The Red Cloud chief., 1909-12-23

GllIrspic admitted he knew OF lIulbrook's
presence. Miss Pat Acknowledged TO
Donovan that Miss Helen had been miss
Ing Tor Il few hours.
CHAPTER vli.-Continued.
! kept up a rapid fire OF talk, but
listened only to the engines regular
beat. The launch was now close to
the Italians boat, and having nearly
completed the semicircle | was Obliged
to turn a little to watch him. Sud
denly he sat up straight and lay to
with the oars, pulling hard toward n
point we must pass In order to clear
the strait and reach the upper lake
again. The fellows hostile intentions
were clear to all of us nov and we all
silently awaited the outcome. His
skin rose high in air under the i'm.
pulsion of his strong arms, and II he
struck our lighter craft amidships, as
seemed inevitable. he would undoubt.
eddy swamp us.
Lima half rose, glanced toward the
yacht, which was heading for the
strait. and then at me, but | shook my
head.
Mind the engine, Lima" | said
with as much GOODNESS as | could mus.
ter.
The margin between us and the
skin rapidly diminished, and the ltal,
ian turned to take his bearings with
every lift OF his oars. He had thrown
off his cap,'and as he looked owe his
shoulder | saw his evil face sharply
outlined. | counted slowly to myself
the number of strokes that would be
necessary to bring him in collision II
he persisted. charging against his
progress our own swift. arrow-like
flight over the water. The shore was
close, and | had counted on n full
depth of water, but Lima now called
out w%arningly in his shrill pipe and
our bottom scraped as | yeCred off
This maneuver cost me the equivalent
of ten of the Italians deep strokes
and the shallow water added "A new
element of danger.
stand by the oar, lima" ! called il
a low tone; and | saw in IA fash Miss
Pats face, quite calm, but with he
lips set tight.
Ten yards remained, | judged, be
tween the skiff and the strait, anC
there was nothing for us now but t
let speed and space work out thci
problem.
lima stood up and seized the oal
l threw the wheel hard aport in Il las
hope of lodging, and the launch listeO
badly as 1t swung round. Then tn
bow of the skiff rose high, and Hele'
shrank away with n little cry; ther
was n scratching and grinding for n
instant, as lima. bending forward
dug the oar into the sklff's bow an
checked 1t with the full weight of hi
body. As we Tended off the GA
snapped and splintered and he tun
bled into the water with a gre;
splash, while we swerved and rookie
for Il moment and then sped O
through the little strait.
Looking back, l saw Lima swim
ming for the shore. He rose in III
water and called "All right" and
knew he would take excellent care
himself. The Italian had shipped h
oars and lay where we had left hir
and heard him, above the beat Of on
engine, laugh derisiyely as We glide
out Of sight.
Miss Holbrook, will you plea.
steer for me?'-and In effecting Il
necessary changes of position that
, might get to the engine we We're &
able to regain our composure. | 50
Miss Pat touch her forehead with h
handkerchief; but she said nothin
Even after st. Agatha's pier hove
sight silence held us all. The win
continuing to freshen. was whippil
the lake with a sharp lash, and
> made much of my trifling buslne
= with the engine. and of the necessi
for occasional directions to the girl
the wheel.
My contrition at the danger
which l had stupidity brought tn,
was strong In me; but there we
other things to think OF. Miss /
could not be deceived as to the amin
> of our encounter, for the Italian
: conduct could hardly be accounted
Y on the score OF stupidity; and
natural peace and quiet of this req
U only emphasized the gravity Of |
her plight. My first thought was Il
' / must at once arrange for her
. moval to some other place. w
Henry Holbrook established within
few miles OF st, Agatha's the sch
was certainly no longer a tenable h
borage.
AS l tended the engine | saw, e,
when | tried to avoid her, the figure
Helen Holbrook In the stern, quite