Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-12

stream. the roaring OF the flame and over
all the observation-disclosures Of those internal
copper drums worked powerfully on his
sense
Already he seemed to feel the grip of
Kamrou the pangs Of the hard struggle.
the sudden plunge into the vat Of scald-
ing death.
with strong effort he flung Oft these
fancies and faced his sneering foe. who
now--his red-wealed face puckered into
malicious grin--stood waiting.
stern all at once saw the patriarch
once more.
Go. son :" cried the old man Wow is
the moment When the drums cease. lay
hold Of him :"
Even as he spoke the great drums
slowed their beat then stopped
stern with a hnaI thought Of Beatrice.
advanced
An the advantage lay with Kamrou
Familiar with the place was he, and with
the rules OF this incredible contest
Everywhere about him stood crowding
hundreds Of his Folk owing him their
allegiance, hostile to the newcomer. the
man from another world out OF all that
multitude only two hearts beat in sym-
pathy and hope FOR him: only two human
beings gave him their thoughts and their
supportaa helpless girl; a feeble blind
old man
Kamrou stood taller too, than stern.
and certainly bulked heavier. He was In
perfect condition while stern had not vet
fully recovered from the fight in the
Abyss, from the great change in living
conditions there In the depths and
more important still-from the harsh
blow of the rock that had numbed his
elbow on the beach.
His arms and hands, too. stlll felt the
rramping Of the cords that had bound
him He needed few hours yet to work
them into suppleness and perfect strength
But respite there was none
lie must fight now at once under all
handicaps. or die-and in his death Yield
Beatrice to the barbaric passions of the
chief
oddly enough there recurred TO his
mind. as he drew near the waiting, sneer-
ing kamrou, that brave old warcry Of the
Greeks OF Nenophon as they hurled them
selves against the vastly greater army OF
the PerStans-"Zeus Sotar kai Nike -
Heus Savior and victory"
The shout burst from his iins. Forward
lie ran, on TO the battle where either he
or the barbarian must perish in the boil
ing pit-forward to what7 To victory
to death?
Kamrou stood fast till stern's right
hand had almost gripped his throat--for
stern, the challenger, had to deliver the
first attack.
But suddenly he slipped aside. and as
Stern swcrved for him, made a quick leap
With an agility, strength and skill
tgerlike and marvellous he caught stern
round the waist. whired him and would
have dashed him toward the pit But all
ready the engineers right arm was under
Kamrou's left; the right hand had him
by the throat, and Eamrous head went
sharply back till the vertebrae strained
hard.
moment they swayed. tugEing strain
ing, painting. In the old days Stern would
not for one moment have been match for
this barbaric athlete, but the months of life
close to nature had hardened him and
toughened every fiber. And now a stab
OF joy thrilled through him as he realized
that in his muscles lay at least force to
ballS the savage for a little while
TO Stern came back his wrestling lore of
the very long ago. the days of Harvard, in
the dim, vanished past He freed his left
arm from the gorilla-like grip OF Kamrou.
and quick as lightning, got a jiu-jitsu
strangle hold.
The savage choked, gurgled. writhed
his face grew purple with staEnant blood.
When he leaped dragging the engineer with
him. They fell, rolled. twisted-and Stern's
hold was broken.
great shout rose as Kamrou struggled
up and once more seized the American. He