The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-10-24

breathing labOfpd with the norCeneGa
Of the fighting. Both our swords tasted
blood, he sllcing my forearm, pierre
ing his shoulder. yet neither wound
suillced to bring any cessation OF ef.
fort. We were mad now with the fever
Of IT, and struggling to kill, painting
Hereby, our faces flushed, the perspir-
alton dripping from our bodies. our
swords darling swiftly back and
forth He was my match, and more,
and had We been permitted to go on
to the end. would have worn me down
by sheer strength. Suddenly, above
the clash OF steel, came the sound OF
voices; our blades were struck up, and
the dark forms OF mon pressed in be-
tween us.
Stop It. you hotheadsl" some one
commanded gruiIly. Hold your man,
Tolston. until get at the reason for
this fighting. Who are you? Oh,
Grant! What's the trouble now? The
old thing, eh?"
had no desire to wait his answer,
confident that Grant was sufficiently
angry to blurt out everything he knew.
They were all facing his way, actu.
atcd by the recognition. Breathless
still, yet quick to seize the one and
only chance left. grabbed up my
jacket from the grass. and sprang into
the darkness. had gained a hundred
feet before those behind grasped the
meaning OF my unexpected flight, and
then the tumult Of voices only sent
me flying faster. realizing the pursuit.
The only open passage led directly
toward the river. and | raced through
the black night down the slope as
though all the fends OF hell were aft
or me. heard shouts, oaths, but
there was no firing. and was far
enough ahead to be invisible by the
time attained the bank. An open
barge lay there. mere black smudge,
and stumbled blindly across this.
dropping silently over it's side into the
water. II was not thought, but breath
less inability TO attempt more, which
kept me there. Clinging to a Stat on
the side of the barge, so completely
submerged In the river, as to be In
visible from above. Swearing fierce
ly, my pursuers stormed over the
barge, swinging their swords along
the edges to he sure | was not there
One blade pricked me slightly. put
held on. sinking yet deeper into the
stream, | could see the dim outline
of heads peering over. but WAS not dis
covered, The same gruff voice which
had interrupted the duel broke through
tho noise;
II tell you he turned to the left; !
saw him plainly enough What did
you say the fellows name was.
Grant,"
How do know? He called himself
Fortesque."
Sure; the same one Carter was
sent out hunting after. Well. he
lodged down there among those coal
sheds This Is the only way he could
have disappeared so suddenly. Come
on, all OF you, except Moore and Car.
taret, and well beat the shore"
heard them scramble across TO the
bank, but there were sounds also
proving the guards left behind were
still on the deck above me. Then one
of the fellows sat down on the edge of
the barge, his feet dangling within a
few inches of my head.
Might MS we'll take It easy, BILL" he
said lazily. They're like to be an
hour layin' hands on the lad, an all
we got to do is see he don't fox back
this way Got any tobacco. mate?"
The other must have produced the
necessary weed, for there was n scrap.
ing Of flint and steel. CLEAN of fire
on the water. and then the
odor waited to me in pun Of
smoke. With one hand. unbuckled
my sword belt, letting 1t, sword and
all, sink silently into the river. / |
must cross to the opposite bank some. |
how, and would have to dispense with
the weapon. Inch by inch, my fingers
the narrow slat to which |
chung, worked slowly toward the |
stern of the barge, making not so
much as a ripple in the water. and
keeping well hidden below the bulge
If the side The voices above droned
llong in conversation. of which
taught few words.
who was he? You mean the lad
hey're after down yonder? oh. mind
low. you came up later after we'd
Itarted the chase. Holy Mother, |
on't know much myself. now ] come
o think OF It. He looked like n Brit
sher. what | saw of him, an he was
ghtin' with Captain of Rangers
irant was the name; maybe you know
he man ?--behlnd one of the stands"
They'll never get him." returned
he other nolemnly.
Because It's my notion he swum