Arizona state miner., 1926-07-24

I stentorian voice. 1.-THE Buckskin was
one O. Murray's crew, and he took the
girl in fair fight. He's put his mark
on her, and If he wants to fight for her
he can, prisner or no pris'ner."
Bones observed the mounting tur-
moil with an obvious mingling Of emo
tions. He realized he had been tricked
but he did not yet see how it had
been done or comprehend the Interior
purpose of Silver's strategy. To do
him justice, I do not believe that he
feared me or doubted his ability to
Kill me In knife-fight, for had never
had occasion to exhibit my skill with
the knife before the pirates He SIM
ply knew that he had been lured into
position where he must fight per-
sonally to maintain his authority over
the crew, and the initial flare of his
hatred was naturally directed against
me. But he did not forget Silver.
iii mind this" he flung at the one
legged man as he crouched forward to
meet me, knife poised across his chest
and left arm extended to clutch at my
knife-wrist or parry a stab from the
side.
Tain't my doin's, Bill, If ye will
ha' the girl" demonstrated Silver. 81
warned ye O. Rule Four. And the
cap'n's all the same as any other in
question O. honor"
THAT'S right" shouted score of
throats. "Cap'n's got to meet any
body"
"I'll meet some others a'ter I finish
this swab,' gritted Bones.
l circled away from him, gaging the
effect of the swaying lanthorn-light
upon the deck shadows and the feel of
the pitchy planks underfoot
''Stand to it, ye,'' he snarled.
Don't let him break from the ring,
mates. l want his heart for that
wench to chew on-and mind the fat
Dutchman doesn't jump on my back.
He's bad 'un' he is"
Silver was prompt to summon half
a dozen men to block off Peter, who,
having seen me use the scalping-knife
of the frontier since childhood, was
not in any way concerned as to what
1 should be able to do against half
drunken sailor whose one idea of
knife-fighting was to grab his op-
pOnent's wrist at the same time the
opponent grabbed his, and then strain
and heave until one Of the pair tore
lose and struck.
One-legged man soothingly. eve won't
let the Dutchman nor nobody else
harm ye. Just you hop in and gut the
Buckskin-if ye can"
"If l cant" Kissed Bones. "Watch
mel"
He dropped to all fours and bounded
into the air In a clumsy fashion-not
at all as an Iroquois warrior would
have done it, hurtling like a projectile,
with his whole body behind the knife
stepped to the left and stabbed
down, aiming to drive inside the collar
bone. But the light or something
fooled me, and my blade slashed his
cheek from eye to mouth, a great scar
ing cut that laid open the whole side
of his face.
He beloved with surprise, and I
was put out myself, for l had thought
to finish him. Not a man moved for
two Or three breaths in the circle
around us, for none had expected to
see the fight terminated SO quickly.
Moira told me afterward that it was
comical to see how Silver's jaw gaped.
Bones staggered back, the squirting
blood binding him SO that he had to
feel his way. followed him slowly,
half prepared for a ruse, and he must
have heard me, for he called out:
Don't let him slay me, matesl l
can't see, and he's a-comin' alter mel"
At this a dozen pirates jolted in be-
tween us, cursing and threatening me,
and l gave ground toward where my
friends were standing with Silver.