The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-25

ereQ at least ten IeeL Jne creature was
close before them, scanning them,
peering into their faces and seeming
to be bewildered as they collapsed be-
fore him without having been struck
a blow. Then turning about he saw
Tolliver, whom he appeared to have
momentarily forgotten, as the latter
was attempting to rise, and with a
maievolent scream leaped upon him.
That he purposed some terrible act
against this man who had been the
first 20 assail and wound him, none
who saw his face and attitude ever
questioned. But Alan getting upon
his feet at that instant and stumbling
forward empty handed with the des-
perate resolve to do his utmost to de-
fend his rival, felt his foot fall upon
a hard object. STOPPING he grasped
Clay's revolver. He cooked it as he
Strengthened himself up.
Warned by the sharp click Of the
appraised hammer the Flying Man
leaped off his victim and from his lips
burst wild scream that Enthusiastically
denoted that he had learned to fear
this fire splitting thing which had stung
him so keenly. With a leap aside of
inconceivable quickness he landed up
on the steps of the porch, the blood
now streaming down his leg and leaY-
ing its dark mark wherever he
stepped. Alan sighted quickly and
pulled the trigger. The hammer fell
with a metallic cIack upon an imper-
feet cartridge and no explosion fol-
lowed. Once more he cooked 1t, but
as he raised his arm his antagonist
leaped like great frog into the air,
the huge wings flew out as released
springs uncoil, beat downward with
power SO tremendous that the blast
from them swept the watchers as a
gale, beat again and upward between
the trees the body of the Flying Man
shot into the murk like a mammoth
prehistoric bat, disappearing in
flash. But moment later his
scream came back to them, malicious
and exultant.
Alan threw his useless firearm down
with an imprecation upon its false
ness. And as he did SO there bursr
through the door and came dart
ing down the steps q figure with
hair flying and eyes ablaze, bearing in
her hand a naked, rusty cutlass which
she thrust into March's hand as her
eyes few about. where is he? Oh,
where is he?" she gasped. Alan
pointed upward.
"Gone-fapped away like a chicken
hawk" he burst forth angrily, his de-
sire for battle fully aroused and his
disappointment acute that the invader
had escaped. The girls face darkened.
Doris was of good old fighting stock as
well as himself. Had not her great
grandfather been minute man? And
had not her grandmother shot an In
dian with her own hand when the
savages attacked their prairie schoon-
er way back In the sos? And now
Doris herself, warm hearted and i'm
pulsive, was feeling for the first time
in her life the fierce warlike strain of
blood OF her forbears coursing through
her veins. Her small hands frightened.
"As soon as you left me ! regained
possession OF myself, and when !
heard the shouts and blows I looked
out of the door. You were all fight
ing and striking and running and
jumping and wanted to help but did
not know what TO do. / knew l would
only be In the way unless / had a
weapon, so | went raging through the
house trying to remember If we had
any such things. Finally l thought
OF this old sword which my uncle
he was in the Spanish-American war
you know-brought back from one of
the sunken battleships. Well, it was
hanging over the fireplace in the room
he used to have when he lived with
US, and l got on a chair and finally
managed to get it down and came
running out here. But OF course was
too late. If l could only have got one
stroke at him"
Her ferceness vanished in a fash
at sight OF the white face of the
women who had so recently gazed into
the eyes Of the departed one from the
distance Of a foot, and she went sour
rying up TO the place where they had
Immediately fed after the flight Then
after z moment she came down again
as rapidly as she had assembled and
ran TO her father, who was supporting
Desmond King had returned from his
fruitless search for weapon, DR.. Ray
mond had regained his feet and no
one appeared to have been injured Sc
ri0usly. Where is Clay?" she de-
manded