The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-11-30


ing pleas and threats. He saw his vi
sions of wealth rapidly dissipating be-
fore the weapons of the sailors.
The ape, however, proved no easy
victim to the superior numbers that
seemed fated to overwhelm him. Ris
ing from the sailor who had precipi-
tated the battle, he shook his giant
shoulders, freeing himself from two of
the men that were clinging to his back
and with mighty blows Of his open
palms felled one after another of his
attackers, leaping hither and thither
with the agility Of a small monkey.
The fight had been witnessed by the
captain and mate, who were just land
ing from the Marjorie w., and Paul
witch saw these two now running for
ward with drawn revolvers, while the
two sailors who had brought them
ashore trailed at their heels. The ape
stood looking about him at the havoc
he had wrought, but whether he was
awaiting a renewal of the attack or
was celebrating which of his foes he
should exterminate first, Paulvitch
could not guess.
What he could guess, however, was
that the moment the two officers came
within firing distance Of the beast they
would put an end to him in short order
unless something were done, and done
quickly, to prevent.
The ape had made no move to attack
hpr% Gu
none too sure of what might happen
were he to interfere with the savage
beast, now thoroughly aroused to rage
and with the smell of new spilled blood
fresh in its nostrils. For an instant he
hesitated, and then again there rose be-
fore him the dreams Of affluence which
this great anthropoid would doubtless
turn to realities once Paulvitch had
landed him safely in some great me-
tropulis like London.
The captain was shouting to him now
to stand aside SO he might have shot
at the animal, but instead Paulvitch
shuff1ed to the apes side and, though
the mans hair Quivered at it's roots, he
mastered his fear and laid hold of the
animals arm. b."
"Come I" he commanded, and tugged
to pull the beast from among the sail
ors many of whom were now sitting
up In wide-eyed fright or crawling
away from their conqueror upon hands
and knees.
Slowly the ape permitted itself to be
led to one side, nor did it show the
slightest indication of desire, to harm
the Russian. The captain came TO a
halt a few PAGES from the odd pair.
"Get aside!" he commanded. I'LL
put that brute where he won't chew up
any more able seamen"
ut wasn't his fault, captain" plead
ed Paulvitch. "Please don't shoot him.
The men started it-they attacked him
first. You see, he's perfectly gentle
and he's mine-he's mine-he's mine
won't let you kill him - he concluded,
as his half wrecked mentality pictured
anew the pleasure that money would
buy in London-money that he could
not hope to possess without some such
windfall as the ape represented.
The captain lowered his weapon.
1.-THE men started 1t, did they" he
repeated. How about that?" and he |
turned toward the sailors, who had by |
this time picked themselves from the |
ground, none of them much the worse |
for his experience except the fellow |
who had been the cause of 1t and who |
would doubtless nurse sore shoulder
for a week or so.
Simpson done it," said one of the
men. HE stuck a pin into the monk
from behind, and the monk got him
which served him bloomin' well right
an he got the rest of us, too, for
which can't blame him. since we all
jumped him to once"
The captain looked at Simpson, who
admitted the truth of the
allegation; then he stepped over to the
ape as though to discover for himself
the sort of temper the beast possessed.
But it was noticeable that he kept his
revolver cooked and leveled as he
did so.
However, he spoke soothingly to the
animal, who squatted at the Russians
side, looking first at one and then an
other Of the sailors.
As the captain approached him the
ape half rose and waddled forward to
meet him. Upon his countenance was
he same straight, searching expression
hat had marked his scrutiny of each
" the sailors he had first encountered.
DE came quite close to the officer and
aid a paw upon one Of the mans
shoulders. studying his face intently
'or a long moment; then came the ex-
preston Of disappointment, accompa-
- .-hnA nae nlrr1nnf human L