Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-01-30
By
Victor Rousseau
Copyright by w. @. Chapman.)
WNU Service.

| VIM 0STNlCe.
cession of pile-driver blows that fell
like fails upon each others faces and
| bodies. They clinched, rebounded,
/ clinched again; then of sudden Rath-
way got home a furious kick to the
! groin that sent Lee stumbling.
For the first time Estelle screamed,
and that aroused Lee to the conscious
ness that he must finish his enemy
almost Immediately, before aid arrived
He shook away the film that was creep
| ing over his eyes, and, sick and nau-
| seated from the kick, he closed with
Railway again. They went to the floor
of the hut together, and struggled
there like two dogs in the dirt.
There was no longer any attempt at
fisticuffs. The primitive instinct to
rend and tear possessed both of them
equally. They scrambled about the
floor of the hut, clawing at each 9TH
ers Threats. Lee got Railways beard
In his right hand, and with his left
began smashing at his nose and lips.
Railway beloved, his hands closed on
Lees throat chung there, worrying
him like bulldog. Lee felt that he
was fainting. He was slowly forced
over; Railways fingers closed on his
neck.
The two frightened, and the walls of
the hut began to waver. Lees trachea
fiattened, his lungs felt as If they
uOrIId hurct pathxuox o,.iy,pod Ito
bolically into his face; his beard like
some foul fungus swept it. Lee flung
his arms out instinctively to breathe.
One of his hands encountered some
thing. 1t was the pistol.
Lees fingers closed on it. And, as
If he concentrated all that was left of
himself in his left hand, he raised the
weapon and brought it crashing down
upon Railways skull.
Instantly Railways clutch relaxed,
| his eyes glazed, as chickens eyes glaze
at the moment of death. The mans
head dropped foolishly forward on
Lees breast. stream of curses was
cut off in foolish mutterings.
Lee struggled to his feet and stood
gasping for breath, while Railway,
mumbling stupidity, swayed to and fro
upon his knees on the floor of the hut.
Suddenly Estelle appeared to be
| galvanized into life. With a low cry
she ran to Railways side, knelt down
| by him, and put her arms about him.
She drew his head down on her knees
and began chatting his hands. She
looked at Lee in bitter hate.
Haven't you done me wrong enough
in the past, that you should come here
to kill my MANI" she cried. "Do you
think you can arrest him? You
couldn't get a mile from here before
you would be captured"
But Lee, without paying any atten-
| ton to her, hurried to the bedside, and
looked down at the captured girl. She
| lay there, an unconscious, huddled
heap, one knee bent under her. Her
face was deathIy white, and there was
scalp wound at the back of her head
which had been bleeding freely. She
breathed family. Her hair was cut
short and jagged about her head,
making her look more than ever like
a boy.
Estelle laid Railway gently down
and came toward Lee with sudden
comprehension. Its for herr" she
whispered earnestly, laying her hand
upon his arm. you came here to
rescue her?'
She read the answer in his eyes.
"Oh, I'll help you, I'll help you,
then!'' she cried wildly. you'll take
her away! Trust me, then, and listen
to me. There's no time for explana-
lions now It's only miracle of luck
you found him alone. Some men are
due at any moment in the motor boat.
Two more have gone to meet them
with a message. They're coming from
down the lake. There may be just
| time to escape them. You must take
the York boat. You can't pull it
alone against the stream. Keep to
the left channel past the island, then
run ashore and you'll be safe in the
forest, wherever you are going
Hurry, hurryr"
| Lee made no audible reply, but his
mind automatically registered Es-
telle's instructions. He bent over the
girl again, raised her in his arms
so that her face rested against his
shoulder, and carried her out of the
hut.
AS he turned at the entrance he
saw that Railway had risen to his
knees again.
Blood was dripping from the wound
in his scalp, and he was staring about
| him in the eager effort to remember.
Lee crossed the open space at a
run, scrambled down the descent,
placed the girl in the bottom of the
boat. and, seizing pair Of oars, be-
gan to pull furiously for midstream.
The current caught him and sent him
whirling along toward the long; fiat,
wo0ded island in the middle of the