Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-10-22


smiled; the life of an adventurer was not
so bad when it gave one the sea and the
sky and the fellowship of men.
Duponceau stood beside me, his face Sc
rene, delight in the fresh day mirrored in
his eyes.
why will men fight and prey on each
other?" he asked wonderingly.
You should know" / answered.
Yes" said he; 81 should, and I do.
Utopia has not come, and meanwhile we
each covet what others have and we have
not. Those men yonder merely represent
powers that want to do what I have
done"
Charles and Rodney came on deck, and
we breakfasted on what was still left of
our provisions-a scanty store, that stood
in immediate need of replenishing. Then
we held a council OF war.
IF they are wise" said Rodney,
they'll settle down to besege us. They
could starve us out Of here in forty-eight
hours. I've an idea, however, that they're
afraid to do that for fear of legal conse-
quences. | take it this is a purely per-
sonal fight"
had the same thoughts; some French
enemies of Duponceau's were trying to
kidnap him, had been my conclusion.
Look :" Duponceau was standing, and
we followed his gaze and saw sail-boat
my sailboat-round the cliff to the west
and lie to in the open sea. mot that
way" he said "there'll be no more swim
ming done. They're going to guard us
from the ocean,"
Then Rodney spoke up. Perhaps |
can get across the beach to the cottage
and bring some of the timed meats back"
Unless they have confiscated my house
as well as my boat" l suggested. "How-
ever, it's worth a try. Charles stays on
guard, and | go with you"
| So, little later, the two of us, having
an eye that the men in the sail-boat
should not see us, lowered ourselves over
the side, and waded waist-deep through
the water. We crawled up the rocks and,
! lying low. peered through breaks at the
beach. There was nothing but shining
sand between our position and the house.
Carefully we stole over the rocks and,
separating slightly, so that each might be
unhampered by the other, advanced west
ward. | had an impression of what it
must be to march across a desert in the
face of an unseen foe. Only, we did not
have the protection of the desert, for there
were dunes above us on the right
We had gone perhaps halfway when
the silence rang with a shot. A little
furrow blew up in the sand before me,
and I saw a light cloud of smoge steal
away from the dunes. An instants ST.
lence, another report. and a furrow was
ploughed in the sand ten yards to the
rear. We were hemmed in by an unseen
ring.
We faced to the Dunes standing stock
still. Two more guns cracked, and the
bullets sped in the air, above our heads.
but. not so far that we could not hear
them sing. Rodney could stand 1t no
longer.
"Come out and show yourselves like
men ~ he CRIED his voice high-pitched and
straining. An instant's pause, and then
two men leaped forward
Islip's pistol cracked, then another man
joined the two, and as by instinct we
separated.
Then began running fire while we
beat retreat. kept close as I could
to the water, emptying my revolver in
such way as to retard the enemy with
out wounding them; for we suspected
that they were seeking to intimidate us,
without actually resorting to bloodshed,
and we, for our part, had no desire to
have any deaths on our hands. They
gained on us, for We retreated while they
advanced and it was only by taking full
speed to my heels and making for the
rocks that won temporary respite The
enemy stopped, and now we could pepper
them, shooting to right and left as fast
as we loaded.
glanced backward, and saw the sail
boat very close-much closer than
liked.
They're going to board the Shipw I
cried. and splashed into the water. I
tumbed up the side and made for the
farther buwark, calling to Duponceau
and Charles to stir themselves. As did
so two men came scrambling over the
outer rocks and made for the Ship, while
third held the sail-boat to the shore. I
heard shouts, and saw Rodney cross be-
side me. He stood a moment unprotected,
and that instant bullet took him in the
arm and heard him give a cry of pain.
! ITS nothing-a scratch on the flesh"
| he muttered as he crouched.
/ The two men were climbing the sea-
ward side. | waited, and as the first
reared above me l was on him and with
all the force in my body hurled him back,
80 that he lost his hold and fell splashing
The other was balancing, had one foot
over, had sprung, when Duponceau and
Charles seized him, and he went, legs
swinging in a circle, beside his fellow in
| the sea.
We crouched, for the man in the boat
was firing. The two below scrambled