Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-09-12
Go On With the Story
III
Battling, nv MOONLIGHT

Now the last of the A. E. F. had
long since said farewell to the
shores of France. Then, too
Monsieur Duchemin knew that the
uniform of the Americans had more
than frequently been used by those
ancient acquaintance of his, the
Apaches of Paris. as a cloak for their
wi misdoings. So it didn't need
the air of stealth that marked this
business to persuade him there was
mischief in the brew.
He got in motion to investigate
without stopping to debate an excuse
for so doing, and several seconds be-
fore he heard q woman's cries.
Duchemin broke into a run that
carried him round still a corner and
pumped him headlong into the
theatre of villainy.
This was open ground-a rudely
oval pit little less than seven hun
dred feet in it's narrowest diameter
and something like four hundred in
depth, a vast black well against
whose darkness the blue white moon
glare etched a strange grouping OF
figures, seven in all.
On his one hand Duchemin saw
a woman in mourning clasping to
her bosom a terrified young girl, the
author of the screams; on the other,
three men close-locked in grimmest
combat, one defending himself
against two with indifferent success;
while in between STOOD a third
with her back to and per-
ilously near the chasm. shrinking
from the threat of a pistol in the
hands of the fourth man.
This last was the one nearest
Duchemin, who was upon him SO
suddenly that it would de difficult to
say which was the more surprised
when Duchemin's stick struck down
the pistol hand of the other with
such force as must have broken his
wrist. The weapon fell, he uttered
ar oath as he swung round, clutch
ing the manned member; and then,
seeing his assailant for the first
time. he swooped down to recover
the weapon SO swiftly that it was in
his left hand and splitting vicious
tongues of orange flame before Du-
chemin was able to get in a second
blow.
But there was the abrupt end of
that passage. Smitten cruelty be-
tween the eyes,, the fellow grunted
thickly and went over backwards
like a bundle of rags, head and
shoulders jutting out over the brink
of the precipice so far that, though
his body checked percepitably as it
struck the ground, his own weight
carried him on, he shot. out into
space and vanished as though some
unseen hand had lifted up from these
dark depths and plucked him down
to humiliation.
The young girl shrieked again,
the woman gave a gasp of horror,
Duchemin himself knew a sickish
eualm. But he had no time to spare
for that; it was going i'll with the
man contending against two.
The adventurer's stick might have
been bewitched hat night, so magi-
cal was its work; a single blow on
the nearest head (but believe it was
selected with care!) and instantane-
ously that knot of contention was
resolved into its three several parts.
The smitten clapped hands to his
hurt, moaning. His brother scoun-
drel started back with staring eyes
in which rage gave place to dismay
as he grasped the change in the stu
alton and saw the stick swinging for
his head in turn. He ducked neatly;
the stick whistled through thin air;
and before Duchemin could recover
the other had turned and was rum
ming for dear life.
Duchemin delayed a bare instant;
but manifestly his assistance was no
more needed here. In a breath he
who had been so recently out
matched recollected his wits and
took the initiative with admirable
address. Duchemin saw him fly
f~uriously at his late opponent, trip
and Law him on his back, then Du-
chemin turned and gave chase to
the fugitive.
This was the masquerader in the