Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-06-18

pent torward his rifle advanced.
felt sure Of his identity almost &
once; surely he could be no other tina
the British agent, whom mademoisell
held guilty OF her fathers murder, tn
man who masqueraded under my ow
name. | felt my blood grow hot wit
anger. He would pass within a var
OF me; he was alone, seeking his way
e~ndeavoring to plan how he shoul
lead his savages to an assault. II
could get him 1t would be half the bal
tie.
watched him closely, peering abou
the smooth bark of the tree, one foo
advanced ready for a spring. Som
instinct Of wild life must have toll,
him OF my presence, for he stopped
still, peering about s~uspiciously, hi
rifle flung forward. I dared not delay
yet swift as | was. his quick ey,
caught my movement. The gun but
swinging through the air met his rife
barrel, slid along the steel, and strucl
a glancing blow. He reeled back
dazed, half stunned, dropping his owr
weapon, yet Selling the muzzle of mine
to keep from falling. l endeavored tc
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
aside under our feet.
He swore once. a mad English oath,
but l choked 1t 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. l 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 fumb-
ling for a knife at his belt. BY Gods
mercy / got it first; yet could not
strike, for he had me foul, gripped to
him as II held in a wise. l could feel
the muscles of his chest, the straining
sinews Of his arms as they crushed
me. / gave back, down, my limbs
trembling beneath the force with
which he flung the whole weight of his
body against mine. had met my
match, and / knew it. Yet the knowl-
edge gave me fresh strength, fiercer
determination. The very conception
of defeat crazed me; my brain held no
thought save a mad impulse to con.
quer him, show him who was the bet
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. It was
enough, ! had him locked at my hip;
yet strain as l would his weight baf-
fled 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 a finger grip. Our
eyes glared into each other with saw
age hate. How 1t 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, m~otionless, a huge black
shape outstretched on the ground In
the CHASTITY light of dawn.
got to my knees, scarcely realizing
had happened. peering down into
upturned face, one hand raised to
strike If the man moved. There was
lot a motion. l bent lower-the eyes
we're closed, blood dripped from his
lair. ! turned the head, so as to bet
er perceive the features-surely this
vas not the man for whom | had been
mistaken! He was big enough, but
by dissipation, and wore a
mustache. AS | live there was
lot a resemblance. Who was he
hen? ! got to my feet and searched
ut my rife in tho tangled brush.
'ome noise reached me-the splash of
water, the echo of a far-off voice. They
coming, the Indians; they had
his last cry; they were already
rossing the ford. | hesitated an in
tant, staring down ct him, listening
that ! might be sure. then
urned and ran swiftly toward the {
Tearing. 1t was already gray dawn.
even in the dense woods | could I
to avoid the trees. Behind me
ang out a wild whoop OF savagery;
hey had discovered the body! '
lanced back across my shoulder, as c
an; burst forth into the clearing, and, l
of all else, raced for the I
ouse. fell once, my foot slipping n '
hummock, but was up instantly. a
lunged at the door, and leaped with. C
Brady caught me, thrust the wood.
n bars down into their sockets, and l.
llf dragged me over to the bench.
What is it," are they comlng?" he
!: was darker in there than outside,
could barely, perceive his face. Il
Yes" ! painted. "They are Just be- +
M, hau w run ior II. Get- "
1t to the stations; Ill-Ill tell o h
ter what happened put there" D
He left me, and my eyes, accustom. b
g themselves to the gloom, began to g
scern objects In the room. got IN le
y feet, still breathing heavily from o
.haustion, yet with brain active, Il
e ear when the verh CONAN nIunu t1