The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-19

a strange sensation as I passed the end of her side corridor. l could not say that I heard anything unusual, or that I felt that anything was wrong, but something checked me at the end of the corridor and set me staring down it.
 The three other stateroooms were dark, their. doors fast; hers was aJar, and a light shone from it. I heard something. In three strides I was in the doorway.
 I beheld Olga, forced down on the sofa and thrust back against the ships side under the port-hple, being throttled by big-shouldered man in a blue suit.
 and she was clinging furiously to his right with both of hers. As I looked he pulled his right hand free, and at the same instant I seized his wrist with my left hand, pulled his arm back to slew him round, and hit him a smashing right hand drive under his right ear. The dirk dropped from his hand and, inevitably, he let go his grip on Olga.
 But he was only halfstunned, and turned on me with a kind of whis- pered roar, full if fury. but entirely under his breath. He was a stronger man than I, and heavier, and had me at disadvantage from our first grap- pie. The struggle was a strange ex- perience, for, while each of us was using his full strength for mastery, both were solicitious not to make any noise.
 As we strained at each other my ho1 on his slipped, and my wrist came against the butt of revolver. By a great effort, I managed to wrench him round, tear the pistol from his pocket. and get the barrell in my right hand. After that everything went against me-, and no wonder, for I was, to all intents, a enchanted wrestler pit ted against a man with two hands I felt that I could neither use the pistol nor long retain hold of it. did succeed in striking him a. glancing blow on the temple with the butt, mere flick not heavy enough to do him any harm. Then felt my self forced back upon the berth and knew that I would be overmastered in a moment.
 CHAPTER VII The Dummy. All at once he threw his whole weight into a sort of lunging thrust crushed me against the panels, and I felt my strength failing. Then, in
  bounced back from me and, to my | amazement, hurled himself out of the stateroom.
 bled to my feet. It seemed to me our noise must have reused the whole ship. But no one stirred in l the ne:ghboring staterooms. and ap- parently we had attracted no atten- | tion.
 I shut and locked the door and ad n ell | in the corner of the sofa, still gasp ing and gulping. and fumbling at the 1 lace edging inside the collar of her | blue serge dress. Her hair was not much disheveled | her cheeks and eyes showed no more | than the merest trace of tears; and l she looked strangely neat after her rough handling.
 Are you much hurt ?" asked. Do the marks show" was all she 1 said. fnguring under her chin. l I was still heaving with the vio- | fence of my exertions, and I still | held the barrel of the loaded revolver mechanically clutched club fashion in my clenched right hand She was yet palpitating and quivering. still we were both for the moment elaborate 1 ly calm.
 I stopped over and examined first l one side of her throat and then the | other. she pulling at the necek of her ] dress to let me look. I was as judi l cially critical as though I had been passing on a bit of fine carving. | They show" I reported, "but you l can obliterate them before morning l the blood has not settled anywhere 1 Wator!' she gasped. l I flung the revolver into the berth, l filled the glass from the carafe and
 held it to her lips. She took barely
 a swallow and pushed the glass away.
 Where's that dagger?" she asked 1 sharply.
 | I stopped doown to look for it, and 1 then Ssomehow the tension snapped.
 As I bent over. she gave a choked sob, and instantly I do not know how.
 I was kneeling with my arms about
 her and my face buried in her lap. soobing brokenly and repeating: | "Olgo, Olga!"
 She made no other movement, but
 I felt her two palms smoothing my
 hair.
 ; You saved my life. Beale." was | all she said
 | I caught her to me and covere d
 her unresisting face with kisses. | And you saved mine at first" I
 said. "We belong to each other" l Indeed, we do not" she declared | gently disengaging herself from me
 and drawing me up to sit beside her. ! we belong to everything, it seems to
 me, except ourselves and each other.
 You belong to your duties, and I-' | She broke off.
 l I clasped her hand and kissed her l again many times. She did not re-
 sist. but there was no more response
 in her than if she had been uncon- 1 sccous
 You belong to me-" I said.
 She freed herself quietly. N. | we are both out of our minds,'
 she said. T cannot belong to you. I
 belong to-dell-to my obligations.
 l suppose. l might call them"
 T don't care hang for your obli-
 sations,' T declared.
 You care a great deal for me-"
 she said, and that is much more to
 the purpose We can't go on playing
 Paul and Virginia this way. Find | that dagger!"
 Her tone was most intimate, but
 entirely self-possessed. It cleared