Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1924-05-30

anu curing lAlO HIS tgNos WIZ Inv
two eyes, seemingly poised in the air,
two pupils of the size of currants, and
animated by a diabOlical intelligence.
The sun dipped down, and in an in
slant the fog, only partly dispersed,
closed in again. And as Donald
watched, he saw the pupils slowly di-
late In the dim light until they be-
came as large as saucers. The stony
glare between the unwinking lids,
which fringed them like a shadow, the
monstrous expansion of the pupils
sent the blood through Donalds heart
in icy jets.
Then, regaining courage, he dashed
his fist into the monsters face, and
the struggle began. He felt the inn
pact Of his knuczles on flesh, and it
gave him new heart. At least he was
fighting thing of flesh and blood, and
not a demon.
Ida lay swooning across the seat,
where the monster had dropped her as
it turned to face its new adversary.
And in the rocking boat Donald fought
for his own life and that of the girl
he loved.
For the first time he understood that
Masterman's story was not the dream
of disordered brain, but the expert
ence of one who had striyen to warn
skeptical world.
And afterward he understood why
the boat had spun so dizzily long after
the vortex created by the sinking Of
the Beotia had subsidized. Even then
the swarm of monsters must have dis
covered their prey.
Perhaps it was the plankton in the
water the jellylike infusion on which
they fed, that had brought them there
perhaps the presence of drowning !
men. Perhaps they had brought the
plankton with them, equipped for |
some dreadful journey.
Donald tried to lock his arms about !
the Shiny thing, but he could get no
firm grasp of it. And each touch of I
the fippers drew the blood to the sur
face of his skin by suction, bringing
out rows of reddening spots that
stung. He was lighting a devil fish I
with the intelligence Of a man, armed
with invisibility creating overwhelm-
ing horror by its presence alone.
He felt his strength failing him. He
was dragged toward the edge of the
rocking boat.
He stumbled and fell. He felt him
self held fast; he felt his ribs were
in stinglng wise.
But as he fell his hand grasped one
of the oars. Donald snatched it up
and with last effort of desperation,
freed himself for an instant. He
raised the oar and sent the sharp
edge of the blade crashing forward.
He heard the sound as of a torn bal
loon. The squirming fippers uncoiled.
The boat tipped to the edge and right
ed itself. A splash followed. Donald
sank down upon the seat.
Then gradually a milky cloud began
% diffuse itself upon the face of the
till it acquired the shape of a
lwarflike body, supine upon the
waves, with the short limbs, terminal
ng in the webbed hands, budding at
'btuse angles to the trunk.
Donald sprang toward Ida, to shield
Ter from the sight of it. He knew
hat if she awoke and looked she
yould go mad. But she lay uncon-
cious across the seat and did not stir.
The boat stopped. There was a con-
used splashing in the water. The
cad sea-beast was rent asunder under
'onald's Mortified eyes; torn limb
'om limb by that abominable swarm. =
notified, pinkish ichor spread itself
pom the face of the sea.
Donald plunged in his oars and be- hi
IN to pull with all his might, driving A
lie heavy boat through the water. The a
ankton gave place to clean ocean IL
gain. The sun had set, and it was m
owing dark; with the fall of night a hi
,ntle wind came up that began to dis m
pate. the fog.
Through the drifting mist wraiths Isl
,peared a jutting cape that reared ID
self toward the spangled clouds. In
Onald pulled for an hour. Then he It
Il forward over his oars. He was III
capable Of another stroke, but he Sc
lieved that he had left the sea devils
hind
He cast his eyes along the horizon. an
At