Arizona republican., 1911-09-26

that leered at him tauntingly..- He wa:
reaching for his knife to slash of thu
burning end when he was suddenly
folded in the embrace of a human 90
rilla. Long arms gripped him like
bands of steel. Terrible finger.
clutched at his throat A hairy fac,
was pressed against his own, and Out
Of the monsters breast came a fierce
throaty snarl.
Now John knew what had become
of Hoffman. This that had attacked
him was he Instinctiyely, too. John
knew that he had to battle with a
mailman. Months of broodings over
wrongs, weeks of horrid imaginings
while he nursed his secret plot; the
nervous strain under which for the
last four hours he had lurked about
the plant awaiting his opportunity
and now the sudden approach Of an In.
truder upon his fear-haunted soul at
the very moment when his design
seemed accomplished; all this had
completely turned Holtzman's head. so
that John Martin found himself bat.
Ting there in the narrow, dust-choked
place with a wild man endowed by
his frenzy with almost superhuman
strength. And while they battled
there sputtered a few feet away the
curling coil of death in one of its most
horrible forms.
The instinct to silence lay strong
upon both. Neither uttered a sound
that could be heard outside the ear Of
the other.s Hoffman struggled to beat
back his adversary and escape from
the deadly. Kissing thing a few feet
away. Martin fought with all his tar.
rible determination to get past the
crazed man and extinguish the spark.
1t seemed an hour, a day, year, since
1t had begun to burn. The madmau
gained in strength and ferocity. Johns
face was gashed by his nails. Just
now, too, Hoffman had set his teeth
in his shoulder, and locked his arm
about him in such way that Martin
found himself lying there within reach
OF the glowing fuse, his head not
foot from the deadly cylinders. and
yet his hands bound to his sides by
grip that seemed unbreakable.
He lay helpless for an instant, his
mind fascinated by the evil glare of
the tiny serpent's eye. Strange specu-
lations came into his head. He won
dered If he would hear or see the ex.
plosion Of so much dynamite a foot
from his face, or If destruction would
come before sensation. This odd con-
ceit leaped out Of his mind with the
discovery that he could move his body
and drag the Germans with him, by
pressing with his feet against the walls
and lifting forward with all his might.
Hoffman could not hold him back and
hold his hands at the same time.
Martin lifted himself an inch nearer
the Kissing serpent And then another
lift, and another The spark was at
his forehead. his eye, his nose-and
then, with a superhuman effort, he
seized the glowing end In his teeth and
chewed 1t into an innocuous mass Of
pulp. smothering It in saliva.
The spark was drowned. The union
was saved
For a moment Martin lay inert, clos
Ing his eyes In an ecstasy of relief,
deaf even to the tide OF curses that
Hoffman poured into his ear.
It was a little group Of the inner
circle that counselled together at the
Molders' headquarters just before
lawn. Martin had walked unweary-
ngly through the night to get them
ogether, forcing the unwilling Holtz-
nan to trail like dog at his heels.
was there, and Kaufman,
both representing the Internationals.
rhe presidents of the two unions, and
part Of the executive committee were
llso present, the absolutely trusted
men. nine in all, besides Martin, grim,
and Hoffman, sitting
part with bowed shoulders. his face
hrouded in sullen gloom.
Martin had Just finished telling them
n jerky sentences the story Of the
light, McKichnie looked grave. Kauf-
nan scowled darkly, and shot a glance
Il Holtzme1. .
Remember Los Angeles" said a
'oice. hoarsely.
Yes" said another. "and the unions
,ot the blame for 1t, whoever did IT,"
Il tell you." snapped McKichnie, I'VE
I'VE IL to ourselves to put an end to
dynamite. whoever uses II"
"If We don't put an end to dynamite.
lynamite'll put an end to us" NUT
cred Martin. This is civilized
Then he got up and started toward
his teeth grating audibly.
Give me your union card!" he
Used
The man fumbled in his pocket and
reduced the sweat-soiled pasteboard.
Martin tore II into bits and flung II
m the floor Hoffman arose protest