The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-11-11

the cRy Of AcOwards'' struck home TO
Rainey. The next second the girl had
jumped By him, CLINT Of metal In
her hand as she brought IT out Of her
blouse. This time she saw him. aCome
oni" she cried. And darted between
the fighters and the storming figure
Of Deming. who tried to grasp her
with bis one good arm, but failed.
Rainey sped after her just as Lund
reached the mast The girl had q
nickled pistol Ia her hand and was
threatening the sullen line of irreso-
lutte seamen. Rainey with his gun
was not needed. He heard Lund shout
out In a triumphant cry and saw him
bsttering al the heads OF three who
stIIl chung to him.
All through the fight Lund had kept
his head. struggling to the purpose he
had finally achieved, to reach the
mast-rack of Delaying pins, seize one
OF the hardwood clubs and, with this
weapon. beat his assaIlants TO the
deck.
He stood against the mast, his
clothes almost stripped from him, the
white of his flesh cleaning through
! the tatters, streaked with blood. Save
for his eyes. his face was no longer
human, only q mass Of flayed flesh
and clothed beard. But his eyes were
alight with battle and then. as Rainey
gazed, they changed. Something Of
surprise. then of delight, leaped into
them, followed by burning fare that
was matched in those Of the girl who,
with Rainey herding back the sea-
men. had turned at Lund's yell Of vic
tory.
The girl wheeled and fed. lodging
behind Tamada, who gave way to let
her pass. his ivory features showing
no emotion. closing up the fore com
panionway as Peggy Simms dived be-
low.
Lund did not follow her. Instead,
he laughed shortly and appeared to
see Rainey for the first time.
Jumped me, the bunch Of 'eml" he
said, his chest heaving, his breath
coming IN spurts from his labOring
lungs. Couldn't use my gun. But I
licked 'em. On 'em Equals7 H-Il -
He seemed to have clear recol-
lection of the fight. He smiled grim
ly at Deming, who glared at him,
nursing his broken arm. then glanced
at the man that Rainey had mastered.
Ibid him up, ehf Good for you.
matey! You didn't have to use your
gun. Jest ms well, you might have
plugged me. An the gal had one,
after ALL"
he seemed to ruminate on this
thought as II it gave him special cause
for reflection.
He surveyed the rueful. grooming
combatants with the smile OF a con-
Queror, then turned to the seamen.
Here. your he roared, and they
jumped as IL galvanized into life by
the shout. "Chuek a bucket Of water
over 'eml Chuck water till they git
below. Then clean the decks. On
watch, you're out of this. Below with
you. where you belong. Jump!
"They all fought fair" he went
on. mot a knife out. Only Demlng
there. when he knew he was licked,
tried to git my gun. Yo're yeller,
Deming." he said, with contempt that
was as If he had spat In the hunters
face. 81 thought you were a better
man than the rest. But you've got
yores. Git down below an wen fx
you up."
Lund passed his hand over his face.
I'm some mess myself" he said,
stretching bis great arms. "0ive me
a fve-fnger drink. 1Rainey, afore ]
clean up. Some scrap. And the gal !
Did you see the gal. RaineyT
Out of the bloody mask of his face
his agate eyes twinkled at Rainey
with a sort Of good-natured malice.
"After this CHEEKY little fracas," said
Lund, hopping at his face, ''we7l
mebbe have a nice quiet, genteel sort
of ship. Ny gun went overheard,
didn't 1t? Better LET me have that one
you've got, Rainey."
He stretched out his hand for 1t.
Rainey delivered II, reluctantly
There was nothing else to do, but he
felt more than ever that the Karluk
was henceforth to be a one-man ship,
run at the viii Of Lund.
But the girl, too. had a weapon.
He Rugged that thought. She carried
1t for her own protection, and she
would not hesitate to use IL. What q
girl she was! What a woman, rather
Rainey thought of her as one does of
a pool that one plumbs with a stone,
thinking TO find 1t fairly shallow, only
to discover 1t a gulf with unknown
depth and currents, capable OF smiling
nlooidpaSc ar sr1ddon storm