The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-09-12

pect-Sanchez
/ flung open the pantry door, Blu
one glance inside told me that Cur
saules had vanished. On the deck la
the strands of rope with which he ha
been secured-they had been severe
by sharp knife, the ends discolore'
with blood stains. held these out t
Watkins.
''Cut since the MURDER" 1 said. "ans
by the same knife. What do you max,
| of it. TOMB"
| "Well, sir, the thing he'd most likel,
| try fer wud be ter release them lad:
| amidships. My idea is. sir, he thought
he'd have time ter git the bulkheat
door open, before anybody cum be
low-he an the steward, who'd know
whar the tools wus. That wus the
scheme, only we busted In too quick
That's whar they both are-skulkin
back in them shadows"
He fitted the smoking lantern back
onto the shelf to have his hands free
for action, and drew a cutlass out OF
the arm rack, running one leatherly
thumb along the blade to test Its
sharpness. His eyes sought mine ques-
tioningly.
Probably your guess is the right
one." l said soberly. We'll give it a
trial."
Murder had been committed for a
purpose-it was the first step in an eff
fort to retake the ship. If we were
to retain our advantage there was no
time to be lost we were pitted now
against Silva Sanchez, and he was
leader not TO be despised or temper.
lied with; no cowardly. brainless fool.
The passage leading forward was
wide enough to permit of our adyanc.
ing together and for few steps the
light dribbled in past us quite suffi.
cient for guidance. 1 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 it happened.
Within an instant we were fighting fo-
our lives, fronted notby two men, but
by score, who flung themselves ours |
ing upon us. Their very numbers and !
the narrowness of the passage way |
our only salvation. At first our resist |
ance was blind enough. guided only by |
the senses of touch and sound. We i
could see nothing of our antagonists, |
although their fierce rush hurled us
backward I fired into the mass, as
Watkins slashed madly with his cut
ass, both managing in some way to
seep our feet. Hands gripped for us,
bedlam of oaths splitting the air;
ret, even in that moment OF pande-
ows were weaponless. seeking only to
each and crush us with bare hands.
The same discovery must have come
o the mind of the sailor, for he yelled
t out defiantly, every stroke OF his
,lade drawing blood. l joined him,
triking with the butt of the pistol. We
Tiled and wounded. the curses of hate,
hanged into sharp cries of agony, but
hose behind pressed the advance for
yard, and we were inevitably swept
ack into the light of the cabin lamp.
Then | saw faces, hideous in the
lare, demoniacal in their expression of
atred-a mass of them, unrecogniz-
BILE, largely of q wild, half-Indian
ype, with here and there bearded
vhite Nor were they all bare-handed;
| many grip flashed knife, and
irectly fronting me, with meat
leaver uplifted to strike, Sanchez
elled his orders. Ignoring all others
leaped straight at him, crying to
yatkins as | sprang.
Back lad dash out that light; I'll
old these devils here a minute!"
/ did-God knows how, 1t was like !,
0 fighting ever | had done before, q
ad. furious melee. amid which lost
l consciousness Of action, all guild =
ace Of thought, struggling as a wild !
ute, with all the reckless strength Of !
sanity. 1t is a dim. vague recollec- !
on; am sure / felled Sanchez with
ne blow Of my pistol butt; In some n
ay that deadly cleaver came into my
ands and / trod on his body. swing /.
z the sharp blade with all my might
to those scowling faces. They gave 4
Illenly backward; they had to, yelp-
z and snarling like a pack Of wolves. :
licking at me with their short knives.
was cut again and again. | stood on
livering flesh. crazed with blood, and
eking only to kill. I saw faces =
ushed in. arms severed. the sudden
urting of blood from CHASTITY wounds.
aths mingled with cries Of agony and :
outs of hate. Then In an instant the
hit was dashed out and all was dark
IS.
tro BE CoNTINUED) =