The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-09-29

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and escape by swimming"
"Why imagine anything so ter
rible?"
1--WE must be prepared. Promise
me you'll do what ] tell you"
"All right"
He went down the ladder feel
ing as If he had left the best part
of himself behind. He half ex-
pected to find his skiff gone. But il
was there Just as he had left it.
Whoever had come and gone that
way had had a skiff of his own.
Neil reflected that the spy must
have been actually hidden in the
suite at the moment when he had
come back and shut the windows.
Whoever it was. he was gone
now. NELL rowed all around the
ships and searched up and down
the shore. No skiff. He finally tied
his skiff in the place where it be-
longed, and started back across
the fields the way he had come,
looking over his shoulder at every
other step and pausing often to
listen. It was a dark night and he
could see only yard or two.
Coming to the state road, he lay
down in the weeds behind the wire
fence, peering through and listen
ing. His intention was to wait un-
til the motorcycle policeman had
passed on his patrol. All Neill's
attention was directed on the road
and for a moment or two he neg
lected to look behind him. He
had no warning of danger. Sud-
denly a powerful figure dropped
on his back, knocking the wind
out of him and pinning him down.
Captive
NELL struggled with all his
y power. It was useless. He was
borne down under an incredible
weight of bone and muscle. The
man planted a knee on the base
of his skull crushing his face into
the earth so that he could not
cry out. He hit him repeatedly on
the side of the head until NELL be-
came groggy, and was unable to
fight back when his arms were
dragged behind him and tied to-
gether. Then his ankles.
The man turned him over and
pasted his eyes and his lips shut
with strips of surgeons tape that
he had ready for the purpose. In
the brief second that Nell could
see him he was Just a shapeless
bulk of humanity looming be-
tween him and the sky. He flung
himself down beside Neill. pant
ing lloarsely after his efforts.
Neil heard the motorcycle COM
ing down the road. and exerted
himself to shout. Only feeble
groans issued from his sealed lips.
The policeman, deafened by the
sound of his own exhaust, swept
on, and the man lying beside Neil
chuckled. After minute or two
the motorcycle reared past again.
The sound died away up the road.
The man rose and. picking up
the HELPLESS Neill as if he had been
child. dropped him over the
fence. Once more the breath was
pretty well knocked out of him.
The man scrambled after and,
picking Neill up. carried him
across the road and threw him
over the fence on the other side.
Neill wondered shal5ilv how much
Of this the human frame could
stand.
He was picked up again an6
shouldered like a sack of meal.
The man set off across another
ploughed field. The going was bad
through soft earth and he stumbled
and painted. Neill was not disposed
to make his lob any easier. As soon
as he got sufficient breath he
started twisting and rolling on his
carriers shoulder. Whereupon the
man flung him down and kicked
him in the ribs. Neil took the hint.
No use exhausting himself in q
vain struggle.
After a time Nell recognized
by new smell on the air that they
were nearing water. Probably the
head Of the inlet. They followed
il for awhile along the edge Of the
bank NELL could hear the little
waves below.
His captor finally slid down the
bank in a cascade of loose earth.
crossed a strip of crunching shin
gle and tossed Neil from his shnul-
der to sort Of wooden shelf. NELL
Judged from the weathered feel
that II was the deck Of an old yes
sell II was canted at an angle. but
rail kept him from rolling of.
He heard the man climbing
aboard. He was picked 40 again
and dropped through what ap-
peared 10 be an open hatch into
the hold. This was the hardest fan
he had had and he lay partly
stunned There was water IN the
hold and he wondered IL he would
drown. without greatly caring. But
Il did not cover him. II was hilge-
water in the bottom Of the old
hulk. The smell was horrible.
The man dropped into the hold
and for a few minutes was nays-
teriouSlv busy beside Neil, breath
inc hoarSelv Nell heard the SLAP
% rone. As his full senses re-
turned and with them 8 renewed
desire 70 live, The suspense was
aronixing. What ives the brute
nrepering2 Nell groaned ana
rolled IN his bonds and was re-
wnrdca with another kick.
fraswists tssz. ~ Rsiss-s Fesha-l