Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-12-29
Continued from Our Last Issue)

Continued from Our Last ISsuc)
And Rays hands fell from heI
shoulders as he heard the incredible
answer from the shore Of the lake.
I'm coming. Beatrice" some one
said in the coyerts. Her cries, ut
tered when her father fell, had not
gone unheard.
Ben walked quietly into the circle
Of freight and stood at Beatrice's
side. But while Ray and Chan gazed
at him as If he were a spectre from
the grave. Beatrice's only impulse
was one of immeasurable and I'M
speakable thankfulness.
The man was exhausted-helpless
in their hands. All Rays aims had
been attained. With Ben's death the
claim, a fourth of which had been
his motive when he had slain Ezrain,
would pass entirely to him-except
for such share as he would have 10
give Chan.
Nelson lay seriously wounded,
perhaps dead by now. Whatever his
injuries. he would not &c back with
them to share in the gold Of the
claim. The girl. also. was bic prey
70 do with what he liked.
Bsu's face hardened. There In
nothing ] can do. now. You came
too late. But I would have had
something to do II I had my rifle"
"Oh, You depraved dogs!" he told
them quietly and distinctly. you
yellow mongrel cowards!"
Ray Strengthened, stung by the
word. "And I'll make you wish you
was dead before you ever said that
he threatened. Chan-put a rope
around his legs and gag In his rot
ten mouth
They moved toward him stimuli
t~aneously, and Ben summoned the
last jot of his almost-spent strength
to hurl them off. They did not need
deadly weapons for this wasted
form. Yet for the duration of one
second Ben fought with an incredible
ferocity and valor.
But such an unequal battle could
last only an instant. Ray focused
his attack upon Ben's injured left
arm, Chan struck once at the girl,
hurting her to the ground with a
base blow, then dashed brutal blows
into Ben's face. The burst of
strength ebbed as quickly as it lad
come; his legs wilted under him, and
he sank slowly to the ground.
For a few minutes they took little
notice of the prone figures at the far
edge of the fading freight. Atten- ,
ton could be given them soon
enough. Their own triumph was
to give way to deep ia
Ben and Beatrice had talked soft
ly at first, accepting their fate at
last and trying to forget all things
but the fact of each others presence
His right hand held hers, close to his
and only she could understand
message in its soft pressure. But
presently her gaze fastened on some
in the grass beside him.
st see a way out-for us both"
she told him. She knew he would
rot misunderstood and dream that
The saw an actual venue to life and
Don't give any sign"
Then hurry" he urged. "They
nay be back any instant. What is
to"
"A way to cheat 'em - to keep
hem from torturing you-and to
ave me-from all the things they'll
10 to me-when you're dead. oh,
won't fail me-you'l do it
or me-"
He smiled, gently and strongly.
DO you think I'd fail you now "
"Then reach your good arm on the
,ther side. There's a knife lying
here-your own knife - they
Knocked out of my hand. You know
What TO do-first me. in the throat
hen yourself"
He turned, cropping with his hand.
here was no use of waiting longer.
The knife lay just beyond his reach
nd softly he moved his body
through the grass.
But this gate to mercy was closed
they reached 1t. A sudden
of the fire revealed them-the
LEAN of the blade and Ben's stretch
hand-and Ray left his log in a
wifi, catlike leap.
With a sharp oath Ray crushed
he blade into the ground with his
eel; then kicked v~iciously at the
prone body of his enemy.
His eye fell OF a long, heavy club
e spruce that had been cut for fuel.
lie bent and his strong hands seized
As he swung 1t high the girl
capped between-with a last, frantic
wholly instructive to shield
body with her own. Chan had
Ben, and sharing Rays
mood, jerked her aside.