Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-07-07

uuI $ right. Sit uOWH anu DeudNe
while make something hot to drink.
You're all in" After time he con-
tinued as he busted himself about his
task: "Say, you ought to be glad to
get me. I've got n lot of money, or
will have and once you're Mrs. Run
Mon nobody II ever Know about this
or think of you as squaw."
He was still talking when the girl
sprang to her feet and sent shrill
cry out over the river. but Instantly
he was up and upon her. his hand
over her mouth, while she tore at it,
screaming the name of Poleon Doret.
He silenced her to smothered, Sob
bling humble and turned to see, far
out on the bosom of the great soiled
| river, man In bark canoe The
craft had just swung past the bend
| above and was still long way off, so
| far away, in fact, that Necia's signal
had not reached 1t, for its occupant
held unwaveringly to the swiftest
channel his body rising and falling in
the smooth, amending rhythm of
master boatman under great haste, his
arms upfung now and then as the !,
Il
| the opposite side
Runnion glanced about hurriedly,
! then cursed as he saw no place of |
| concealment The Peterborough stood
out upon the bar conspicuously. as did
he and the girl. But the chance re-
manned that this man, whoever he |
was, would pass by, for his speed was
great, the river mile in width and the
bend sharp. Necia had cried Poleon's
name, but her companion saw no re-
semblance to the Frenchman in this
strange looking voyager. In fact, he
could not quite make out what was
peculiar about the man-perhaps his
eyes were not as sharp as hers-and
then he saw that the boatman was
naked to the waist. By now he was
drawing opposite them with the speed
of n hound.
The girl, gagged and held by her
captors hands, struggled and moaned
despairingly. and, crouching back of
the boat, they might have escaped dis
covery in the gray morning light had
it not been for the telltale fire--a tiny.
: cracking blaze no larger than mans
hat 1t betrayed them. The dancing
!! craft upon which their eyes were
! fixed whipped about, almost leaping
from the water at one stroke, then
came toward them, now nothing but n
: narrow thing, half again the width OF
mans body. The current carried 1t
down abreast OF fhem then past, and
Runnion rose, releasing the girl, who
IL cried out with all her might to the
IL boatman. He made no sound in reply,
], but drove his canoe shoreward with
IS quicker strokes. 1t was evident he
n would effect his landing near the lower
II end of the spit. for now he was with
y in hearing distance and driving closer
y every instant.
y Necla heard the gambler call:
e "Sheer off, Doret! You can't land
~ herep'
:, She saw gun in Runnion's hand,
y. ~ and terrible, sickcning fear swept
:. over her, for he was slowly walking
down the spit, keeping abreast Of the
y canoe as it drifted.
"Keep away or I'll fire!" threatened
- Runnion again, and she screamed:
1Don't try it, poleon! He'll kill you"
: At her words Runnion raised his
~ weapon and fired. She heard the
!, woods behind reverberate with the
= echoes like sounding board, saw the
IN white squirt of smoke and the skitter
- of the bullet us it went wide. 1t was Il
~ long shot and had been fired as a fina
In warning, but Doret made no outcry
"a nor did he cease coming. Instead his
- paddle Glove the water with the same
~ steady strokes that took every ounce
a of effort in his body. Runnion threw
n open his gun and replaced the spent
- shell. On came the careening, crazy
;, craft In sidewise drift, and with II
!, the girl saw coming terrible tragedy
a She started to run down the graveled
- ridge behind her enemy, not realizing
IL the value or moment of her action moi
N knowing clearly what she would do
II but as she drew near che saw Run
Mon raise his gun again and without
thought of her own safety threw her
self upon him. Again his shot went
Is wide as he strove to hurl her off. bu.
e' his former taste of her strength was
+ nothing to this now that she fought
for Poeon's life Runnion snarlcd an
~ grily and thrust her away. for he had
y waited till the canoe was close.
e. "Let me go, you devil!' he cried ant
aimed again. But again she ran al
I'd him. This time, however. she did MOI
IS pit her strength against his, but paus
ut ed, and as he undertook to fire she
t. thrust at his elbow, then lodged ou'
e. of his way. Her blow was crafty anG
to well timed and his shot went wild
st Again he took aim, and again she de
u stroyed it with touch and danced
out Of his reach. She was nimble an6
ut light md quickened now by q colo
calculation of all that depended upor
lg her.
Of Three times in all she thwartet
!" Runnion, willie the canoe drove closel
r, every instant. On the fourth, as she
Is dashed at him, he struck to be rid o.
In her, cursing NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. as hi
er would have struck at man. Silently
I'd she crumpled up and fell. pitifui
Of draggled, awkward little figure sprawl
ne ed upon the rocks. But the delay
Id proved fatal to him, for, though the
ID canoe was close against the bank ant
I'd the huge man in ii seemed to offer {
mark too plain to be missed, he wa.
lg too close to permit careful aim. Run
Is Mon heard him giving utterance to {
!: !: !: e. q
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