Eugene High School - Eugenean Yearbook (Eugene, OR)

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Page I ourtecn the bed, then-I must have made some sound, for he was on me like a flash before I could fire. He evidently intended to choke me for he made sev- eral attempts to reach my throat-but as I have said, I am very strong and was nearly his equal in strength. VVe wrestled in silence for a space of time, then I felt a tightening of his muscles and he threw me on the floor. I felt a stinging sensation on my wrist and grabbed the revolver I had drop- ped in the fight. He was reaching for my throat now, and the smell of his clothes, the touch of his body to mine maddened me and I thrust the bar- rel of the revolver against his body and angrily ordered him up. He slowly arose, his mouth twiching with rage, and his slant eyes like green slits of fire. I was horribly frightened and had a fear that the other murderers might have heard the noise made by our fight. The cords of my bathrobe gave me an idea how to do away with my captive and covering him with the revolver I tied him to the bed as best I might. For some moments I lay in the corner farth- est from the door, moaning in terror and pain,for the brute had bruised me horribly, and satisfied that the next few minutes would witness my death. Presently I decided that I would carry the war into the enemy's camp and crept softly to the door. There was no sign of life in the pas- sageway and I shivered as a blast of cold, salt air struck my bare shoulder, for the Jap mad torn off the sleeve of my negligee in our fight. Then the sound of the Shumari conversing in low modified voices from somewhere in the re- gion of the prow came to me and I proceeded more cautiously. Flickers of light through the porthole at the end of the passageway warned me that the Shu- mari were on the deck outside the deckhouse and I cautiously glanced through the porthole and on the ghostly scene outside. The men were in a semi-circle and I was directly above them. They were sewing upon some canvas and as I watched I recognized it as being those in which they bu- ried the dead at sea. They I shuddered-they were making that bag to encompass my body and so certain were they of the little jap's ability to do away with m that they had begun work on my sea coffin. I debated rapidly upon my immediate course of action-if only Harry were there to judge for me-and decided as the men appeared to be with- out revolvers, but had their murderous looking knives, I would stand more chance of success if I could get them before they could separate. My plans worked beautifully, without a word of warning I stepped out and tried to say calmly, 'fHands up l in English, of which they would not have understood a word. But my throat seemed to be stopped and I gave an insane sort of yell which served the purpose admirably, for they sprang to their feet and huddled in the stern, a frightened, chattering group of laps, with no thought of attacking me. And it must have been a picture to frighten anyone, there I was to all appearance a chatter- ing maniac with a revolver that might do damage at any time and they showed their respect for my revolver by keeping where I motioned. The ghostly yellow of the torch light threw only the stern of the boat in relief and I imagined I heard a noise in the prow, but dared not turn my head for the ,laps were becoming bolder and showed signs of attacking. I noticed particularly the ac- tions of one fellow whose arms hung long, gor- illa-like and I thought once or twice he glanced past me. but when he saw that I noticed he tried to act unconcerned. The soft pad of bare feet back of me made me wheel suddendly. I saw nothing in the blackness and I turned just in time to stop the swift attack of the Japs with threatening motions of my re- volver. I was certain that there was someone in the darkness back of me and I realized that I was at a terrible disadvantage. If I turned my head for the fraction of a minute, the 'Iaps in the stern would attack me and at any minute a shot or blow from the something back of me would spell my finis. I tried stratagem and began to slowly back toward the right side of the junk, watching both the stern and the prow as best I might, but I had miscalculated and stumbled over a loose rope end and lowered my revolver in trying to regain my balance. There was a cat-like rush from behind and I clenched and fought desperately with my palace guide who had somehow released himself from my insecure fastenings. He secured a hold on mv upraised wrist and slowly bore it downward by Eugene Oregon

