The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-09-22
ILLUSTRATED 6I DJ.LKVN
(OHNnN7T HCMeCYLl2G q 90. L2l5

lightly enough. not the slightest SOUND !,
betraying his Cat-like movements as
he came steadily onward, with head |
bent forward, his rifle advanced.
felt sure Of his identity almost al
once; surely he could be no other than
the British agent, whom mademolselle
held guilty Of her fathers murder, the
man who masqueraded under my own
name. felt my blood grow hot with
anger. He would pass within YARD
of me; he was alone, seeking his way
endeavoring to plan how he should
lead his savages to an assault II
could get him 1t would be half the bat
tie.
watched him closely, peering about
the smooth bark Of the tree, one 1901
advanced ready for a spring. Some
instinct OF wild life must have tolu
lin of my presence, for he stopped
Ctill, peering about suspiclously' MS
rifle flung forward. l dared not delay
7 yet swift as | was, his quick eye
! caught my movement The gun butt
swinging through the air met his rlne
barrel slid along the steel, and struck
a glancing blow. He reeled Dack'
2 dazed, half stunned, dropping his own
r weapon, yet Selling the mu2zle of mine
s to keep from falling. | endeavored 10
Jerk it free, but he hung to 1t des-
4 perately. Scarce knowing how 1t was
e done, we were together, graphing
t each other, the disputed gun kicked
aside under our feet.
d He swore once, a mad English oath,
u but | choked it back, clutching MS
e throat in iron grip, straining to force
him to the fulcrum of my knee Then
d he found grasp Of my hair, hurting my
d head back until the agony compelled
h me to let go. | struck him square IN
Y, the face, a blow that would nave
IS dropped an ordinary man, but he only
y snarled and closed in, graphing my
A wrist with one hand, the other tumb
II ling for q knife at his belt. By Gods
ID mercy l got It first; yet could no.
lie strike, for he had me foul, gripped Il
N him as if held in a wise. could fee
is the muscles Of his chest, the strainlnf
ii sinews Of his arms as they crushed
re me. l gave back, down, my limbs
trembling beneath the force VIII
e, which he flung the whole weight Of hi
w body against mine. l had met m,
m match, and knew it. Yet the know
en- edge gave me fresh strength, fierce
determination. The very conceptlo
re of defeat crazed me; my brain held n
thought save a mad impulse to COZ
uuer him, show him who was the be-
ng ter man!
I wrenched aside, breaking tha
2" strangle-hold by sheer strength an
TX wrestling skill. Again we grippet
to face to face, our muscles straining a
Sc we sought advantage Of hold. M
e." hunting shirt gave, tearing apart liz
an brown paper, giving me scant Sc
he ond as his grasp slipped. 1t We
enough, | had him locked at my hir
vet strain as would his weight ba
fed every effort Back and forth "
struggled, crushing the bushes undo
foot. our breath coming in sobs, ever
not muscle aching under the awful strat
Ian Neither dared loosen finger grip. o.
eyes glared into each other with sa
On age hate. How it would have endt
M God knows, had the fellow not sllppC
~ on the brush root, so that the add'
- weight Of my body flung him hea
s% long. Even as he went over, bearil
:M me along with him, his head crashil
~ into the side Of tree as he fell, h
& lips gave vent to one wild cry. TIL
g( he lay still, motionless, huge bla
~ shape outstretched on the ground
Il the CHASTITY light of dawn.
.L | got to my knees, scarcely realizi
VIZ, what had happened, peering down In
? ! the upturned face, one hand raised
+ strike if the man moved. There W
~ not motion. bent lower-the ey
IN we're closed, blood dripped from
gN hair. turned the head, so as to b
Will ter perceive the features-surely Il
iaN was not the man for whom had be
Ky mistaken! He was big enough,
AK marked by dissipation, and wore
Y black mustache. AS live there v
L. not a resemblance. Who was
v then? / got to my feet and search
tN out my rife in the tangled bru
" Some noise reached me-the splash
water. the echo of faroff voice. TT
were coming, the Indians; they
heard his last cry; they were alret
crossing the ford. hesitated an
cuv slant, staring down at him, listen
intently that might be sure, tt
n, ! turned and ran swiftly toward
the clearing. 1t was already gray da
be. and even in the dense woods co
.ious see to avoid the trees. Behind
tray rang out wild whoop OF savage
mo. they had discovered the body!
,e of glanced back across my shoulder,
W Of ran; burst forth into the clearing,
e Cd. reckless of all else, raced for
house. fell once, my foot slipping
hun. a hummock, but was up instar
g we plunged at the door, and leaped "
e 4. Dro5y caught mo thTngt the WI