Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-03

Hell try to fend with the boat
hook" said Porter.
IF he does, I'll get him."
"How?"
'Lasso." Orme picked up a spare
| painter that was stored under the
seat. and began to tie slip-noose.
The girl now spoke. II suppose we
shall have to do It," she said. But l
wish there were a less dangerous, .
less tragic way"
Hardly knowing what he did, Orme
laid his hand gently on her shoulder.
1T will be all right, DEAR" he whis-
pered.
| If the word embarrassed her. the
/ darkness covered her confusion.
Porter had started the motor. set
| ting 1t at low speed. and now he
was steering the boat in q circle to
| gain distance for the charge.
Tive lost the other beat exclaimed
Orme, peering into the darkness
She's of there" said Porter. you
can't see her. but ! know the direc-
ton"
He swung the launch around and
headed straight through the night
Hold on tight" Orme cautioned
the girl, and coiling his lasso, he went
to the bow.
The launch moved steadily forward.
Orme, straining his eyes in the en-
deavor to distinguish the other boat,
saw 1t at last. 1t lay few points to
starboard, and Porter altered the
course of the launch accordingly.
MAKE for the stern" called Orme,
"and cripple her propeller, if you can"
Another slight change in the course
showed that Porter understood.
AS the lessening of the distance be-
tween the two boats made it possible
to distinguish the disabled speeder
more clearly, Orme saw that the Japa-
nese was still tinkering with the mo-
tor. He was busying himself as
though he realized that he had no
hope of escape unless he could start
his beat.
Narrower, narrower, grew the inter
vening gap of dark water. Orme
braced himself for the shock. In his
left hand was the coiled painter; in
his right, the end Of the ready moose,
ing 1t was long since he had thrown
a lariat In a vivid CLEAN of memory
he saw at that moment the hot, dusty
New Mexico corral, the low adobe
buildings, the numbering cattle and
the galloping horses of the ranch.
There he had spent one summer vaca-
ton Of his college life. It was ten
years past, but this pose, the rope in
his hand, flashed it oack to him.
Now they were almost on the Japa-
nese. For the moment he seemed to
waver. He glanced at the approach
ing launch, and reached uncertainty
for the boat hook. Yet it did not
seem to occur to him to yield.
And then, as for the hundredth time
he laid his hands on the motor, he
uttered cry. It was plain to Orme
that the cause Of the supposed break
down had been discovered. But was
there time for the Japanese to get
away? 1t was doubtful. He opened
the feed pipe and let the gasoline
again flow in. The launch was now
so near that Orme could almost have
leaped the gap but the Japanese bent
his energy to the heavy fly wheel, tug
ging at 1t hurriedly.
to move.
Even now it looked as though the
collision could not be prevented. but
the Japanese, selling the steering
Wheel turned the boat so quickly to
starboard that the stern fell away
from the bow of the approaching
launch. There was no crash, no hard
bump; merely a glancing blow so
slight that in that calm water 1t
scarcely made the boats careen.
Then Orme threw his moose. The
distance was less than ten feet, and
the loop spread, quick and true, over
the head of the Japanese. But, swift
though the action was, the japanese
had an instant to prepare himself.
His right arm shot up. AS Orme, jerk
ing at the rope, tried to tighten the
moose, the hand of the Japanese push
ed 1t over his head and it slid over
the side into the water. In few
seconds the swift boat had disap-
peared in the night.
Tightening his lips grimly, Orme
0iSW IAS WOS AOPO IN anu 4uSShG11iSoA0
ly coiled it. There was nothing to
say. He had failed. So good an op-
portunity to recover the papers would
hardly return.
Silently he turned back to the 9TH
ers. Porter had swung the launch
around and was heading toward the
distant lights of Evaaston. The girl
was peering in the direction whence
came the sound of the receding boat.
Thus, for some time they remained
silent
At last the girl broke into laugh.
1t was a ripping, silvery laugh, ex-
pressing an infectious appreciation Of
the humor Of their situation. Orme
chuckled in spite of himself. If she
could laugh like that, he need not stay
in the dumps. And yet in his mind
ranked the sense Of failure. He had
made poor showing before her-and
she was laughing. Again the corners
Of his mouth drew down.
Il suppose the notion is amusing, -
he saba cowboy at sea-
ooh, 1 was not laughing at you"
She had sobered quickly at his words.
Il shouldn't blame you, If you did. +"
eft ia the whole Situation - sha went