Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1937-01-22

n wing tip. Yet the monoPlane
like a wounded bird bumped and
floundered along with diminishing
speed, pushed by her momentum.
Another yell from Quillen-trees
looming up close before the ship
and a louder rending of metal and
wood and fabric.
I Quicker of wit, Colwell was
dashing for the ship before that
final catastrophe. 1t was a hundred
yards that seemed never-ending.
His great fear was of a sheet of
flame that would burn them all to
a crisp and prevent any interfer-
ence, any saving of life.
1t did not come. In the dying
light of the flare which had struck
ground somewhere, Colwell saw a
form crawl out. stick 'em up!"
he shouted.
The man did-but with a gun
in his hand. 1t lanced fire. Colwell's
hat left his head as though wiped
off by some invisible hand. The
next instant he realized that this
chap was not the first to alight.
The first fellow was hidden behind
the crumpled wing and had opened
fire.
Lefty Quillen's forty-four roar
ed. He was closing in as fast as he
could. AS he struck ground Dan
realized that Irita Doran was on
the floor of the partially demolish-
ed cabin of the monoplane-help-
less though she squirmed and bat
tied her bonds.
Dan CROPPED on his knees, shoot
ing. The second man to alight
gave a yell and toppled. Dan saw
Quillen locked with the other
chaps; Vael. He rushed for his
own quarry. The fellow lay still
. but when Colwell got within
ten feet, his figure dim in the half
covered ships ground lights still
burning.
Graber!
They struck. Both heavy, the ter
rifle impact merely Jared them.
Neither gave way. Graber's square
face was contorted into hate and
rage that Dan never had seen there
before. Perhaps also there was des-
peration at knowing they had out-
guessed him to arrive here first and
that now he battled the last time,
to win or lose.
His stubble of hair felt hard as
the bristles of a brush to Dams
hand. They mauled and punched
and grappled for the guns. COL
wells twirled from his grasp. 1t
hit wing fabric with a ping. Otto
Graber got in a murderous left
hook that grazed Dams jaw. Had
it landed all would have been over.
But it didn't land, and Colwell
put new savagery into his attack.
GRADERS gun exploded upward
and again. In the darkness they
could scarcely see each other; there
was only feeble light from the
wing lamps. They stumbled back
against the metal stirrup at the
open cabin door. Dams lucky right
flattened Graber's big German
nose. Blood spurted from it as wat
er from a fire hydrant.
Otto howled. Colwell tried to
wrap both arms around him to
bend him back out of control on
the floor of the cabin. Graber side
stepped, and his terrific blow to
the temple stunned Dan. He was
aware Of shots a distance off and
Lefty Quillen's cream. And that
he himself was weakening, that
Graber was more powerful than he
ever had estimated.
He punched again with both
fists and suddenly grabbed for the
gun as it swung nearer a line with
his face. Their hands struck; the
weapon slipped; it was gone. Grab
er, painting, jammed Colwell
back. His head hit an iron support
just inside the cabin. Things got
foggy. -.
Something cold came into his
hand. Dan! Dan!"
1t was a scream uttered close to
his ear. Venomously he swung that
cold thing, swung it at Graders
skull. And it landed with a low,
hollow sound that thrilled one clear
to the pit Of the stomach.
Otto crumpled. He twisted and
wriggled on the ground while COL
we'll slowly collected himself and
stood swaying groggily, forced to-
cling to the open cabin door or fall.