The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-03-21

spot on which they had landed, firing
steadily but with discretion.
Huddled together like children in
fear of the powers Of darkness, the
three held their fire against the inev,
table assault In force, handicapped
fearfully by their absolute ignorance
Of the lay of the deck. of the number
Of their opponents, and Of from which
quarter they had to expect the attack
And the silence and the Suspense
wore upon their nerves until the final
struggle came in the shape Of boom
to save them lcom madness. And II
came with rush and a will. cyclonic
tremendous, overpowering. BY sheer
weight Of human flesh the Europeans
were pinned against the rail, fighting
at handgrips with a cruel and crnnine
foe far better prepared for such bust
ness than they. For at such close
quarters pistols were practically
worthless save as clubs, while knives
could slip to STAY through almost any
interstice, however straitened
O'Rourke had no time to think of his
companions. Stung TO desperation by
the silent, unrelenting fury OF his as
sailants-twice he was conscious OF
the white-hot agony of knife.thrust
one penetrating the flesh of his side
and scraping his ribs, the other biting
deep into his thigh---he fred until he
had but one cartridge left in his re
volver, and expended that blowing out
tho hraina nj M yttop rIi ,,o ~
sistent coolie, then dropped the use
less weapon and trusted to his naked
strength
1t served him well for a little One
man, precipitated by the weight OF
those behind him into the adventur.
er's arms, he seized by the throat and
throttled In twinkling; then lifting
him from the deck, he exerted his
power to the utmost, and cast the
body like a log into the midst OF the
melee. Thus clearing little space. he
found himself able to step aside and
let another run past him into the bull
wark; and seeing tho sheen Of o
swordblade in the fellows hand, be.
fore he could recover seized his wrist
twisted It savagely. and wrenched the
weapon away.
The finale came moment later, sig
nalized by a binding flash of light
more bright than that OF day. which
fell athwart the deck and illuminated
instantaneously every inch Of the
fighting ground. Fervently be blessed
the nearby vessel that had turned its
searchlight on the junk. The scene
1t revealed besgared tie experience OF
man whose trade was fighting; Il
fell upon decks slippery with blood
and Uttered with the bodies OF dead
and wounded; It silenced a confusion
ndescribable. Upon that insane turmoil
the light fell with the effect OF thun.
ierbolt from clear sky.
Screaming shrilly in their panic. the
Chinese scattered and fell away. leav-
Ing ORourke beside Couch, Wheeler
| being down and buried beneath three
| Chinese corpses. And instantaneous L.
something grated harshly against the
starboard side Of the junk and a man
his figure stark black against the cold
white glare, leaped upon the rail and
tumbled inboard. Others 10 the num-
Der of dozen followed him, swarm
ing over the decks. Couch reeled to.
wards them. babbling orders and in.
structions.
The second launch had arrived
Sick and faint, O'Rourke slouched
back against the rail. watching with
lack.luster eyes the end of the chap
ter. It was simple to the point of
seeming farcical in comparison with
that which preceded it. The dazed and
now outnumbered Chinese offered no
further resistance. Disarmed and put
under guard, they disappeared from
his consciousness, while he watched
the men from the second launch
spurred by Couch, scatter in search OF
the abducted women.
Loss of blood was beginning To tel
upon him; his strength seemed alto