warming her face froze with
mingled repulsioD and wonder. "Look,
look" she whispered. pointing past
him.
Runnion was moving slowly. crawl
ing painfully into sitting posture. up
lifting a terribly mutilated face. dazed
and half conscious, cropping for posses
sion of his wits. He saw them and
grimaced frightfully. covering and !
cringing.
Poleon felt the girls hand upon his
arm and heard her crying In q hard.
sharp voice:
HE needs killing! Put him away!
He stared down at his gentle Necia
and saw the loathing In her face and
the look of strange ferocity as she
met his eyes boldly.
"You don't know what he-what he J
did," she said through her shut teeth.
"He"- But the man waited to hear