The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-02-22

MS pie1'h' NathOut warming the ap'
partition Of whitehead woman had
invaded the promenade deck. For an
instant he hardly credited his eyes,
then, with n nod OF recognition, he
identified Mrs Prynne.
Unquestionably unconscious OF his
presence in the shadow, she fell to
pacing to and fro. Now and again,
she stopped, and with chin Graded In
her small hands. elbows on the rail,
watched the approaching cliffs of
Arabia; then, with perhaps a sigh. re-
turned to her untimely constitutional.
Partly because he had no wish 10
startle her, partly because he was
glad to watch unobserved (he had
rare eye for beauty. the O'Rourke).
the wanderer sat on without moving.
stirred only by active curiosity. The
strangeness Of her appearance upon
deck at such an hour fascinated his
Imagination no less than her person
held his eye. He gave himself over
to vain and profitless speculation. E.
Why, he wondered, should she
keep to her cabin the greater part of
the evening. only to take the air when
none might be supposed to observe
her?
Why, II not to escape such observs
ton? Then. he told himself. he must
be right in his superstition that she
had something to fear, someone to
avoid. What or whom? What was 1t
all. what the mystery that, as he
watched her, seemed to grow, to cling
about her like some formless, i'm.
palpable garment?
Events conspired to weave the man
int the warp and wool OF her affairs
more quickly than he could grasp the
reason for his sudden action, he found
himself a-foot and dashing aft at top
speed But an instant gone Mrs
Prynne had passed him, unmolested
and wrapped in her splendid isola.
tion; and then from the after part OF
the deck he had heard a slight and
guarded cry Of distress, and a small
scufiiing sound
In two breaths he was by her side
and found her struggling desperately
In the arms Of a lascar--a deck-hand
on the steamer.
At first the strangeness OF the bssi'
ness so amazed O'Rourke that be
| paused and held his hand, briefly
rooted in action. For although 1t was
! apparent that she had been caught OF
her guard, wholly unprepared against
assault, and while she struggled fierce
ly to break the lascar's hold, the WON
an still uttered no cry. A single
| scream would have brought her aid
! yet she held her tongue.
| The two, the woman's slight, white
figure and the lascar's gaunt and sin
envy one, strained and fought, swayinl
silently In the shadows, tensely, with
the effect Of fragment Of some dis
ordered nightmare. But then, as the
lascar seemed about to overpower hi.
victim, ORourke, electrified, sprant
upon the mans back. With one stront
arm deity he embraced the fellow, al
elbow beneath his chin forcing hi
head up and back. With the othe
hand ORourke none too gently tor,
away an arm encircling the woman
Then wrenching the two apart, h
sent a knee crashing into the small o
the lascar's back, all but breaking hin
In two, and so flung him sprawlin
Into the scuppers.
Without word the man slid upoi
his shoulders a full half.dozen feet
while ORourke had momentar,
glimpse OF his face in the moonligh
-dark-skinned and sinister Of expires
sion with its white. glaring eyeballs
Then, In one bound, he was on hi
feet again and springing lithely back t
the attack: and as he came on a jag
ged CLEAN OF moonlight ran like light
ming down the sinuous and formidabl
length OF kris, most deadly O
knives.
O'Rourke fell back pace or two
His own hands were empty; he ha
nothing but naked fists and high couI
age to pit against the lascar and hi
KRIS. Keenly alert, he threw himsel
Into pose of defence.
But O'Rourke had forgotten tn
woman; II was enough that he ha
made possible her escape, and he ha
no thought other than she had fed. |
was, therefore, with as much surpris
as relief that he caught the gimme
OF her white figure as she thrust heI
self before him and saw the lasca
bring up in the middle Of leap, hi
nose not an inch from the muzzle O
an army Webley OF respectcompellin
caliber.
simultaneously, he heard her voice
clear and incisive II low Of tone
Drop that knifel"
The kris shivered upon the deck.
"Faith" murmured the IrishmaI
"and what manner OF woman is this
now7"
The lascar stood as rigid as thougl
carven out of stone, long, gaunt leg
shining softly brown beneath his COO
49,