The Rice belt journal., 1913-08-29

he who would win must bid very hign
indeed for the prizes of life. And he
had so little to bid!
Communing thus with his unhappi'
ness, Jim utterly lost the sense OF
time. The shameless vermilion sun
set went into second mourning and
thence to nuns gray, before the figure
on the sail-cloth moved Then, through
senses only half awake, Jim heard
light sound, like a scratch-scratch on
the hull of the yacht. Chamberlain,
no doubt, Just rubbing the nose Of his
tender against the Sea Gull. jim was
In no hurry to see Chamberlain. and
remained where he was. The Eng
lishman would heave in sight soon
enough.
But though Jim waited several min
utes, with half an eye cooked ON the
stairway, nobody appeared, The wind
was still, the sea like glass; not a
sound anywhere. Struck by some
thing Of strangeness in the uncanny
silence, Jim sat up and called "Ahoy'
Chamberlain! There was no answer.
But in the tense stiffness there was
sound, and it came from below-the
sound Of mans stealthy tread.
Jim sprang to his feet and made
the companionway at bound. he
listened an instant to make sure that
he heard true, cleared the steps, and
landed in the darkness Of the ships
t saloon. As he groped along, reach
ing for the door Of the principal
cabin, the blackness suddenly lighted
I little, and dim shadow shot, cut
! and up the stairway. Jim's physical
senses were scarcely cogniZant OF the
. soft, quick passing, but his thumbs
J. pricked. He dashed after the shadow,
t up the stairs, out on deck, and aft.
e There he was-Chatelard, armed, fac
r ing his enemy once more, cool but not
d smiling, desperately at bay. Below
g him, riding just under the stern of the
q yacht, was the tender whose scratch
r scratch had awakened Jim. A man,
oars in hand, was holding the boat
t close to the Sea Gull.
$ Jim saw all this during the seconds
between his turning at the stair-top
i and his throwing himself plump
Q against the figure by the railing. He
r. was quick enough to pass the range
of the weapon, whose shot rang cut
in the clear air, but he was not quick
# enough to get under the mans guard
Chatelard was ready for him, holding
g. his weapon high.
10 AS he pressed forward, Jim fel
something under his foot. He ducket
ID quickly, as II to dodge Chateiard'
70 hand, and on the downward swing h
picked up the rusty marlinspike. |
,r was weapon Of might. indeed. jim
ia blow caused Chatelard's arm to drol
limp and neryeless. But in gainin
- his enemy's weapon, Jim was force
to drop his own. He put firm foo
~ upon the spike, however, while h
held ChateIard at arms length an
"a Hooked into his face.
$50 we meet once more, after all!
10 he cried. "And once more have tn
ve pistol" Even as Jim spoke, his al
"a yersary made spring that almost el
"a abled him to seize the weapon agail
"a Jim eluded his clutch, and quick
os thought threw the gun overheard.
=. struck far out on the smooth water.
80 1t was sorry thing to do, as
,os proved, for Chatelard, watching h
ral chance. stopped, wrenched the spill
from under Hm's foot, and once mo-
"A stood defiantly at bay. And at tn
=, point he opened his thin lips for OF
he remark
~ you'll go to hell now. you pig OF
ing American"
,as "But after you. Monsieur!" u
red cried. and witk the words, his arr
,he we're about the other in paralyzil
-er- grip.
of Had Jim been as strong as VIII
rod the two men measured forces wee
,lly before, in the fo'cas'le OF the Jean
for D'Arc, the result might have been q
ery ferent. But the struggle was toe lol
and Jim's strength insufficient. Cha
ass lsrd freed himself from his antagon
Of sufficiently to WELD the spike sor
nor where about Jim's head. and thu
ina came over him sickening conscio
AID. ness that he was going down
old dropped. hanging like a bulldog
y a Chatelard's knees, but he knew
v;se had lost the game. He gathered h
linn self momentarily, determined to
on his feet once more, and had
and most done 1t, when sounds OF
we're preaching voices mingled with
,een scuffie of their feet and their gu
ute breathing. Before Jim could see W
o It new thing was happening, Chatel
laid. had turned for one alert instant
re. ward the port side, whence the inv
and ing voices came. He was cut off II
lain the stairway. caught in the stern
t at the yacht, his weapon gone. He 6
, to quick call in low voice to the
be. below. stepped over the taffrail
ther then leaped overheard.
: TO propped up on an elbow, dazed
!, n half blinded, blood flowing down