The Irish standard., 1909-04-03
See what you can flnd-and have
ILLUSTRATIONS By my NI4LZZRSE=
copNRIGH/ 1907 RO665,nER9xk

"see what you can Finland have
a care!"
The speaker went to the rail and
began fumbling with the rope. The
other, realized, was slipping quite
noiselessly along the smooth planking
toward me. his bent body family sill
houetted In the moonlight. l knew
that could hardly be distingushable
from the long line of the house, and l
had the additional advantage of know
ing their strength, while was still an
unknown quantity to them. The men
would assume that I was either Hart
ridge, the boatmaker, or Henry Hol-
brook, one of whom they had come
to kill, and there Is, as every one
knows, little honor in being the victim
of mistaken identity. ] heard the
mans hand scratching along the wall
as he advanced cautiously; there was
no doubt but that he would discover
me in another moment; SO resolved
to take the initiative and give battle.
My flnger-tips touched the back Of
one of the folded camp chairs that
rested against the house. and I SLOW
ly clasped It. saw the leader still
standing by the rail. the rope in his
hand. His accomplice was SO close
that could hear his quick breathing,
and something in his dimly outlined
crouching figure was familiar. Then
1t flashed over me that he was the
dark sailor I had ordered from Glen
arm that afternoon.
He was now within arms length Of
me and jumped out. swung the chair
high and brought it down with crash
on his head. The force of the blow
carried me forward and jerked the
chair out Of my grasp; and down We
went with mighty thump. felt the
Italians body slip and twist lithely
under me as tried to clasp his arms.
He struggled fiercely to free himself.
and felt the point of knife prick
my left wrist sharply as sought to
hold his right arm to the deck. His
muscles were like iron, and I had no
wish to let him clasp me in his short
thick arms; nor did the idea Of being
struck with knife cheer me greatly
in that first moment of the fight.
My main business was to keep free
Of the knife. He was slowly lifting
me on his knees, while gripped his
arm with both hands. The other man
had dropped into the boat and was
watching us across the rail.
Make haste, Giuseppe!" he called
impatiently, and laughed little.
either at his confidence in the out
como or at his care for his own Sc
curity: and my courage rose to find
that had only one to reckon with.
suddenly slipped my left hand down to
where my right gripped his wrist and
wrenched it sharply. His fingers re-
Taxed, and when repeated the twist
the knife ratified on the deck.
broke away and leaped for the
rail with some idea of jumping into
the creek and swimming for it; and
then the man in the boat let go twice
with 4 revolver, the echoing explo-
sions roaring over the still creek with
the sound Of saluting battle-ships.
Hold on to that MANIFOLD him!"
he shouted from below. I heard the
Italian scraping about on the deck for
his knife as lodged round the house.
! was satisfied to let things stand as
they were, and leave Henry Holbrook
and the canoe.maker to defend their
own lives and property. Then, when
I was about midway Of the steps, a
man plunged down from the garden
and had me by the collar and on my
back before I knew what had hap
pened.
There was an instant's silence in
which I heard angry voices from the
houseboat. My new assailant lis
tened, too, and felt his grasp on me
tighten, though was we'll winded and
tame enough.
sharply as the second man jumped
into it; then for an instant silence
again held the valley.
Ny captor seemed to dismiss the
retreating boat, and poking a pistol
into my ribs gave me his attention.
Climb up these steps, and do as
l tell you. If you run, I will shoot
you like dog"
There's a mistake" began,
chokingly, for the italian had almost
strangled me and my lungs were as
empty as spent bellows.
THAT will do. Climb" He stuck
the revolver into my back and up I
went and through the garden toward
the cottage. A door opening on the
veranda was slightly ajar, and was
thrust forward none too gently into
lighted room.
My captor and studied each other
attentively for half minute. He was
beyond question the man whom Helen
Holbrook had sought at the house:
boat in the summer dusk. Who Hart.
ridge was did not matter; it was evil
dent that Holbrook was quite at home
in the canoe-maker's house. and that
he had no intention of calling any one
else into our affairs. He had undoubt.
eddy heard the revolver shots below
and rushed from the cottage to inves-
tigate; and. meeting me in full fight.
h