The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-01-26
Ardmore, Wednesday, January 26, 1916.

We're safe
Back before the fire, two men fought,
back to back. One was Neal-and one
the mate. They fought like tigers
ior a moment, but not more. Twenty
/ to one the man-eaters hurled them.
selves upon two white men and bore
them, senseless, to the ground.
The Brute meanwhile, was gazing
wildly all about him-iooking for his
! master and looking in vain. Suddenly,
he of all men, saw the exit OF Her
nandez-saw him steal away. At first
he may have been impelled to follow
for he started off. But a close OBJ.
server might have noted an expression
of relief cross his countenance, for he
sank back once more upon his seat
and watched the fight.
He even laughed-to him it seemed
like a new game. A fight was childs
play to the Brute. But when the un-
conscious forms of Neal and the mate
were borne away, he seemed alarmed.
He started once more to his feet
"Eye.yah," cried the chief to his fol.
lowers, the white god hungers. On
with the feast"
Once more the bearers seized AM
nette-still lashed firmly to the pole.
Then for the first time the Brute real.
lied that something was wrong-that
here was horror.
He darted into the midst of the war
riors and swung his arms.
"No-no," he cried.
But the mere word of a god could
never stop them now. They were hun.
gry-they had fought for spoils and
the spoils were theirs. They shoul'
dered him aside, and went on. e.
They didn't get far. The Brute was
fresh-he had been resting. With one
fell swOop he once more charged upon
them. and tore them-broke them with
his hands, broke their backs across his
knees-cracked their skulls with
single blow He swept them all before
him, carrying the fight across the
clearing. He seized one of the long
poles and moved them down like
grain.
He was more than one mamie was
ten. But he was only ten-no
Meantime, Meals captors, deter.
mined en- "a little private vengeance,
had trussed him up, or tried to. But
that tough young man, having partial
ly revived, permitted his captors-
there were but two-to go just so far.
Then he came to life, and applied the
gentle art of jiu jitsu to each of them
in turn. 1t was effective-and bone
breaking.
Then Neal saw-and his heart
leaped Annette for the moment was
deserted. The fight was centered on
the Brute. Neal sprang to Annette,
and with deft fingers loosed her bonds.
He lifted her gently to his shoulder
and started off.
He was too late. For the fight with
the Brute was over. For one instant
the Brute had left open vulnerable
point-his defense had failed With
mighty swung of mighty war club,
one of his antagonists dealt him a
swinging, deadly blow upon the head.
The Brute fell like log.
Then somebody saw Neal and An.
Like a tidal wave the whole crowd
surged back to their fair victim.
Neal, surrounded, dropped Annette
to the ground and held his hands high
in air. 81
God help us-help u.s." he cried in
desperate need.
At that moment there was ringing
fell dead The rest turned to face
another foe-a new kind. Out of the
t1shes sprang squad of marines from
the Missouri. They had landed in re-
sponse to Meals wireless. They had
struck the trail. They had arrived
just in the nick of time.
Pick your man." cried Neal, fire
ah."
With a wild shout the savage crew
turned and fed-fled in vain, each pur-
sued by a man in uniform, each out.
matched by one man.
there was no village-and no villagers.
Neal saluted the officer in charge.
and apologized. Wasn't my business
t. give orders, sir he smiled, but if
you'd been in my place. -
The officer saluted in his turn.
Don't worry, son." he said, you'll be
in my place if you keep on fighting
like that-youll keep going up-and
up"
Neal revived Annette-no very diff
cult task, for Annette Ilington had
inherited from some source remark
able strength and endurance and won
derful nerve. He found his mother
still insensible, but suffering only from
the shock.
It's a good thing Annette whis'
pered to him, that she didn't see It