The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-03-12
CHAPTER x.
The Loss of Rene.

There was the echo of an oath, 6
! harsh, cruel laugh, the crash OF
! planking, a strange half-human cry
of fright from the negro-that was all
| The sudden violence of the blow must
have hurled me high into the air, foi
/ struck the water clear of both boats
| and so far out In the stream that
when | came again struggling to the
| surface / was in the full sweep of the
current, against which I had TO strug-
gle desperately In the brief second
that interviewed between Sans shout
of warning and the crash of the two
boats | had seen almost nothing
only that black, menacing hulk, loom
ing up between us and the shore, more
like a shadow than a reality. Yet now,
fighting to keep my head above water
and not TO be swept away, | was able
to realize instantly what had occurred.
had been mistaken; Kirby had not
fled down the river; instead he had
craftily waited this chance to attack
us at disadvantage. Convinced that
we would decide TO make use of the
rowboat, which he had left unin1ured
for that very purpose, and that we
would venture forth just so soon as
the night became dark enough, he had
hidden the stolen craft In some covert
along shore TO await our coming.
Then he sprang on US, as the tiger
springs on his prey. He had ealcV-
lated well, for the blunt prov of the
speeding keelboat had struck us
squarely. crushing in the sides Of our
frail craft and fiinging me headlong.
What had been the fate of the
others / could not for the moment de-
termine. The darkness Swallowed ev-
erything. the bulk of the keelboat
alone appearing in the distance, and
that shapelessly outlined. The craft
bore no light. and had 1t not been for
n voice speaking doubt If / could
have located even that. The rowboat
could not be distinguished-it must
have sunken. or else drifted away, a
helpless wreck. The first sound my
ears caught, echoing across the water,
was an oath. and a question: 'By
=! a good job; do you see that fell |
low anywhere?"
Nav" the response a mere growl !
Hes q goner. reckon never knowed |
whut hit him. jedgin' from the way
he upended it,"
We'll, then he isn't likely TO bother
us any more. Suppose he was the
white MANI"
Sure he WIS; 1t WIS the niger
who was up ahead. We hit him. an
he dropped in tween Their boats, an
vent down like stone. He never
7eeped but just onct, when | furst
gripped ther girl. don't reckon as
the wus hurt ct all; leastwise 1 never
aimed fer ter hurt her nome"
Has she said anytbing?"
mot a id twftter; maybe she's
ainted. I dunno. but that's Their way
emales do. What shall / do with
he bird, Kirby?"
''Oh. hold on TO her there awhile
ong as she's quiet. I'm going to try !
he steam again. and get outside into
he big river. H, man, but this
asn't been such bad nights work"
The steam began TO sizz, settling |
Witty into rhythmic chugging, as
ne revolving wheel began to churn
D the water asfern. Confident of {
cling safely hidden by the darkness. s
permitted the current to bear me t
n oh /
lily from the struggle. and with no '
Their thought in my mind except to t
eep we'll out of sight of the occu-
ants of the boat. To be perceived BY v
lem and overtaken in the water b
eant certain death, while if they con- $
nued TO believe that l had actually n
INK beneath the surface, some fu- a
Ire carelessness on their part might f
ED me an unexpected opportunity to n
rive Rene. The few words overheard n
I'd made sufficiently plain the stu s.
ion. Poor Sam had already found s
eedom in death. crushed between the s.
20 colliding boats, but the girl had a
zen grasped in time and hauled unin- r,
red aboard the heavier craft. This To-
Id been the object of the attack-to "
lin possession of her. Very evidently 81
had not been seen closely enough Il
be recognized by Kirby. In meas d.
e this afforded me q decided advan- re
ge. provided we ever encountered m
oh other again--and / meant that q
? should. The account between US ST
rs not closed by this incident; far al
ON it. There in that black water. F
ruggling TO keep af1oat, while being m
'ept resistlessly out into the river.
tn no immediate object before me ~
cept 70 remain concealed by the ri