The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-01-23
"And If I refuse?"

/ looked about at them both, scarce
ly able to distinguish clearly evel
their outlines in the dense gloom. TIL
seriousness of the situation, coupled
with my helplessness, and inability t,
achieve the object proposed, was yer.
evident 1t might, under the circum
stances. have been the part of wisdom
for me to have sought some means o
compromise, but l was young. and hot
fiery blood swept through my veins
The words of Kirby stung me will
their breath of insuIt-his sneering, in
solent offer TO pay me TO remain still.
"You must rank me as one of youl
own kind" I burst forth. "Now yor
listen TO a plain word from me. II
that vas intended as an offer. / refuse
it. You, and your confederate, have
coolly robbed Beaucaire, and propose
to get away with the spoils. Perhaps
you will, but that end will not be ac
complished through any assistance OF
mine AT first l only felt a slight in
terest in the affair. but from now on
am going TO fight you fellows with
every weapon I possess"
Kirby chuckled, apparently greatly
amused.
"Quite glad, I am sure, for the dec
laration of war. Fighting has always
agreed with me. Might l ask the ma
ture of those weapons?"
"That remains for you to discover"
calculated sharply, exasperated by
his evident contempt. Carver, take
your dirty hands off of me-"
In spite of the fact of their threat
the ready pistol pressing against my
ribs, the grip of Carver's fingers at my
throat. l did not anticipate any actual
assault That either would really dare
injure me seemed prepOsterOus. In
deed my impression was, that Kirby
felt such Indifference toward my at
tempt to block his plan, that he would
permit me to pass without opposition
certainly without the slightest resort
to violence. The action of the two was
so swift, so concerted, as though at
some. secret signal, that, almost before
| realized their purpose, they held me
helplessly struggling, and had forced
me back against the low rail. Here
/ endeavored to break away, to shout
an alarm, but was already too late.
Carver's hands closed remorseIessly
ON my throat, and, when 1 managed TO
strike out madly with one free fist, the
butt of Kirbys pistol descended on my
head, so decorating my scalp the drip
ping blood blinded my eyes. The blow
partially stunned me, and l half fell,
clutching mt the rail, yet dimly con-
scious that the two straining men
were uplifting my useless body, Carver
swearing viciously as he helped to
thrust me outward over the wooden
bar. The next instant fell, the sheer
ing cacl1le of Kirby's laugh of triumph
echoing in my ears until drowned in
the splash as struck the black water |
below.
l came back to the surface dazed |
and weakened, yet sufficiently con-
scious TO make an intelligent struggle |
for life. The over-hang of the rapidly |
passing boat still concealed me from
the observation of those above on the
deck, and the advantage of permitting
head had resulted in drowning, to-
gether with the knowledge that | must
swiftly get beyond the stroke of that
leadly wheel, flashed instantly through
my brain. 1t was like tonic, revivina
every energy. Waiting only to inhale
Dne deep breath of air, / plunged back
)nce more into the depths, and swan
under water. The effort
proved successful, for when l again
TO emerge, gasping and ex-
the little Warrior had swept
past, and become merely shapeless
outline, barely visible above the sur
ace of the river.
Slowly treading water, my lips held
rarely above the surface, l drew In
leep draughts of cool night air, my
mind becoming more active as hope re-
urned The blow had received was
/ savage one, and panied duly, but the
old water In which l had been i'm
nersed had caused the bleeding to
ease, and likewise revived all my fac
llties. The very fact that no effort was
made to stop was sufficient proof that
In the wheelhOuse re-
NAMED unconscious Of what had oc-
urred on the deck below. My fate
night never be discovered, or suspect
d. l was alone, submerged In the
,reat river, the stars overhead alone
,iercing the night shadows. A log /,
wept by me- white bursts of spray IL
uminating its sides, and ! grappled 1t
my fingers finding grip on {
he sodden bark. Using this for par
iaI support. and ceasing to battle so
against the down-sweep Of
he current, / managed finally to work {
~ way into an eddy, struggling on
rard until my feet at last touched /
ottom at the end of low, out-crOp- |
ing point of sand. This proved to be I
mere spit, but / waded ashore, water . t
from my clothing, conscious
ow Of such complete exhaustion that
sank Instantly outstretched upon the II
and, gasping painfully for breath, 4
very muscle and nerve throbbing. Ia
The night was intensely still, black,
II enomod q fhntyOls NO I =