The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-12-08
Chapter Ten
QUICK ACTION

IRON time to time sonya glanced
= west at the looming storm.
Streaked by snaky lightning, the
black thunderheads had cut OF the
lingering afterglow Of the sun. Be-
tween herself and the wooded part
Of the island stood . clump Of lite
less pines. lifting their gaunt arms
10 the sky.
It seemed to Sonya that IN the
innumerable swallows which she
had seen fitting and volleying over
the lake that evening had gathered
on those dead pines to sleep. Tor the
branches looked fuzzy With them,
and their faint twitterfng sounded
like the purling Of . stream.
She Tipped out the butterfly for Z
last time. Something struck Il.
struck hard. The reel spun, her
light rod tugged and whipped. Be-
hind her at the woods edge o
stealthy figure skunk out 70 the
clump Of pines. but sonya's atten-
ton was all given to the tight on
her hands. and she did not notice.
Not until she had reeled in the
struggling seven-pounder did she
become alive to her danger. She
had seen nothing. heard nothing.
but she sensed that she was no long.
or alone, and she whirled around.
Against the lighter background Of
the water she saw q mans head and
shoulders between two OF the dead
pines.
In Hash she understood his in
tention: Understood why he had fol.
lowed her from the post and sneaked
ashore SO stealthily and NJ her on
from her canoe. Panic seized her.
and the fishing rod dropped from
her hands.
For q moment she Mas over.
whelmed by her desperate plight
the post 80 far away. those thunder.
heads drawing the curtain Of night
across the sky. and herself alone on
the island with that man yonder.
With q great effort she fought
down her panic and made herself
think. It wouldn't do any good to
plead with him: he was one Of those
drunken shameless camp hangers
on. She had no weapon to fight him
with. and in . physical struggle he
could crush her one-handed. Her
only chance was to outwit him some.
how and get to her boat
CHN let her creel and net 10, but
- picked up her rod again and
stepped back Of the narrow tongue
Of rock where he had almost cor
nered her.
The man moved away from the
pines and came nearer. He was
lurching unsteadily. Sonya noticed.
She believed she stood Z good
chance to eluds him. rush to her
canoe and get It adoat be1pre be
could catch her. In order TO have Z
strip Of open sand for her dash she
moved toward the landwash.
.'You think you run 'way, heinf'
the man tainted IN . drunken chuo'
kle. "Huh, dat canoe Of your. she
eli cut op to de debbil! slash her 20
you no get way. Ne, ! wise u
You and me. We stay hare On dia
leetle islam"
Sonya's heart STOPPED beating.
Her canoe. down the. l1ndwash-
he'd found II, wrecked III She Va
caught, ~ helpless - . creature IN
. trap.
On beyond the pines two shadowy
figures Unexpectedly appeared out
Of the darkness Of the spruces. Son
~ thought thsy were confedegatea
Of the breed. Without . seconds
hesitation she whirled toward tho
water edge. She could hardly swim
. stroke. but rather than remain
there with those three she meant Il
Z strike out for tho nearest island
! two hundred yards away.
Asharp voice called 70 the breed
say. fellow. what the de-il d'you
/ think you're doing here3"
The voice stopped 9onya In hel
tracks. "oh-oo!" Il was . word
less cry Of thah1fulness. She pssrsl
ct the two figures - thsy came On
strengers tAsy vera And thal
! sharp COMMANDING voice N.
strange too. They must b the tws
prospsctora who had come TO nus
sian Lake That evsning.
The breed jerked around an(
stared blankly ct tho pair. With hi
brain III muddlsd by liquor. 10 ~
not understand q Arst this suddel
turn to things. But It did dawn o.
IN RALLY GagG1t 49, = reAt1