The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-12-13

Ho"oc, out iuiBtI anu l1OTe POWERFUL
He saw the rays detected from the
creatures body, dancing In prismatic
colors upon the edge of Its leathery
hide. He saw 1t dimly, as one sees
the full moon In the arms of the new.
And, glaring into his eyes, were the
two eyes, seemingly poised In the air,
two pupils of the size of currants, and
animated by a diabolical intelligence.
The sun dipped down, and in an in
slant the fog, only partly dispersed,
closed In again. And as Donald
watched, he saw the pupils slowly d.
late In the dim light until they be-
came as large as saucers. The stony
glare between the unwinking lids,
which fringed them like shadow, the
monstrous expansion Of the pupils
sent the blood through Donalds heart
in Icy jets.
Then, regaining courage, he dashed
his fist into the monsters face, and
the struggle began. He felt the i'm
pact of his knuckles on flesh, and It
gave him new heart. At least he was
fighting thing of flesh and blood, and
not demon.
Ida lay swooning across the seat,
where the monster had dropped her as
1t turned to face Its new adversary.
And In the rocking boat Donald fought
for his own life and that of the girl
he loved.
For the first time he understood that
Masterman's story was not the dream
of dlsordered brain, but the expert
ence Of one who had striven to warn
q skeptical world.
And afterward he understood why
the boat had spun so dizzily long after
the vortex created by the sinking of
the Beotia had subsided. Even then
the swarm of monsters must have dis
covered their prey.
Perhaps 1t was the plankton In the
water, the jellylike infusion on which
they fed, that had brought them there;
perhaps the presence Of drowning
men. Perhaps they had brought the
plankton with them, equipped for
some dreadful journey.
Donald tried to lock his arms about
the slimy thing, but he could get no
firm grasp Of 1t. And each touch of
the flippers drew the blood to the sur
face Of his skin by suction, bringing
out rows of reddenlng spots that
stung. He was fighting devil fish
with the intelligence Of man, armed
with invislbility, creating overwhelm-
Ing horror by its presence alone.
He felt his strength failing him. He
was dragged toward the edge of the
rocking boat.
He stumbled and fell. He felt him.
self held fast; he felt his ribs were
In stinging wise.
But as he fell his hand grasped one
If the oars. Donald snatched 1t up
md, with last effort of desperation,
reed himself for an instant. He
'aised the oar and sent the sharp
edge Of the blade crashing forward.
He heard the sound as of torn bal
Don. The squirming fllppers uncoiled.
rhe boat tipped to the edge and right
ID Itself. A splash followed. Donald |
'ank down upon the seat.
Then gradually milky cloud began
o diffuse itself upon the face of the
waters, till 1t acquired the shape Of a
body, supine upon the
waves, with the short limbs, terminal
ng in the wehbed hands, budding at
,btuse angles to the trunk.
Donald sprarsg toward Ida, to shield
Ter from the sight of 1t. He knew
hat If she awoke and looked she
would 60 mad. But she lay uncon-
cious across the seat and did not stir.
The boat stopped. There was con-
used splashing In the water. The
lead sea-beast was rent asunder under
Mortified eyes; torn limb
rom limb by that abominable swarm.
| mottled, pinkish ichor spread itself
pon the face of the sea.
Donald plunged in his oars and be-
an to pull with all his might, driving
he heavy boat through the water. The
lankton gave place to clean ocean
gain. The sen had set, and 1t was
rowing dark; with the fall Of night q
entle wind came up that began to dis
lpate the fog.
Through the drifting mist wraiths
ppeared juttiRg cape that reared
self toward the spangled clouds.
)onald pulled for an hour. Then he
ell forward over his oars. He was
Of another stroke, but he
elieved that he had left the sea devils
ehind.
He cast his eyes along the horizon.
here was no sign of the F55. He
lrned toward Ida.
AS he bent over her her eyes opened.
he looked at him intently and sighed.
he horrors of that day seemed tenn
orarily to have benumbed her mind
nd robbed her Of memory. And Don
ID did what he had never dared to do
etore.
He raised her In his arms and kissed
er. VI
II love you, dear" he said. IF we
,me out Of this-as we shall--I want !