The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-02-02
CHAPTER x.-(contlnued.)

~~S'A~1 W hldhC ululSSlI q
present of whatever benefit might be
geld to inhere In the doubt. lie
gained the rear entrance in a bound,
with another found himself charging
down the embankment, In whose
treacherous composition OF loose sand
and gravel he struggled momentarily
and Vainly for footing Then be fell
and rolled ingloriously. accompanied
by cloud OF dirt, rubbish and small
stones. At the bottom OF a descent OF
tome thirty feet he picked himself
up, unhurt but shaken. just as sec.
ond bullet pleughed up the sand two
PAGES to one side
There was no longer any question
as to the identity of the target. Coast
permitted himself a single, fleeting,
upward glance. caught a cinemato-
graphic glimpse of the Ctinaman-
like some huge. ungainly bird in his
loose, Tapping garments, descending
the bank-and turned and ran head.
long
Presently. come distance ahead, the
shadoWy proportions of the beached
catboat took shape through the mist.
For some reason Coast hailed it with
sob OF hope: Heaven alone knows
what manner of hope the sight OF it
held out TO his dazed perceptions. He
mad merely beWilderei notion that
II only he could hold out until he
reached the boat 1t would afford him
some sort Of shelter--or else that he
might stumble across some monde
script weapon OF defeEce-a broken
oar-anything.
Somehow he did manage to gain the
little vessel. and. with his pursuer
pounding on not fifteen feet In the
rear, doubled like a rabbit round its
stern. He had a fugitive impression.
as he passed, OF curious something
crouching there; out with NO time tor
recognition. or indeed for thought. he
shot on. Of sudden painfully alive
TO the fact that he mad been mistaken.
that there was no refuge for hum
there.
Then he pulled up On the sound OF
q heavy fall behind him-a dull crash
followed by q short. stiAed cry and a
sharp crack "a Of two stones coming
together.
lie looked back in time to see the
short. starved figure Of Appieyard
strengthening up from the body OF the
Chinaman. to see the little maas half.
friendly. half.apologetic smile. and to
bear him say In tone Of quiet reas.
surance: "All right. old top. He's
down and three times out"
iocreduleus and half exhausted.
Coast staggered back to the boat.
The Chinaman lay like some Hoa.
strGns efley Of man. inert, sprawline.
With q sagging jaw. shut eyes and q
Yagged. bleeding wound In the mid
die y! bis forehead. A bit OF drift.
wood-part OF the water'bleaeaed
branch OF q small tree-was twisted
bct,. ces bis feet: a formidably jagged
sto.e In AppleyaEd's hand eked out
the story Of his downfall.
III wasn't anything" the little man
explained With his timid. makeshin
smile. Loting Coasts expression. =
saw sou coming-heard the shots to
BEGIN wilh--and made preparation &C
ecrasn. Lucky you CHANGED this
vcs. Otherwise
lie shrugged and cast away the
stone that had served SO famousIy
WED better be making tracks before
The others came down on AS" he sug
gcstcd calmly.
"ycu-you've killed htm?" Coast
pantod
"Um.m-no; sorry to say" Apple
ycrd moved to one side and picked
uu the revolver which had faslen from
The Cnlnaman's hand. Unfortunately
lust stunned. =. Mebbe' ne
added. Frightening momentarily. It'll
turn out conclusion OF the brain. but
he made q dubious mouth-fm