The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-04-09
CHAPTER XIV.
A Struggle Underground.

/ renamed poised, greatness, mud
died In the dark, hesitating. A dozen
considerations flashed through my
mind, as l swiftly decided what to do.
could scarcely hope to move back
ward without noise; nor, II I succeed
ed, would I be any better of with him
still blocking the passage? There was
nothing for it then but to come to hand
grips. But the fellow. whoever he
might be-whether white or Indian
was doubtless armed, while I was
weaponless. To get him right was
desperate chance, yet a chance which
must be taken. Fortunately had him
located, his heavy breathing being IN
mistakable, and evidence also that the
man remained unaware Of my pres
ence. l shifted one foot forward to
get f1rmer purchase, and then grasped
hand came In contact with a shoulder;
then gripped mass of long hair. He
gave vent to sudden cry, startled, al
most inhuman In its wildness, strug-
Cling backward 80 quickly my other
hand closed on air. But held hard to
what l had, dragged off my balance,
feeling his fingers after my throat.
There was no room for US to do other
wise than claw at each other After
that first cry neither of US uttered
sound, but closed in on him, getting a
stronger grip. He was a man, a white
man, for he wore rough coat, and his
face was covered with a growth of
straggly, coarse whiskers. Enemy or
friend l could not be sure, nor did
find opportunity to discover. We both
fought like beasts, resorting to teeth
and nails. He was seemingly not a
large man, but wiry and muscular. His
very lack Of size was an advantage in
that narrow space; besides l was
weakened by loss of blood, and with
every movement my wound hurt.
His one object was to wrench him
self loose, but my fortunate grip on
his hair foiled this effort. Yet both
his hands were free, the one clutching
my throat; but, in those first breath
less seconds, l could not locate the
other. He was lying on his side, with
right arm underneath. Fearful of a
weapon, l let the fellow gouge at my
throat with long ape-like fingers,
while l struggled fiercely to expose the
hidden hand. If it proved empty
knew I could handle the man; that
possessed the strength to draw him to
me, to crush him into subsection with.
| in the wise of my arms. Straining
every muscle l could bring into play
I succeeded in forcing him over onto
| his face. But he was a cat, wiry, full
! of tricks. In some manner he twirled
his arm out of my grip. There was a
fash of reddish yellow flame soaring
across my eyes, an awful report, like
an explosion in my stunned ears
Where the bullet went l will never
out at me from the darkness-just an
instant of reflection, as though thrown
against a screen by some flash of light
the unmistakable face of negro
And his was a hideous visage; the
memory of 1t fingers with me yet
Swift as 1t appeared and vanished in
| that burst of flame, I shall never for
get the glare of the mans eyes, the
malignant snarl Of the open lips, the
teeth cruel and snag-like, and the vel
!,lowish-black of his face. 1t was as If
held some foul fiend Of hell in my grip
Yet startled as l was by this appari
ton, his view of me had no less an eff
feet. Even in that single instant Of
revealment, the hate in his eyes
changed to fear, to uncomfortable
panic; his lips gave vent to wild cry
an exclamation in mongrel French
and, before could stiffen in resistance
or recover from my own shock, the fel
low flung his pistol at me, and jerket
free. The flying weapon tore a gasf
in my scalp, but his haste and feal
proved his own undoing. Half stunned
as | was by the blow, | heard hin
spring to his feet the dull crash Of hi:
head as he struck the hardwood slal
of the low roof, and then the thud o
body on the tunnel floor. In hi
haste, his desperation, his strang'
fright, he had forgotten where he was
and attempted to spring erect. NJ.
head reeled, the blood from this ney
cut trickling down my cheek. The ne
gro lay motionless in the darkness;
could not even distinguish his breath
ing, although l hestiated, listening il
tently, half fearing some trick
What had frightened the fellow so
: What had brought that look of insan
! terror into his eyes? 1t was as if b
= stared at ghost, the very sight Q
r which had craZed him. | mastered m
D own nerves, and crept forward alon
+ the passage, feeling blindly in advanc
with one outstretched hand, until
: came In contact with the mans figure
He lay full length on the tunnel foo
and had to find my way over him t
: reach his head It was difficult t
touch him, to place my fingers agains
his flesh The memory of those spar