Evening journal., 1922-10-18
CHAPTER II


~ A coward dies many times before
soid Man Death really gets him.
- The swimming minutes passed.
his mind ceased 10 live for a space
Then, as through the swirling wa
sters of the last dark whirlpool, a
dulled roar of returning conscious
ness hlled his being.
81 Somebody was shaking him,
shouting at him. Suddenly instinct
resumed rs function, and he strug-
.sled madly to get away from the
sedge OF the sink-hole-fought his
way. slindly. through tangled under
sgrowth toward the hard ridge. No
human power could have blocked
the frantic creature thrashing to-
ward solid ground.
- But there ouintSnA held him In
his wiry grip.
FOOL Dlulel Crazee fcllowi What
eybu DO. Ell? For why ycu make
Jumps like rabbitsl Eh7 You expec'
Qulntana? Yes7 Alors!"
Leverett, in a state OF collapse,
.sagged back against an oak tree
1Quintana's nervous grasp fell from
MS arms ana they swung. dangling.
ar''What you do by that pond-hole?
Eh7 I come and touch you. and. !
INV Godi-one would think ] have
ss3ab you. Such an asst"
sThe sickly greenish hue changed I
rin Leveretts face as the warmer
tide stirred from It's stagnation He
lifted his head and tried 10 look at
@tyiiintana
es1'where Jake Kloon?" demanded
sthe latter.
N. At that the weasel wits OF the trap
.robber awoke to the instant crisis
blood and pulse began 90 jump. He
passed one dirty hand over his
rrnouth TO mask any twitching.
."where my packet eh7" inquired
sQiin,ana,
"Jake's got it," Leverett's voice
was growing stronger His small
eyes switched for an instant toward
hts rife where it stood against a |
tree behind Quintana.
- where Is he. then. this Jake?"
repeated Quintana impatently.
He got begged.
e begged? What is that. them"
He got into a sink-hole"
WHAT
.That's all I know" said Lever
EFT sullenly Him and me was ira
veiin' hell-bent TO meet up with you
Jake, he was for q short cut 70
Drowned Vailey---b--ut mo-, sez l. I.
's1mme a good hard ridge an a long
.detoor when there's sink-holes into
she woods"
- What is Il the talk you talk TO
me?" asked Quintana. whose per-
picked features began 70 darken,
where IS Il. my packet7"
I'm tellin' you, amt ~" retorted
the other. raising a voice now shrill
with the strain OF this new crisis
ruthing so unexpectedly upon him:
~ heard Jake give q holler. What
the hells the trouble7' yells. Then
ne lots out a beller. Save met he /,
screeches. I'm into a sink-holel The
qufcksand's got me- seq ne. So /.
drop my rife. did--thers she stands
against that birch saplingi--and /.
run down into them there pitcher
plants.
- swhar be YET yells. Then I
Estens. and don't hear nothin' only
a kina wallerln' noise an a slohber
IKE he was gulpin' mud,
Then I folier them there sounds !
ana I come out by that sink-hole.
TIE water was a-shakin' all over Il
but Jake he had went down plum :
ON o.sight. TswaDt no use. / cut a
sspllng an I poked down. was =
sex and scared IKE. SO when you
CONE Up over the moss. not maxim
70 noise. an grabbed ms-Godi-Il
xuess you'd 5ump. too"
Quiutaras dark, tense face was d
ezp-ssssoniess when Leverett ven ,
cured 70 look a. him. Like most /,
na-s ne realized ths adv.sabiiity OF !
1ooking his victim straight 10 the !
eyes. This ne managed 20 accom-
rlls1. sustaining the cold intensity oi 4
Crtntzna's gaze st long IS he deemed !
Il necessary. Then be started 20 (
ward hk rife. Qulrtans blocked MS :
way.
Where my packetz~
eGoI ram g. Amt ] tod your I
Jake had 4 in his pockstr
Ny pscker1
~Yaae. ycurr."
-ssAfy packet. 4 s. down n thee
ssnk 'oie2"
you -nink I'm iyfn'7" biustered :
L<FtTfLfa TTI.rAE lA-NE NHN-aNA
Quintana's extended arm. The arm
sweryed and clutche6 him b. the
collar Of his flannel shirt
'ewait. my frisn'" said Quintana !.
fu . soft voice. you shall explain
to rae some things before you 60"
Expiain whs..--you gol dlngsd !
So
! Quintana shook him into speech
{sssness.
Listen, my frien'." he continued !
With . terrifying smile, Il mus ask
you what Il was. that gun-shot Z
which I hear while ] await a.
Drown vafee. Eh7 VINO fire a 2
epng" p
y ain't heard no gum replied
Ieverett n a strangied voice.
you cid not shoot2 Nor"
"No-dann It ALL ~
! And Jake? He did not nre2" pl
( no. tell yeh='' =.
sAhi Someone liss. II Is rfot-rre, c