The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-10-26

outs Josephs Xenee u. - : ls.t:s.
the GolcnsL Thursday, October 81
that & some me time I may forget it's g
woman I'm defending myself against
When a fellows lighting for his very
life he can't. always stop to, calculate
the weight Of his blows S'"''
The Young man sighed, shook biz
head, laughed uncertainty, and held
her closer to him. Don't fear; I'll
find some way out without etnjqring
either u them. ! promise you thati@
He sealed; the pledge upon her lips.
And In that moment Of their obliy;
ion to the world from some point for,
ward a muaied crash sounded stimuli
taneously with the dull shock Of 81
collision with a smaller vessel, and q
strange voice cried out with an ae'
cent OF high exultation. y .,,s
Before either Alan. or the girl could
disengage the decks rang loud with 9
rush OF booted feet pounding aft
The figures Of the boarding party
were already taking shape through the
fog as Alan sprang toward the com;
panionway to fetch the rife And Hin,|
this action his feet slipped on planks
greasy with moisture deposited BY the
surchargad atmosphe He went down
with a stumbling thump, and an In;
slant later, two men fell bodily upon
him active, strong fellows in the
dress Of fishermen. He was suffered
to rise only as a prisoner helpless In
the grasp Of two pairs Of powerful
hands ny
He saw Barcus, rudely reused and
still dumb with sleepy confusion, in
no better. case-jerked to his feet and
held captive by two more fishermen,
A fifth had taken charge Of Rose,
clamping her wrists in the wise OF
one big hand.
The sixth and sole other member OF
the boarding party, likewise in the
rough.and-ready garb of a fisherman
was Judith Urine.
Down the side heavy life-boat
ground its way astern. the loose end
OF its painter slipping over the rail
even as Alan caught sight OF 1t. (So|
1t seemed Barcus had guessed shrewd
IyD
charge OF Alan made as IL to leave
him to the other, addressing Judith
for permission to prevent the loss oil
the lifeboat. She stopped him with
peremptory gesture.
"No-let it go. We're better of
without it. Hold that man fast till
fetch rope. Well make sure OF
them both this time!"
Straining forward in the grasp Of
her guard, Rose implored her sister:
Judith. in PHYS name. think what
you are doing!"
Hold your tonguet" Judith snapped
viciously. Another whimper out OF
you, and I'll have you gagged! !"
The balance Of her threat, though
by the exhibition of an
automatic pistol, was drowned out BY
the sudden roar Of steamship fog
signal, 80 close aboard that 1t seemed
almost to emanate from the forepart
OF the schooner herself.
AS it was answered by shrill and
hoarse cries Of terror or Of warning
from dozen throats, Alan found him
seYf. released, nip captors teaping for
their lives, to the taftrail.
He caught an instantaneous glimpse
of the knife-llke bow Of a great steam.
er towering above the two-master-
sweeping toward 1t at speed which.
raised smart jet Of white under tho
cutwater.
Someone aboard the schooner, with
the voice of stentor, beloved a ter
riaed appeal:
"stop your engines! Shut of your
propeller! Stop your
Then. like the wrath Of God, the
steamship overwhelmed the lesser
ship; its bow seemed to slice through
the schooner as knife through
cheese. And the two halves were fairly
driven under water by the frightful
force OF the blow.
Thunders deafening him, Alan was
hurled bodily through the air fully
twenty feet.
When he came up he struck out at
random, blindly tormented by the
vision of Rose caught II the suck Of
that gigantic wheel. drawn under
crushed and mangled by The propeller
Of the vast black hulk whose flank was
sliding past, like the face Of g clini
ten yards behind his should eTs:
Aware of several dark objects dot:
ting the surface within llAs e radius q