River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-05-15

he had been fool-that was the plain
truth He might as well face it al
once He had been idiot enough to
think he might win the girl, just be.
cause they had been tossed together
in mid-ocean and she had chung to
him. The world wasn't an ocean; it
was a spiritual stock-exchange where
he who would win must bid very high
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 a
light sound, like a scratch-scratch on
tie 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 Alloy,
Chamberlain" There was no answer.
But in the tense stiffness there was a
sound, and 1t came from below-the
sound Of a mans stealthy tread.
Jim sprang to his feet and made
the companionway ct a bound. He
listened an instant to make sure that
he heard true, cleared the steps, and
landed in the darkness of the ships
saloon. AS he groped along, reach
ing for the door of the principal
cabin, the blackness suddenly lighted
a little, and a dim shadow shot out
and up the stairway. Jim's physical
senses were scarcely cognizant of the
soft, quick passing, but his thumbs
| pricked. He dashed after the shadow,
up the stairs, out on deck, and aft.
There he was-Chatelard, armed, fac
ing his enemy once more, cool but not
smiling, desperately at bay. Below
him, riding just under the stern of the
yacht, was the tender whose scratch
scratch had awakened jim. A man,
oars in hand, was holding the boat
close to the Sea Gull
Jim saw all this during the seconds
| between his turning at the stair-top
and his throwing himself plump
against the figure by the railing. He
was quick enough to pass the range
Of the weapon, whose shot rang out
in the clear air, but he was not quick
enough to get under the mans guard
Chatelard was ready for him, holding
his weapon high.
AS he pressed forward, Jim felt
something under his foot. He ducked
quickly, as if to dodge Chatelards
hand, and on the downward swing he
picked up the rusty marlinspike. 1t
was a weapon Of might, indeed. Jim's
blow caused Chatelard's arm to drop,
limp and nerveless. But in gaining
his enemy's weapon, Jim was forced
to drop his own. He put firm foot
upon the spike, however, while he
held Chatelard at arms length and
looked into his face.
$50 we meet once more, after ALI"
he cried. "And once more / have the
pistol" Even as Jim spoke, his adj
versary made a spring that almost en-
abled him to seize the weapon again
Jim eluded his clutch, and quick as
thought threw the gun overheard. 1t
struck far out on the smooth water.
1t was sorry thing to do, as it
proved, for Chatelard, watching his
chance, stopped, wrenched the spike
from under Jims foot, and once more
stood defantly at bay And at this
point. he opened his thin lips for one
remark.
You'll go to hell now, you pig of an
Americana"
But after you, Monsieur!" Jim
cried, and with the words, his arms
were about the other in a paralyzing
grip.
Had Jim been as strong as when
the two men measured forces weeks
before, in the fo'casle of the Jeanne
Dare, the result might have been diff
ferent But the struggle was too long,
and Jim's strength insufficient. Chate-
| lard freed himself from his antagonist
sufficiently to WELD the spike some
where about Jim's head, and there
came over him sickening conscious
ness that he was going down He
dropped, hanging like a bulldog to
Chatelard's knees, but he knew he
had lost the game. He gathered HIM
self momentarily, determined to get
on his feet once more, and had al
most done it, when sounds OF ap-
preaching voices mingled with the
scuffie of their feet and their quick
breathing. Before Jim could see what
new thing was happening, Chatelard
had turned for one alert instant to-
ward the port side, whence the invad-
ing voices came. He was cut off from
the stairway, caught in the stern of
the yacht, his weapon gone. He gave
quick call in low voice to the boat
below, stepped over the taffrail and
then leaped overheard.
Propped up on an elbow. dazed and
half blinded, blood flowing down his
I cheek, Jim stretched forward dizzily,
as If to follow his disappearing enemy.
He heard the splash of the water, and
morning was over had the whole apart