Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-06-05

lightly enough, not tho slightest sound
betraying his cat-like movements as
he came steadily onward, with head
bent forward, his rife advanced.
felt sure of his identity almost at
once; surely he could be no other than
the British agent, whom mademoiselle
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 it would be half the bat
tie.
/ watched him closely, peering about
the smooth bark of the tree, one foot
advanced ready for spring. Some
instinct of wild life must have told
him of my presence, for he stopped
still, peering about suspiciously, MS
rifle flung forward. ! dared not delay,
yet swift as l was, his quick eye
caught my movement. The gun butt
swinging through the air met his rifle
barrel, slid along the steel, and struck
glancing blow. He reeled back,
dazed, half stunned, dropping his own
weapon, yet seizing the muzzle of mine
to keep from falling. l endeavored to
jerk it free, but he hung to it. des-
perately. Scarce knowing how 1t was
done, we were together, graphing
each other, the disputed gun kicked
ocido under o11r foot
He swore once, a mad English oath,
but l choked it back, clutching his
throat in iron grip, straining to force
him to the fulcrum of my knee. Then
he found grasp of my hair, hurting my
head back until the agony compelled
me to let go. ! struck him square in
the face, a blow that would have
dropped an ordinary man, but he only
snarled, and closed in, graphing my
wrist with one hand, the other funb-
ling for knife at his belt. BY Gods
mercy / got it first; yet could not
strike, for he had me foul, gripped to
him as If held in wise. | could feel
the muscles of his chest, the straining
sinews of his arms as they crushed
me. l gave back, down, my limbs
trembling beneath the force with
which he flung the whole weight of his
body against mine. l had met my
match, and / knew it. Yet the knowl-
edge gave me fresh strength, hercer
determination The very conception
of defeat crazed me; my brain held no
thought save mad impulse to con-
IL ~, y, 1n hot
ter man!
wrenched aside, breaking that
strangle-hold by sheer strength and
wrestling skill. Again we gripped,
| face to face, our muscles straining as
we sought advantage of hold. My
hunting shirt gave, tearing apart like
| brown paper, giving me a scant Sec
ond as his grasp slipped. 1t, was
enough, l had him locked at my hip;
yet strain as l would his weight baf-
fed every effort. Back and forth we
struggled, crushing the bushes under
| foot, our breath coming in sobs, every
muscle aching under the awful strain.
Neither dared loosen finger grip. Our
eyes glared into each other with saw
age hate. How it would have ended
God knows, had the fellow not slipped
on the brush root, so that the added
weight of my body flung him head
| long. Even as he went over, bearing
me along with him, his head crashing
| into the side of a tree as he fell, his
| lips gave vent to one wild cry Then
he lay still, motionIess, huge black
shape outstretched on the ground in
the CHASTITY light of dawn
l got to my knees, scarcely realizing
what had happened, peering down into
the upturned face, one hand raised to
strike If the man moved. There was
not a motion. / bent lower-the eyes
we're closed, blood dripped from his
| hair. / turned the head, so as to bet
| ter perceive the features-surely this
| was not the man for whom / had beer
mistaken! He was big enough, but
marked by dissipation, and wore G
black mustache. AS 1 live there was
not resemblance. Who was he
then? got to my feet and searched
out my rifle in the tangled brush
Some noise reached me-the splash Of
water, the echo of far-off voice They
were coming, the Indians; they hae
heard his last cry; they were already
crossing the ford. hesitated an in
slant, staring down at him, listening
intently that l might be sure, the1
turned and ran swiftly toward tn,
clearing. 1t was already gray dawn
and even in the dense woods I coult
see to avoid the trees. Behind m.
rang out wild whoop of savagery
they had discovered the bodyi
glanced back across my shoulder, as
ran; burst forth into the clearing, and
reckless of all else, raced for tn,
house. / fell once, my foot slipping OF
a hummock, but was up instantly
plunged at the door, and leaped with
| in. Brady caught me, thrust the wood
en- bars down into their sockets, an,
half dragged me over to the bench.
What is it?" are they coming?" b.
asked.
/ 1t was darker in there than outside
and could barely perceive his face.
YES" I painted. "They are Just be
hind me. II had to run for it. Get
} get to the stations; I'll-Ill tell yo,
later what happened out there"
He left me, and my eyes, accuston
/. ing themselves to the gloom, began t
discern objects in the room. l got t
my feet, still breathing heavily fror
exhaustion, yet with brain active
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