The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-24
Held by Flabby Tentacls,

Sun, oun"on'ns every nerve and 6brs 10 !.
plunged at the elastic 'stripee, ', ~
made several incisious. and as tho ,o;n. H
skin he tore and wrought like ssrd Aaet
consciousness slipping from him fho sWlu d
ms neck and chest relaxed and tSe 'Ss.,hIas'n s.hs'n
'erea IN ms wild attack, dropped awav s'oy ~
The diver found new strengtb ;r ~
The contest was now Joined ON nvo~ o~'s .'nay 4
went upon the offensive in bis turn Us ~ l
press the stringerD that clssned hi. ne nn
firm place on the mound. and from n'. "sM
tanned drive with his weapon thai emf ~, !, posn
'ttie sucking mouths instantly lost their s,la ~
band also fell from him siP Y.
The octopus, now badly vonndo,
three OF ITS members, whipped anothsr ssu s. =,
ereVice, sacrificing so much Of its spnna.. y /
ITS hold upon the man. But Lon dodgoiSp diSpy. ~.
ducking in. reached for mis- assnlaut = bs.s -
about his leg and foot sirove apaipsr hr
him away. unh
In the latter part Of this weird coub. y !
terWard described it, the diver ceased ~ H.,
opponent as deniZen OF the ssa. ~
mollusk. The steady. hateful stare Of tbo n. :
the deliberate cunning ard calculation d;s-ir
each of the creature 8 actions invested !, sss1 {
sopality demoniac. but approaching Ina hn-,.
1ett as II ne were matched against a beinu h
with his methods and intentions n rpasor;,s-
compounded wholly of evil, but with prOs,s'
to his own. F7*
What bore out tins impression was the Ain
octopus in acting upon the defensive II ma,
him back while IFS sixth arm whipprG ma \
s.bout him. seeking the grip that would "a
advantage and disable the man Mesnwbjle
ITS body into its den, withdrawing the vrs,
mass of hesh as much as possible from ol1r.
But Lou was minded to have done He M
the coil about his thigh and fought n to clcs, :
He found himself within striking distance J9
uphftcd stringer' slipped down about his 49,
dreadful eyes were glaring directly into bis b.
he lunged at them hurying the blade to hs l111
the yielding, tiabby head. Again and again 4
The coils about him shuddered As he rspa!I
blows the hold Of the sucking mouths siH
Finally, with few spasmodic clutches they ~
grasp and the whole creature collapsed Ike d II
of empty skin.
To Lou the end Of the battle was not moit {
or thankfuness at his escape than the source
additional horror at the manner OF it, So nlr
he been upon the fighting, so vivid had been ll
sion of a malevoent, Intelligent adversary "
complete dissolution seemed absolutely unttr
moment before he had been striving Iof b
against a vigorous powerful enemy that sOugh /
ously and in willy ways to say him. Now n
forced knife into the seat OF that lntslietf1
suddenly there was nothing left but a mas
the size of large pumpkin and a ouIsn i.s.
substance. 1t was Is if ne had been hglprl|
some spirit Of the deep which. being vsnquIa
He'd the spot, leaving the scanty meaninga
Of IT'S presence behind.
But while Lou. unnerved by his recent asls
open to such subtle after sensations OF unPles
he was losing time in getting away from
desirable neighborhGod He returned iousH
hatch watchful of new surprises, and Vef
man indeed was he when he stood under ss y,
and looked up through the green sixteen i@
water to the good light of day.