Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-10-01
CHE MANCHESTER DEMOCRAT, MANCHESTER, 10


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Judge Fulton, Edwe-ds and King
still remained upon tA~lr feet. o.
these the first named wer corpuleas
short Of wind and incapable ef sAsag
more than running about and feint-
ing in order to divert his foes atten-
ton, but this he was doing to the
best Of his ability. Edwards, strong
and active, was seeking an opportun-
ity to close in, his pocket knife held
open in his hand; while King. who
had evidently been partially stunned
by. a blow, was stumbling about the
lawn as though in search OF some
weapon, stone or club. In his
position upon the others back and
between the wings March had ire
mendous advantage, yet despite his
strength and immunity from attack
found that he could do little more
than hamper the creatures move
ments. Edwards seeing the foe thus
encountered rushed headlong in with
his knife ready for sweeping thrust,
and March, keenly alive to the oppor-
tunity, threw all his strength into q
backward surge in an attempt to over
balance the one he held in order that
the blade might find It's mark. But the
one beneath him reared and leaped
aside as horse might beneath its
rider, and the next instant March
found himself arising half stunned
from the grass several yards distant.
felled by a tremendous blow or kick
delivered with such lightning quick
ness that none but the one who deliv-
cred it ever knew from where It came.
As for the Flying Man, he now stood
crouching in the center Of the battle
field with his wings half spread and
his huge eyes glowing like those of
an enormous beetle. He was moaning
and the blood was running profusely
from hts side where Tolliver's bullet
had raked him across the ribs.
Some Of the women had fed beneath
the trees or gone screaming down the
street in search Of assistance, but 9TH
ers still remained huddled against the
steps in wild eyed horror and incapa-
BILE Of movement With a hop that COW
cred at least ten feet the 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
malevolent scream leaped upon him.
That he purposed some terrible act
against this man who had been the
first to 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 OF his victim and from his lips
burst wild scream that unmistakably
denoted that he had learned to fear
this fire splitting thing which had stung
him SO keenly. With . leap aside Of
inconceivable quickness he landed up
on the steps of the porch. the blood
now streaming down his leg and leav-
ing its dark mark wherever he
stepped. Alan sighted quickly and
pulled the trigger. The hammer fell
with a metallic clack upon an imper-
feet cartridge and no explosion fol-
lowed. Once more he cooked it, but
as he raised his arm his antagonist
leaped like q great frog into the air,
the huge wings few out as released
springs uncoil. beat downward with q
power SO tremendous that the blast
from them swept the watchers as q
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 a
fash. But a moment later his
scream came back to them, malicious
and -exultant. s.,
Alan threw his useless firearm down
with an imprecation upon its false
ness. And as he did SO there burst
through the door and came dart
ing down the steps a 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 flew about. Where is he? Oh,
where is he?" she gasped. Alan
pointed upward.
"Gone-fapped away like 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 a 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 50s?, 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 looked