The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-12-28

4 ana ne hehrd the thud OF a soft body
against the bottom.
The thing whatever II was-was In
the bOati
Donald leaped forward and clasped
Ida about the waist. She writhed In
the clutch Of the monster, and there
was a look Of intense horror upon her
face. She seemed to be lifted bodily
toward the water. Donald felt the
slippery fingers OF the invisible being
elude his grasp. His hands moved up
and down over smooth, blubbery
body.
| And then he knew what II was. It
was such creature as he had seen
In the glass tank IN Mnsterman's
house, but larger and more powerful.
And, glarlng into his eyes, were the
two eyes, seemingly poised In the air
two pupils Of the size Of currnnts, and
animated by dlabolical intelligence.
The sun dipped down, and Ia 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.
Then. regalning courage, he dashed
his fist into the monsters face, and
the struggle began. He felt the Inn
pact Of his knncklea on flesh, and II
gave him new heart. At ieast he was
fighting a thing Of flesh and blood. and
not a demon.
Ida lay swoonlng across the seat,
where the monster had dropped her as
ne turned 20 face Its new adversary.
And Ia 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 striyen 20 warn
n skeptieal world
And afterward he understood why
tho boat had spun SO dizzily long after
the vortex created by tho sinking OF
the Beotla had subsidized. Even then
the swarm Of monsters must have dis
covered their prey,
! Perhaps Il was the plankton in the
water, the lellylike 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 70 lock his arms about
the Shiny thing, but he could get no
FIRM grasp OF Il. And each touch OF
the fllppcrs drew the blood 90 the SUR
/. face Of his skin by suction, bringing
ont rows Of reddeulng spots that
stung. lie was lighting dewl fish
with the intelligence of man, armed
with lnuslbllity, creating oyerwhelm-
Ing horror by It's presence alone.
lie felt his strength failing him. He
, was dragged toward the edge Of the
rocking boat.
, HE stumbled aud fell He felt him
, self held fast: he felt his ribs were
, compressed In singing wise,
Hut as ne fell his hand grasped one
4 ~ the oars. Donald snatched II up
aud, with last effort OF desperation,
/. freed himself for an instant. He
, raised the oar and sent the sharp
edge Of the blade crashing forward,
4 lie heard the sound as OF torn bal.
loon. The sQulrmlng clippers uneolled
Tbs beat tipped 70 the edge and right,
/, "a itself A splash followed, Donald
i sank down upon the seat,
Z Thea gradually a milky cloud began
\ 10 diifuse itself upon the face Of this
waters. tin Il acquired the shape Of q
4 twartilko body suplne upon tbs
waves, with the short limbs, terminal
, ing Ia Ehy webhed hands, budding at
/. cbbsa angles to the trunk.
!, Donald sprang toward Ida. to shield
4 her from the sight OF IT, He knew
!. that u she awuke aud looked sh,
would so mad. but she lay uneon
4. scious across the sect and did not stir
. The beat stopped, There was a con
. fused spiashing In the water, Thu
d dead sea.beast uas rent asuuder undel
/. ponaids horrthed eyes; torn llml
a from limb by that abomlnable swarm
z A notified. plnkish ichor spread itsel
3 Upon the face OK the sea.
: Donald plunged In his oars and be
/ gan 10 pull with all his might, driviut
the heavy boat through the water. Tn,
/. planEton gave place 60 clean oceaI
q again. The sun had set, and Il wal
:. growing dark: with the fan OF night ,
> gentle wind came up that began to dis
+, sipate the reg.