The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-01-21
CHAPTER lxil.
Onslaught.

On the chiefs part II was q horri.
bic mistake In his momcntary excite
ment hs had thought to eIterminAte
Hernandez. Hut tho cutthroats who
bounded into view never even saw Her.
nandes. Hernandoz was there. agile.
alert. ready TO defend himself but they
didn't know H.
The only thing they saw was An.
nctts Iiinston. ciutched Ia the mighty
grasp OF their chief. Like q mob OF
ravenous wolves they pounced uyon
her. Tho chief beat them on.
There arc two" he exclaimed
two. Tho other runs free upon tho
beach. This one 10 mine. The other
ON tho beach. Scatter and ind her"
some half dozen OF the crew. accus.
toned TO obedience. scsmpercd on
Hut not 30 the rest shoulder 60 shoul.
der. thigh to thigh. they struggled on
after their chief holding out their
hands toward the trembling girl upon
hia shoulder Step by step he fought
his way. cll'rhing her nrmly to him.
until no reached the entrance to n
oayo-his cave. lie stopped 10 enter.
Then broke the storm.
Down on shore Neal and Ilington.
alarmed at the prolonged absence OF
Annette. had scattercd-Noal secured
the beach In one direction llington In
another.
Al last Neal found hcr--inez. crouch.
ing behind n rock. lnoz. painting with
fear. ieapod into hia arms. lie cast
her off--for no did not understand.
Annette" she cried. they've got
her-there-that way-that way"
Annette. numb with fear. lay quiv.
erinx Just within the mouth OF the
cave. Behind her was the dark-the
unknown. She was too terror'strick'
on 10 move. Hut she was quick.wit'
ted aud she saw-and Understood
that this terrific hight was helping her.
She collected hcrself-she began TO
plan. Inch by inch she crspt farther
into the darkness.
When the night was AT It's hottest the
chief iunged far out In the midst Of Il
and left the caves mouth temporarily
uncovered. Like fash Annette wrig'
glcd out OF the cave and skunk swiftly
toward the underground. She reached
II. when a figure blocked her path.
II was Neal. With a wild cry she
nung herself into his arms. Hut Neal
repulsed her for the instant. and with
forethought Almost brutally ho
flung her behind him, and unshipped
his navy gun For action was at hand.
One man and only one had seen An
nette crawl from the caves mouth and
that man was the pirate chief As
aoon as he could disentangle himself,
he was away and after her. And here
he came. tearing through the under
growth with savage bounds.
Neal fred thrlce-hit once-missed
twice--and then tho cutthroat was up
on him.
Ilington from the shore, heard the
shots. lie looked upward and saw
peering down at him from az eminence,
the face OF his arch enemy. Her
nandez.
lie shook massive fist at the face.
and tho face disappeared.
Ilington fastened back 10 the tenn
porary camp and found that the lieu
tenant aud his men we're making ready
for run.
Come on, loot" cried llington. leap
ing into tho underground, I'm ready
for a tight, saw a head Just now
and I'm going 10 hit It hard"
Neal fought with fury. but his hight
was futile. so. be Il said. was the
fight OF the pirate chief For Meals
shots had brought the other beasts
swarming like human hornets about
their heads Annettes temporary es
cape had been disoovered-they had
been cheated was their
due. They pounced upon Neal ane
their chief like harpies-once NOR,
pandemonium reigned. Annette
orouched unseen-horrorstrlcken.
Suddenly she shrieked aloud-foi
Neal had disappeared beneath mas
OF men.
She shrieked and ran like wild for