Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-02-27

him he saw the red glow of O IRE.
Thon q hand caught his arm, clutch
ing at 1t almost heroely, and he turned
to meet the girls face, white now with
a strange terror.
What Is III" he cried. Tell me"
He caught her hands again, startled
by the look In her eyes. Quickly she
pulled herself away. A dozen feet be-
hind her. in the thick shadows of the
forest trees, something took shape and
movement. n q flash Rowland saw a
hugo form leap from the gloom and
caught the CLEAN of an uplifted knife.
There was 40 time for him to leap
aside, no time for him TO reach for the
revolver which he carried In his pocket.
In u a crisis ones actions are In
voluntary, machine-like, as IL life,
lowering by a thread, preserves itself
in Its own name and without thought
or reasoning on the part Of the
creature II animates.
For an instant Rowland neither
thought nor reasoned. Had he done SO
he would probably have met his mys-
terious assailant, pitting his naked
fists against the knife. But the very
ma1nsprtng of his existence-which is
self-preservation-called on him to do
otherwise. Before the startled cry on
his lips found utterance he flung him
self face downward in the snow. The
move saved him, and as the other
stumbled over his body, pitching head.
long into the trail, he snatched forth
his revolver. Before he could fire
there came q o like that of a beast
from behind him and u terrific blow
fell on his head. Under h weight of
a second assailant he was crushed to
the snow, his pistol slipped from his
grasp, n two great hands choked a
despairing cry from his throat. He
saw q face over him. distorted with
passion, a huge neck, eyes that famed
like angry g~arnets. He struggled to
free his pinioned arms, to wrench off
the deathgrip at his throat, but his
efforts were like those of a child
against a giant. In a last terrible at
tempt he drew up his knees inch by
Incl under the weight of his enemy; 1t
was his only chance, his only hope.
Even as he felt the fingers about his
throat sinking like hot irons into his
flesh, and the breath slipping from his
body, he remembered this murderous
k~nee-punch taught to him by the rough
fighters of the Inland Seas, and with
all the life hat remained in him he
sent 1t crushing into the other's abdo-
men. It was a moment before he knew
that It had been successful, before the
film cleared from his eyes and he saw
his assailant groveling In the snow. He
rose to his feet, dazed n staggering
from the effect of the blow on his head
and the murderous grip at his throat.
Half a pistol shot down the trail he
saw l~ndistinctly the twisting of black
objects in the snow, and as he stared
one of the objects came toward him.
do not fire, M'seur Rowland" he
heard n voice call. ut ees Jean
Croisset, a friend! Blessed Saints. that
was-what you call heem?-close CALI"
The half breeds thin dark face came
up smiling out of the white gloom. For
a Rowland did not see him.
scarcely heard his words. Wildly he
looked about him for the girl. She
vas gone.
ST happened here-just in time-with
a club" continued Croisset. Come, we
must CO."
The smile had gone from his face
and there was a commanding firmness
in the grip that fell on the young en-
gineer's arm. Rowland was conscious
that things were twisting about him and
that there was a strange weakness In
his limbs. Dumbly he raised his hands
to his head, which hurt him until he
felt as If he must cry out in his pain.
THE girl" he gasped weakly.
Croisset's arm frightened about his
waist.
"She ees gone!" Rowland heard him
cav. and there was something In the
half breeds low voice that caused him
to turn unquestioningly n stagger
along beside him In the direction of
Prince Albert.
And yet as he went, only half-ocn-
scious Of what he was doing. n lean
ing more and more heavily on his COM
panion. he knew that 1t was more than