The Adair County news., 1921-11-22
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them at the doctor.
The dynamo that he had idly
1ancied he could hear purring away
inside Of Lund was apparent with ven-
geance now, driving with full force.
Lund had brains, cunning, brute force
mat commanded a respect not all
bred of being weaker. In a way he
was magnificent. And Rainey vague
ly heralded trouble when Captain
' Simms was at last given to the deep.
He felt certain that the hunters under
Deming were Matching something but,
In the main, his mental prophecy of
trouble coming was connected with
the girl
On the border of dreams he was
brought back by a strange noise on
deck, rush of feet, many voices, and
topping them all, the below Of Lund,
roaring, not for help, but in challenge.
Rainey, half asleep, jumped from
his bunk and rushed out of the room.
He had no doubt as to what had hap
pened; the hunters had attacked
Lund! And, unused to the possession
of firearms, still drowsy, he forgot the
automatic, intent upon rallying to the
cry of the giant. AS he made for the
cOmpaniOnway, the girl came out Of
her fathers roOH.
"What is it?" she cried.
"Lund-huntersr ~ R9iney called
back as he sped up the stairs. He
thought he heard a wait from her,
but the stamping and yelling were
loud in his ears, and he plunged out
on deck AS he emerged he saw the
stolid face of Hansen at the wheel,
his pale blue eyes glancing at the set
of his canvas and then taking on
CLINT that turned amidshipS.
Lund looked like a bear surrounded
by the dog-pack. He stood upright
while the six hunters tore and
smashed at him. Lund's arms swung
like clubs, his great hands plucked at
their holds, while he rOared volleys of
deep-sea, defiant oaths, shaking or
striking off a man now and then, who
charged back snarlingly to the attack.
Brief though the fight had been
when Rainey arrived, there was ample
evidence of it. Clothes were torn and
faces bloody, and already the men were
painting as Lund dragged them here
and there, failing, striking, half
smOthered, but always coming up from
under, like a rock that emerges from
the bursting of heavy wave.
A hunter lunged out heavily and
confidently to meet him as the others
got Lund to his knees for a fateful
moment, piling on top of him, blud-
geoning blows with cultural cries Of
fancied victory.
Rainey's man struck, and the
strength of his arm, backed by his
hurting weight, broke down Raineys
guard and left the arm numb. The next
instant they were at close quarters,
swinging madly, rife with the one de,
sire to down the other, to main, to
kill. A blow crashed home on Rainey's
cheek, sending him back dazed, Strik'
ing madly, clinching to stop the pis'
ton-like SmaShes of the hunter clutch
ing him. trying TO trip him, hammer
ing at the fierce face above him as they
both went down and rolled into the
scuppers, tearing at each other.
He felt the mans hands at his
throat gradually squeezing out sense
and breath and strength, and threw
I'D his knee with all his force. i
struck the hunter fairly in the groin
and he heard the man grOan with thu
sudden agony. But he himself wa'
nearly out. The man seemed to fad'
away for a second, the choking finger
relaxed, and Rainey gulped for air
His eyes seemed strained from bulg
ing from their sockets in that fierc
grip, and there was fog before then
through which he could hear the rOa
of Lund. sounding like a siren bias
that told he was still fighting, still con
fident.
Rainey saw his face one red mas
of blood and hair, with his agat
eyes fiaring up with the glory of tn
fight. He rOared no longer, saving hi
breath. One of the men tackling hi
legs dropped senseless from the buffe
he got on the side of his skull, an
Lund's kick sent him scudding acros
the deck, limp, out of the fight tha
could not last much longer.
All this came as Rainey, still daZet
helped himself by the skylight towar
the companion, going as fast as h
could to get his gun. If he did nc
hurry he was certain they would XII
Lund. No man could withstand thos
odds much. longer.
Lund killed, it would be his tur
next and the girl would be left 8
their mercy. The thought Spurre
him, clearing his throbbing heat
Jared by the smashes of his still sens
less opponent who would be comm
to before long.
Then he saw the girl, standing by tn
rail, not crOuching as he had SOmehO
expected her to be. shutting out tn
sight Of the fight with trembling hand!
but with her face aglow, her eye
shining, watching, as a Roman mai
might have watched a gladiator1s
Sconbst; thrilled with the spectacI,
hands gripping the rail, leaning a Ii