“Go back, Betty!” I said, keeping my eyes on Brack. “Go back!”
I was retreating slowly. For the moment Brack was invincible, he was great! His colossal will was mastering us. With it he was driving me back, helpless in spite of my weapon, and he was holding Betty fascinated to the spot.
“Go back!” My shoulder had touched hers. I turned to look at her.
“Gardy!” she gasped, pointing.
I turned. Brack’s mighty spring had carried him on to us, and I sprang between him and Betty. He paid scarcely any attention to me, merely struck with his right arm and smashed me to the deck. Then he had Betty in his arms, kissing her, sweeping her to his breast like a struggling child, and retreating toward the rail, the girl held as a shield before him.
I sprang up and ran toward them. My weapon had been knocked from my hands, and as Brack crouched to spring over the rail with his burden I threw myself on him. He shifted Betty to his left arm and with his right drove me back with a single blow.
“Never fear, Pitt,” he laughed, tugging at his revolver, “I don’t intend leaving before I’ve settled you.”
I rushed again as his weapon came free. I struck him between the eyes and tore Betty from his grasp. My blow staggered and blinded him for the instant. He was at the rail brushing his hand across his eyes when two rifle reports sounded far across the bay and Brack fell flat on the deck without a struggle.
“But you’ve got to admit he was game—game as a mad ol’ silver-tip,” said the patriarchal Slade when a boat had brought him and Harris aboard from the point from which they had shot Brack. “A devil he was, with a twisted laugh, but too game to live if he was licked. Me ’n’ Bill we was hiding up in the hills and come down to take a peek when the shooting begun. We see him and the other fellow crawling up the anchor-chains, and Brack was driving the other fellow with a gun.
“We couldn’t believe it was him at first; didn’t seem any man’d try anything so desp’rit; but when we see you scuffling with him, Mr. Pitt, we knew it was him, and savvied how he’d had his gang to start shooting from the other shore to draw everybody aft so we could take one desp’rit whirl at you. Me ’n’ Bill we put the sights on him then, but we was afraid of hitting your young lady. So I prayed a little for a clear shot, and the Lord answered my prayer pretty pronto. Amen.”