Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-29
Continued from Yesterdays Star. }

When Peter opened his eyes again.
he became conscious Of violent pitch
ing motion. of the sweep Of wind in
his face. Of furious onward rushing
at great speed through space. But
that alooineSS Of brain which had be-
fore so strangely detached himself
from himself, as it were. was gone now;
And now. at first, he bitterly regretteo
that change. Previously there hau oeeh
a bliSSful absence of pain, except lot
that one brief instant at the eno' put
now pain was the one dominating
sensation. something stabbed and
e,sbbed IN hideous rhythm and tempo
at his back. causing him circulating
aronv-and in lesser degree. his en-
bruised and battered without mercy.
And his brain seemed to be stupidity
ohseSsed with only that one thing to
the exclusion of all elSe-pain-where-
as there was SO much else that mat
tered. Where was he? What had nap
pcned?
His head seemed to be hanging over.
his arms dangling down again. ne
moved his arms, but did so only Win
diffculty-they were free, put Ine
strength seemed to have ooZed out OF
them.
He raised his head-and stared
around him. His vision seemed 10
plav tricks upon him; many Things
danced before his eyes, but they were
shameless. nameleSs things, biurFeo' M
distinct outlines that rose up ghoStilSe
out Of vast surrounding blackheSs'
He moane6 in pain through smut teetn;
He reached out with his hands ano
found that rope was colleo arouho
the small of his back and around what
seemed to be narrow fat board across
which he must have been flung. LOT ne
became aware now that his legs were
without support. waggling this way ana
that in unison with that violent ptch-
tnc molten which had been the rrSt
thing 10 impress itself upon his con-
sciouSneSs. ,,.
His brain was clearing now. That
was the sound Of water, WASH "
the slap. slap. slap OF 1t. as tnougn
n boat beat with her nose at never
enSinc Succession of waves-the faint
hiss and gurgle of it. as though the
vy>l rushed swiftly past boats sizes.
Peter gave a sharp cry. Yes, that
vss II, A boat. He remembered
nov He was TO be thrown INTO
boat and dashed to a thwart SO tnat
he would sink when they had gone ia1
ouch-somewhere-he did not qui'e
understand that-but lar enough
A0yNcXneTc--tp SIlIh tIAN AU@N'
He raised his head again, as hlgn up
now as he could, and again stared
around him. He could see better now.
perbans IL was returning reason that
encmentad his sight. 1t was ire
rnendous effort 10 hold his heao up
lie this-but there was something OUT
there that now seemed TO possess
fascination for him that would not DC
denied. Il was huge and pnantom a.
like and some distance away, out IL "as
ALWAYS there. and always exactly Ino
same distance away gray n',,.S
synudge on the night. faint SOUND
car1e down with the wind-like the
creak of boom. a.
peters head dropped. II swan az
xilv-bu, he had seen. he knew. II was
n sailing vessel Of some sort.
I'm being towed." said Peter IN a
sor, of c,lriously confidential way 10
hirr-e,t. I'm being towed-some,-
vhe -e--to where it's far enough 70 SINK
the boat" -,,sod
HIS hands were free. Wouno te1
s sno coed as dead. they had cared
little about his hands; For some some
yaason they were going to SINK
the boat-s9n,ewnere he was tieo
.o me hoat merely in order that ms
hos[, would sink with il. Perhaps Mur-
CHS N vas here IN the boat, 100!
peters fingers could not quite reach
the knots. He was face downward ano
the knots were tied at the miooie o!
his back The sweat Oeacs $1,000 ous
on his forehead now as he wriggleo ana
tvisred in an effort to shift his BODY
Htt!e-i,,st an inch or two-So that ms
anger tins could touch the Knots. IL
was bitter work. for. with the PAIN OF
every movement. his senses threatened
10 leave him. Once for a moment--or
many ,uon1ents-all went black BEFORE
him.
And then finally reaching their OBJ
tect!ve. his fingers began their strug
rIe with the knots. But there scented
70 be no strength in ms myers. ~
pIucked and piucked at the knots.
AGAIN and again he lay still, in utter
exhaustion. sucking his breath N
through his clenched teeth--a man
near done.
He began to rave little.
''Murchison Mu1chso'
{" ne called.
There was no answer.
The rope became loose around ms
BODY. He kept tugg!ng at IL hno
then. with one CT the violent plnnes
OF the boat. he found himself lying on
the bottom
FOR a moment he lay without move
rneut. He was very dizzy, very weak.
But he could afford 10 be neither dizzy
nor weak. They were going 70 sink the
boat-someyhere-2nd he was 10 SINK
with Il. He was being towed. The
corollary was obvious 10 even his SICK
and wh.rling brain. In some way ne
must cast OF the boat. He couldn't
un.asten the tow-rope. That would De
impossible with the strain and weight
o. the boat upon H. He wasn't strong
enough. /. would have 10 be cut some
how Yes. that was IL Cut IL II
%aA 80 dark they would never know,
syd 80 c&rk that, even II they dis
covered almost Immediately that the
boat was adr!ft, they would have very
ls,Ie chance u finding him again.
But ne had no knife.