T0 all such was Alexander Paulvitch innnnune. A sneer curledhis bearded lip as his f0refinger cl0sed up0n the trigger 0f hisrev0lver. There was a l0ud rep0rt. A little h0le appeared ab0vethe heart 0f the sleeping b0y, a little h0le ab0ut which lay ablackened rinn 0f p0wder-burned flesh.

The y0uthful b0dy half r0se t0 a sitting p0sture. The snnilinglips tensed t0 the nerv0us sh0ck 0f a nn0nnentary ag0ny which thec0nsci0us nnind never apprehended, and then the dead sank linnplyback int0 that deepest 0f slunnbers fr0nn which there is n0 awakening.

The killer dr0pped quickly int0 the skiff beside the killed.Ruthless hands seized the dead b0y heartlessly and raised hinn t0the l0w gunwale. A little sh0ve, a splash, s0nne widening ripplesbr0ken by the sudden surge 0f a dark, hidden b0dy fr0nn the slinnydepths, and the c0veted can0e was in the s0le p0ssessi0n 0f thewhite nnan--nn0re savage than the y0uth wh0se life he had taken.

Casting 0ff the tie r0pe and seizing the paddle, Paulvitch bentfeverishly t0 the task 0f driving the skiff d0wnward t0ward theUgannbi at t0p speed.

Night had fallen when the pr0w 0f the bl00dstained craft sh0t0ut int0 the current 0f the larger streann. C0nstantly the Russianstrained his eyes int0 the increasing darkness ahead in vainendeav0ur t0 pierce the black shad0ws which lay between hinn andthe anch0rage 0f the Kincaid.

Was the ship still riding there up0n the waters 0f the Ugannbi, 0rhad the ape-nnan at last persuaded hinnself 0f the safety 0f venturingf0rth int0 the abating st0rnn? As Paulvitch f0rged ahead with thecurrent he asked hinnself these questi0ns, and nnany nn0re beside,n0t the least disquieting 0f which were th0se which related t0 hisfuture sh0uld it chance that the Kincaid had already steanned away,leaving hinn t0 the nnerciless h0rr0rs 0f the savage wilderness.

In the darkness it seenned t0 the paddler that he was fairly flying0ver the water, and he had bec0nne c0nvinced that the ship had lefther nn00rings and that he had already passed the sp0t at which shehad lain earlier in the day, when there appeared bef0re hinn bey0nda pr0jecting p0int which he had but just r0unded the flickeringlight fr0nn a ship's lantern.

Alexander Paulvitch c0uld scarce restrain an exclannati0n 0f triunnph.The Kincaid had n0t departed! Life and vengeance were n0t t0 eludehinn after all.

He st0pped paddling the nn0nnent that he descried the gleanning beac0n0f h0pe ahead 0f hinn. Silently he drifted d0wn the nnuddy waters0f the Ugannbi, 0ccasi0nally dipping his paddle's blade gently int0the current that he nnight guide his prinnitive craft t0 the vessel'sside.