Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-07
splotch across his trousers, and then, as
my gaze wavered, he was upon me. a
leaden weight bearing me, struggling

splotch across his trousers. and then a.
my gaze wavered. he was upon me- a
leaden weight bearing me, struggling
down into the grave.
! I had dropped the revolver at the first
, onslaught, but through some instinct
still chung tightly to the knife. AS he
! forced me backward I made vicious JAR
at him. But the space was too con-
str.cted. the blow fell short. and / had
barely time to draw away my arm before
he crashed heavily on my chest l could
feel his fingers close about my throat.
There was gasping moment when the
breath seemed to be squeezed from my
body. Then the icy touch of the thing
the horror Of 1t gave me strength. With
a superhuman effort I wrenched my free
arm clear and drove it full into the
mans face. A grunt of pain escaped him.
palm. and as his head shot back the
clutch on my neck relaxed The instant S
respite was all that l needed. Wriggling
from under him pressed him back fierce
ly against the side Of the grave. A4e
fought like q wildcat, pounding at my
face and breast with his clenched fists.
But now I had my weight to aid me- and,
| countering his every movement, I grad
ually forced him down into the place
where I had lain.
For second longer the struggle lasted
Then his strength seemed suddenly to de-
| sert him. and as l rolled him under me
his head fell back with a heavy thud
raised the knife in my hand and struck
home.
| The blow, aimed at his breast. turned
! in it's downward course, and the blade
sank into the fleshy tissues Of his
shoulder. He twitched once, then lay
motionless.
1 crept away from him, and. staggering
| to my feet, scrambled up the crumb ing
wall of earth. The strange flare from
the sea had vanished. and the moon,
| swinging clear of it's bank OF clouds,
| once more flooded the darkness with its
mellow light. I listened for moment.
| to assure myself that the man below me
was still living. then. turning. climbed up
| the slope down which had come.
I paused on the crest Of the rise to take
my bearings. Before me, and To the
| right and left. the island lay spread out
like vast map. In its general contour
it resembIed the dead crater Of a volcano.
the outer fringe of the cliffs forming its
lips. the hollow. where l had first taken
refuge. Its deepest point. Indeed. roughly
speaking. 1t was one great bowl OF YER
dure, uplifted in the iron clasp OF the
rocks.
Clinging to its frail perch with OBJ
| stinate tenacity, my little hut shone in
bleak relief against the somber skyline,
and further along. tucked cozily away be-
meath the higher lodges which marked
the southerly end of the island, the home
Of the Haywards. with its low, rambling
green glow OF the night. AS far as
could see. these were the only habitations
From the western. or shoreward. side, to
the gaunt seward ridges, there was no
, other sign OF life.
Ny most obvious way of return lay
across the little valley, but from motives
Of safety I chose the more circuitous
route along the eastern rim. Shrouded
In shadow, it gave promise Of convenient
hiding places In its hooks and crannies.
and. moreover. 1t would bring me around
to my abode in a direction opposite to
that by which I had set forth. But it
also had its drawbacks, as soon learned
to my discomfort, for the ground became
rough and uneven, with ruts and hollows
running at unexpected angles. and the
loose shale slipped continuously under my
feet.
/ kept as close to the outer edge as the
indented coastline would allow me- paus-
ing now and then to look anxiously over
my shoulder. or to cast a casual glance
across the silver-crested seas. But it was
not until had gained the southernmost
corner Of the island that anything oc-
CURED to arouse my suspicious. and then
what saw was OF so uncanny a nature
that l could scarcely credit my eyes.
I had crouched in a rocky cleft and was
taking last peep to seward, when q
the cliffs beneath me- shot silently across
the moonlit path OF the waters at my
feet. 1t was gone even as I watched it.
l gasped in Mortified attention. Then, as
no sound of the crash floated up to me.
I crept out on q ragged ledge and peered
over. There was nothing below.
Ito be continued tomorrow