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- - r 1 : 'K ' - ' fs -. ' mf 21' H. 1 '11 'fi fa Eugene! I ' im 2 . -.- i ?q---.IM . . ,Pagc Oregon Thirteen to do nothing of the sort showed itself in my face, for he tried artifice. As I understand, Miss Reynolds, you are to have a happy event in your life in the near future and the Emperor has laid aside 350,000 in English curency for you on the culmination of your services. I wavered, Harry and I were so poor, and the poor boy had worked so hard to scrape our piti- fully small nest egg together. That interpreter knew his business all right for he artfully added: Your route will take you past Oiharo-maybe you could see Mr. Rice there and he could accompany you from there to the headquarters of the Czar - and I assented as he knew I would. Then my instructions: First of all, I was to regard my papers as myself. But as to my route. I was to go from Pekin to Bangai--by boat, I chose mentally, as I had experienced Jap jinrik- shas. From there, if successful, overland to the Czar's headquarters. They especially warned me, and the Emperor was intensely earnest, to beware of any men the lobes of whose ears had two min- utes punctures. These, he said, were men of a strong organization, descendents of the old jap- anese robbers and pirates, who had murdered the other three messengers. I left the palace, my precious document clasp- ed closely to my breast, and seeing punctures in the lobes of all the palace servants' ears, big enough to see a house through. I happened to half turn and saw my guide of the palace follow- ing me, tho' when he saw that I noticed him he pretended to be buying some cakes from one of the small shops. I went forward for perhaps two English blocks then turned swiftly, sure enough there was my man. I realized, heart-sick, that I was followed even now. Then I went rapidly through a maze of street and crowds and finally arrived at my quarters breathless and triumphant, for it seemed I had shaken my persistent shadow. I immediately began to make preparations tb go to the boat and taking my .38 Smith 81 XVes- son revolver, lay it on the dresser in front of me. Then I thanked my stars I had been so raised, particularly in regard to my skill in shooting and gymnasium work. Then I thought that perhaps I might meet Harry and prayed, ohl so strongly that I might. There was a bare possible chance that I might, for the last time I had heard from him he was preparing for a cruise against the pirates in the vicinity of Bangla. Then I ended my day-dreaming or rather ''evening-dreaming'I and taking only my neces- sary belongings and strapping my Smith 81 W'es- son in a suitable place I left for the water front and the junk the Emperor had designated as my conveyance. Finally finding my destination among the di- lapidated and nondescript junks along the harbor, I walked up the gangplank of a villianous looking junk and handed the note the Emperor had given me to the old japanese who was smoking on the hatchway. Ile read the note and toddled, beck- oning to a little room that was so neat and de- cidedly japanese that I voluntarily gave a little gurgle of delight. As the Emperor had told me that the junk would sail the next day, I opened the port window and began a letter to Harry and became so interested in it that I forgot the dan- gerous position I was even now in. The sound of muffled oarlocks aroused me and I leaned out of the window to see six villianous looking laps come quietly over the side of the junk-this was not so unusual but. with a start, I thought I re- cognized the square shoulders of my palace guide. As the sputter of the wood torch brightened it threw a weird scene in relief against the dark background of the night. The litter of coiled rope, rotten sails, thrown against the sides of the junk would come into view, then were blackened by the deceptive light. The light lit fitfully on the japs in the prow. They were in a close group, conversing in low tones with every now and then a glance to- ward my room. Then they dispersed quietly and soon I heard the soft shuffle of bare feet, the creaking of ropes., . 'Soon my. suspicions and alarms were thoroughly aroused, for the junk was in motion. I lay tense in the bed for hours it seemed to me, every muscle flexed. and praying that some power would send strong, dependable Harry to my aid. Then echoing, eeirly up the passage came the soft pat, pat, of bare feet. My limbs re- fusing to move I grasped my revolver and strained myself against the wall. I Presently the door began to slowly open, and I could discern the cunning features of my crafty guide of' the--palace. I-Ie cautiously approached . .. --.matt .... . ., .. wht L.,

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ff, 4? V gf EY si if 'E 5 . Q'-i . t hm? A Y , .. .1 i V -, a .f , Eugene, 1 Q . a H .L Ty ra , ,. ,,-f..,.. u N., j I Page . v A. . .,,,, ,. .W .. 5 if 'fr 'rf . ' --sf' rr- -is fi fir f ' as vi- i 5 1 .Q , . J' ' i E Oregon , Fifteen main strength-the other men were near waiting to deal me a finishing blow and as I felt 1ny strength going I desperately pulled the trigger and screamed to the one who had always helped me out of all troubles-- Harry! Oh Harry! 'fLittle girl! Helen! I'm coming! Oh! Lord! just wait you devils. You -it seemed he was crying with rage. At the sound of his voice the murderers stopped aghast but before they could fly a blue cyclone swept over the side and Harry followed by a boatload of blue jackets from his cruiser were cutting and slashing my would-be murderers. Harry was unarmed, having dropped his sword in his haste to get over the side of the junk, he told me afterward. As I lay still too dazed to move I saw he and my guide in a des- perate struggle-the guide trying with all his might to kill him with his murderous knife. In their contest they took no notice of where they were stepping and the guide began backing in my direction. I glanced at Harry and motioned to- ward the man's ankle-then suddenly when he was within my reach I grabbed his ankle and he dropped instantly. Harry was upon him and had him by the throat. Then when he had choked him into submission he was put into irons and taken to the government cruiser for trial. As I was incoherent in my joy and could do nothing but sob on Harry's shoulder we were rowed to the cruiser, there I told my story, and Harry alternately stormed, praised my courage and strength and stamped up and down in his rage. He vowed if a single hair of my head had been injured he would have blown japan off the map, and knowing him I believed it. I As I am writing this Harry, my Harry is holding one hand while I am ineffectually trying to write with the other. Harry punctuates the sentences with-well you know we are to be mar- ried as soon as we reach Zona, then we are to de- liver our negotiation papers to the Czar's head- quarters three miles inland and our journey will be done. Harry says he won't touch a cent of my 550,000 and I have earned 3300.000 but it's our nest egg and he must. He has finished telling a beautiful little japan- ese legend which ends, And they lived happy ever after and I can think of no better way to end this tale and I am sure we will, aren't you? FRANK SCAIEFE. SPRING. ' By a Freshman. Spring has come. It's really here! Dad's expected it all year. Ma's took down a window curtain Goin' to house-clean soon, that's certain. Other signs of Spring's about, Dinky flowers a-shootin' out, Birdies sing to beat the band XVhile the farmers plow their land. Springtime freshets, flowing hard, Float the walks in our back yard, And the wind feels kinder cool Blowing down your neck at school. And the sunshine, after rain, Beaming through the window pane Gives you creepy sorts of thrills, Makes you want to climb the hills. li xr Ramble round. or hunt spring flowers, lYhile away the study hours, Hunt for pussy willows, poke Fingers into poison oak. Spring is sure a dandy season And I guess I know the reason. Summertime is coming soon And I'll be a Soph in june. -DORTHY VVILKENSON. A QUERY: XVhat Is A Quiz? It is A chewed-up pencil, three deep One dull groan. a mild surprise, Several guesses, one surmise, Lots of bluffing Thin air- Despair- The gong! That's All sighs, fin disguisej. It Is.