Evening star., 1923-04-29

GREATNESS Jerk6-
"What's-the use-Lucas
And an answering voice replied
That's my business. You'd-have
shot him yourself-Hanson."
II dare say: butt must warn you
that anything you may say-wilI
A breathiess laugh came from some
where.
You can get all that--ofr your
chest-when you're got me-"
You're out Of ammunition"
Don't be too sure. You are. /
know the Government ration, and I've
| counted"
There was a short silence. then
What's more, I'll prove it,"
X X *
THE shadow emerged from behind
lantana bush, resolving into the
form of the white man. He stood
quite still out there in the open. his
white ducks looming clear against the
! inky background Of the underbrush.
! The revolver was levclIed from his
hip in his right hand. The other
hung inert by his side.
Now he said. will you let me go
without killing you, Hanson? ! don't
want to-"
Let you go" snapped the voice of
"the law and a CLINT OF white show
ed behind a palm trunk not forty
PAGES distant
Don't come out" cried the white
man, as though afraid. Don't come
out without hands up. Hanson"
For answer, the law" came out
from behind the palm trunk. He car
ried his rife dubbed, and, though he
! limped painfully, he came straight
| on.
You're out of ammunition. Lucas"
| he said as he advanced, and he said
it as though trying to convince him
self that 1t was true. You know
you're out of ammunition" The re-
volver was pointing directly at his
chest, and still he came on. It'll
save no end of trouble, both for YOU
and me-"
! He was not more than hve PAGES
distant now. and he was staring at
! the muzzle of the revolver as though
/ fascinated. Just so had Felisi seen
/ fish come up out of the depths OF the
| rock pools to see the light of the
torch and be speared. The white man
stood quite still, as though thinking
what he would do. Then, in a flash
he raised the revolver to ming 1t in
the face Of "the law and the butt
| of the dubbed rife fell. Both missed
their mark
| Didn't say" grunted the
law" and the rest was lost in the
impact of their bodies. The white
! man had but one arm, the other could
scarce stand for lameness, yet they
rocked in one another's embrace for
what seemed minutes to Felisi before
crashing to earth in writhing heap.
| They were on the bank of stream
that ran through the grove. and Fe-
! Iisi caught her breath as they rolled
! nearer and nearer the edge. 1t was
four-foot drop at most, and the
over the bed of powdered coral sand.
But Felisi knew that stream. There
were many like 1t on Luana.
| Here, on the ground, 'the law" had
the upper hand, for he had the use Of
both arms. and his lame leg was not
such a handicap. He was strong, too
stronger than the white man,
though both were pitifully weak from
their exertion. Would it never end ?
| They jerked and strained.
| CUDDENLY the white man lay still
+, - staring up into the roof of palm
! leaves with agony written on every
| line Of his haggard face. 1t was as
though he had been seized with sud
| den paralysis. 1t was paralysis, for
the law" had = hold on his arm-a
certain hold. Surely this was the end
But Felisi had taken sides, and the
Polynesian never turns back. The
law" uttered = stifled cry as her teeth
sank into the back of his hand. The
hold was lost, the arm free. The
white man kicked out with all his
! strength, and "the law" tottered for
a moment before rolling down the
bank into the stream.
| The water was not two inches in
depth, yet when he struggled to rise
| he sank knee-deep. Another supreme
effort. and the Glistening white sand
was about his waist. After that he
| sank by inches. his stern gray eyes
turned toward firm ground, not three
yards distant. but uttering no sound.
The white man had tainted. and
when his eyes opened FeIisi was
handing oyAr him,
Come quick!" she said. You all
where's Hanson?" muttered the
white man.
Felisi pointed toward the river bank
The white mans eyes opened wide.
"In the river-drowned""
Felisi shook her head.
Him 20 long road, all the same,
pretty quick" she told him reassur-
ingly. But tho white man. craw1ed
to the edge Of the bank and lay there
in the grass. Felisi could hear his
voice.
What about 1t. Hanson"
There was no answer.
It'll get you in less than an hour.
Don't be q fool"
Still no answer, and 4 long pause.
during which the white man could
have reached the canoe. Felisi could
have shaken him.
II must get out of here, Hanson.
I shall get clean away. The girl has
4 canoe. Whatever difference Will 1t
make?"
Another pause.
what about 1t, Hansonr'
There was actually pleading note