The Coolidge examiner., 1934-04-27
CHAPTER XI-con,inued
f5

He gruf-d the bottom Tor the
weapon bot Kate icapei from the
canoe. raised the paddle sgain- lie
fcuded the arst blow wlth bis arm
and lunxei Tor her. bot she jabbed
az hlm wifh all her strength. hurl-
iu< him backward
Steve Drake vas within twenty
yards when Kate struck the weapon
fTom Frnnrs hand: within ten
when she struck again with
her paddle. was dragging himself
through the shadows for the reeds
when Franz turned In alght
he gained the channel bank and
Owed Breathing hoarsely. Steve
followed Franz looked behind and
gaspei out a curse. lie threw bis
hips upward and dive3
lie weut under abruptly and
drove himself down. bu; Sisve fol.
lowed The eddles and bubbles be
left. knowing the others panic
would cost him dearly thouEh be
u.-hi gain Tor the moment
FranE came np 20 the right. nhak.
ins wEter from bis eyes. gasp.
inE air aviiiy. A nlumeni later be
cried oct as Sisre's one hand fas-
tened In bis shirt
Franz struck out. bot the blow.
fhouzh u cauEht Steve on the point
% The cain. was light and ineTec.
tEai Drake seized one of Franx's
hands and twisted the arm cruelty.
They Wcut under. Franx's lsEs crop
iuS Tor a hold on Stere's. his fingers
scratching AZ the throat
They turned over. Franz tried 20
shove Drake deeper but could not
and as u by prcarranEement. they
broke their holds and shot 20 the
surface. Ensplng Tor air A brief
inferval they rested 50. face 10 face.
treadlns water. and then Frnnz
commenced 20 swim again toward
land.
Rnt on his third stroke a hand
ErasFei his ankle. his head was
drnEEed under and brakes body
foated over him. binding his arms
and lezs close TIE struggled an tn
~ant and then went limp.
Steve les him up. then. holding
firmly % his shirt front while the
Ennn gagged and ehoked.
You can't Eet away be
painted "EnouEhl WIN you
80 back. nowF'
Frunz's mouth opened and closed
convulslveiy. to h--li- he
rasped
Then III take youl" Drake
cried Hold you under until
you
Franz half turned and fought
Steve away with fhrusts of one
arm Beneath the surface bis 9th.
er hand was busy. seeking. ingglng
M something. and as Drake broke
through bis guard and Erasped Tor
n hold on clothing Il came up with
as much 81 a sweep as he could
manage IN the water and on that
movement n CLINT of iiashlng bright.
less swept for Sieve's middle.
Re threw himself quickly on one
side % elude the blade. gasplng out
word as he realized he had failed.
A sharp sting above his left groin
manifested Itself but be had the
knife hand securely. twisted and
wFcnched q. sending the man under.
toidlng him there mercilessly until
the fingers finally opened and the
knife sank siiiherlng toward the
bottom.
Then Steve had 10 let 20. stran-
Cling as he was from the water he
had swallowed. The sting In his
side had became a burning. lie
gave that no heed. however. lie
raised one arm high and turned bis
face toward the rushes where he
had last seen Kate
Got him. be called hoarseiy.
p Bring the canoe Got him
- But ne WINGED from the
throh In his belly which had BY
then replaced the sensation of burn
lnc.
lie had believed he finally had
Franz captive. but before bis words
were well spoken. the fellow broke
loose and was swimming away.
Steve followed. a great WEAKNESS,
something more than the effects OF
this tremendous exertion. creeping
through his muscles. He shut his
eyes and used all his will 10 close
quickly before that could happen
which. IL seemed certain. was going
70 happen. now. And when he
opened them Franz was nowhere In
sight.
tie stopped swimming az once.
treading water sluggishly and
pressed one hand TO his wounded
side. wincing from the pain the
touch rendered.
Behind. he heard the canoe ap-
proaehins. The sounds penetrated
through a queer sensation In his
ears. II was Ike thickness. some
thing hampering his hearing rs fog
viii hinder sight
The approaching paddle dipped
rapidly. still Franz did not show
himself