The Huttig news., 1917-12-15

them as they shrank back well end this thing right here"
 Red gripped Rugan. holding the lrishman in front of him as shield My revolver covered them both. my 1 fingers nervous on the trigger. Sud denly the door behind me yielded and I staggered back. unable to regain my balance until fairly within the state ] room. With a crash the door closed. i instantly shutting out the surprised faces of the two men in the cabin: a key creaked in the lock, and Vera Car rington fronted me, her back against the wood.
 "Were-were they trying to kill you?" she panted
 "They certainly did their best" I answered. but it was my turn when you dropped me in here"
 "You--you mean that l Uoae a nis , taze-that you were in no dansee9"
 q had the upper hand. l took th.s revolver away from White. and do moi believe either of the others were armed In another second I should have fired Our only hope of rescue lies in creatin, an alarm: there is French cruiser lying just off onr port quarter
 "A French cruiser! We have been captured?"
 "No; merely l tied and questioned. The Frenehman does not even suspect anything wrong. l was endeavoring to sound an alarm when these fellows seized me, and threw me down the stairs into the cabin.''
 But how cid you get on deck? And where did you procure the revolver?"
 q cut my way out; the gun was taken from White. Don't block the way, Miss Vera l must get to the deck again. or it will be too late"
 "Is McGann out there?"
 "No; only Red. and a sailor named Dugan. White is knocked out. and McCann has gone aboard the cruiser. He has forged papers with him. Let me go; I can fight my way through with this gun. Those devils will either make way or get hurt
 She stepped aside, and with no other thought but the necessity for action, l turned the key in the lock and flung the door open. The main deck was deserted; to my surprise. all three of the men had disappeared. With revolver gripped in one hand. stepped forward. searching with Suspi- cfous eyes every dark corner. dimIy conscious that the girl followed. I had attained the foot of the stairs, even advanced step upward. before my progress was arrested. Suddenly the companion door was flung open and a mob of men confronted me, surging in through the narrow space from the deck. l drew instantly back, stunned l by sight of McCann in their lead, real 1 iZing instantly that our effort to at tain the open was already too late.
 There he is !'' he cried eagerly. "Ge him, you men. Lively now there's n, danger; if he lifts that gun, he's 1 dead man."
 l was staring straight into the black muzZle leveled at my head, but before I could move. or even determine what was best to be done. Vera stood be- tween me and the mob on the stairs.
 "Go back back to my stateroom he'll never shoot me. Please, please go back"
 I was hot-headed enough to have fought them all, but to attempt resist ance then would have endangered her life. I retained sense sufficient to know this, and that only force would cast her aside. I heard McCann nut ter an oath, and Red roar out some order, punctured with profanity, yet did not truly comprehend what efforts were being made to block our retreat. Before a hand could grasp either of us, we were within the shelter of the stateroom. and the girl had closed and locked the door. Fists pounded on the