The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-11-10

Quabba all who are strangers are enc
mics. and he headed in a straight line
for the beach and the breaking surf.
half mile away.
On the deck the struggle between
Blair and Luke is one of vicious feroc-
ity, in which the clothing Of both is
torn. Both joy in the battle. and the
few half drunken sailors aboard, tum-
bling out from the forecastle, are vic
with excitement and delight at the
splendid smashing scrap between the
burly, heavy built Luke and the 1.-THE
and active Blair.
Hey, Bill cries one of the sailors.
its two old friends with grudge for
surel''
Il should worry. 1t amt my float
ing palace they are mussing upr ex-
claims the -other mariner. And he
spoke truly in one sense. for like mad
dened beasts the two men tore at each
other, and the snowy deck of the yacht
was stained with blood, which flowed
profusely from both cOmbatants.
Against the paneled mahogany of the
cabin side the fighters crashed, smash
ing and splintering glass and wood
work. And then. in sheer tearing rage,
combining all their strength to dash
each other to insensibility and death,
they plunged from the smashed cabin
side at the center to the stanchion
rail. At the heavy impact of the two
strong bodies flung against it the rail
bent outward and the stanehions snap
ped like pipestems, and the two men,
locked In death grips, went over the
side and into the water. kicking.
thrusting, cursing.
In the water, more active, Blair 1oos-
ened hold and dived under Coming
to the surface, he waited for the gyp-
sy's head to appear, and when Luke
rose to the surface, bubbling and gasp
| ing for breath, Blair struck him a
smashing blow between the eyes and
swan to the companionway. Half
| stunned and half strangled, Luke
| screamed in inarticulate insanity of
/ rage and hate. Then through his dull
mind came a realization that Blair, as
| friend of the owner of the yacht and
as "a gentleman, would have the aid
and assistance of the sailors.
| Leaving the matter for another day
to settle, for Luke was of a nature
that loved to nurse and cherish his
enmity, the gypsy turned and swan
strongly and doggedly to the shore.
Blair, painting, water soaked and
disheveled, leaned over the rope rail
ing of the eompanionway and looked
after Luke, also with that respect one
good fighting man has for the other.
Hurt, sirg' a sailor asked.
"Only little scratched said Blair,
noting with some satisfaction that the
cold sea water had checked the bleed
| ing of his wounds
1.-THE poor fellow must have gone
roaring mad" added Blair in explana-
tion 1--WE had been lost in the woods
for some days, and he must have got
hold of some whisky and have gone
clean crazy, for the first thing I knew
he sprang upon me. fighting like mad
dogp
It was this same explanation in ex-
tension that Blair made to the sailing
master when the latter returned to the
launch with the sailors from their
shore leave, for the two sailors left in
the forecastle had not seen or known
of Esther's boarding the yacht in
search of Arthur or her wild leap from
1t when faced by Blair and Luke. MOI
had the sailing master, mastering his
men at the end of the street leading
to the wharf at the time of Esther's
leap, known of her presence aboard
the yacht. The sailing master had
seen the rowboat with Quabba and
Esther headed straight for the beach