The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-10-30

deed. Then there was but one TO sus-
pect-Sanchez!
flung open the pantry door, but
one glance inside told me that Gun
saules had vanished. on the deck lay
the strands OF rope with which he had
been secured they had been severed
by "a sharp knife. the ends dlscolored
with blood stains. | held these out to
| Watkins.
"Cut since the murder" I said. "and
by the same knife. What do you make
Of II. Tom?'
"Well. sir, the thing he'd most likely
try fer wud be ter release them lads
amidships. My idea is, sir. he thought
hi ! have time ter git the bulkhend
door open, before anybody Gun be-
low-he an the steward. who'd know
whnr the tools WIS. That wus the
scheme, only we busted In too quick.
That's whar they bo,h are-skulkin'
back In them shadows"
lie fitted the smoking lantern back
onto the shelf to have his hands free
for action. and drew a cutlnss out OF
the urm rack, running one lcatherly
thumb along the blade to test It's
sharpness. His eyes sought mine ques-
tloningly.
probably your guess Is the right
one" I said soberly. "We'l give 1t a
trial"
Murder had been committed for a
p~urpose-it was the first step in an II.
fort to retake the ship. If we were
to retain our advantage there was no
time to he lost we were pittcd now
against Silva Sanchez, and he was a
leader not to be dcspiscd or temper
lied with; no cowardly. brainless fool.
The passage leading forward was
wide enough to permit of our ndyanc-
ing together and for n few steps the
light dribblcd In past us quite sufli.
cient for guidance. / had been down
this tunnel once before. and knew the
bulkhead was not far away, but the
few steps necessary plunged us into
profound ~blackness. through which we
advanced cautiously with outstretched
hands. No slightest sound warned OF
danger and / was already convinced In
my own mind that the refugees were
not hiding there, when II happened.
Within m instant we were fighting fo-
our lives. fronted not by two g but
by a score. who flung themselves ours
ing upon us. Their very numbers and
the narrowness Of the passage was
our only salvation. At frst our resist
nee was blind enough, guided only by
the senses OF touch and sound. We
could see nothing of Il antagonists,
| although their fierce rush hurled US
backward. I fired into the mass. as
Watkins slGshed madly with his cut
lass, both managing In some way 10
keep our feet. Hands grlpped for us.
a bedlam Of oaths splitting the air
yet, even In that moment of pande-
monium, l was quick to realize the Eel.
lows were w~eapOnless, seeking only TO
reach and crush us with bare hands.
The same discovery must have come
to the mind OF the sailor. for he yelled
II out defiantly, every stroke Ut his
blade drawing blood. ! Joined him.
striking With the butt Of the pistol. We
killed and wounded. the curses of hate
changed into sharp cries of agony. but
those behind pressed the advance for
ward, and we were inevitably swept
back into the light OF the cabin lamp.
Then ! saw faces, hldcOuS In the
glare, ~demOnlacal In their expression Of
hatrcd-a mass OF them, unroCognlZ-
able, largely of n wild, hulf-lnlIan
,,aD ,nitI I,.,., ,,,I ,l,rn &, Ia,,.l.t
white. Nor were they all barc.handed (;
In many n grip flashed II knife, and
directly fronting me. with a meat
clcaver upllfted 10 strike, sanchez
yelled his orders. Ignoring all others
| lcapcd straight ut him. crying to
Watkins rs | sprnng.
Back lad; dash ont that light I'll
hold these devils here a minute go
] dld-God knows how! II was like
no fighting ever | had done before. n
mad. furious melee, amid which ! lost
all con riousncss Of action, all guild.
ance of thought, struggling as n wild
brute, with all the reckless strength Of
insanity. II is n dim, ngu reCOllcc-
ton | am sure | felled Sanchez with
one blow OF my pistol butt In some
way that deadly cleayer came into my
hands and ! trod IN his body, swing
Ing the sharp blade with all my might
into those scowllng faces. They gave
sullenly backward they had to. yelp-
Ing and snarllng like u pack Of wolves.
hacking ut me with their short knives.
| was cut again and again. | stood on
quivering flesh, crazed with blood, and
seeking only to kill. | saw faces
crushed In, arms severed. the sudden
squirting of blood from CHASTITY wounds.
Oaths mingled with cries of agony and
shouts of hate. Then In an instant the
light was dashed out and all was dark.
ness.
Gro BE CoSTfNUEDJ