The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1889-03-21
CHAPTER xI.
IN rpK outnH.

Il
shadow of some trees.
The Captain led the way into some under
growth until completely hidden from tn
road, then he came 10 a pause and faced hi
evil companion.
''Well, what have you to tell, Hank Ca
beraln
"The gals did for"
Explain yourself"
In few words the villain told how h,
and his twin brother had waylaid and muir
jered dauntless Lura Joyce.
The Captain listened without a muscle O
his countenance moving or exhibiting thu
least emotion.
How came the girl in that out-of-the-wal
place"
''She heard 'twasa short cut, presume
ado you know this to be facti"
"Nop
"Didn't you or Bill entice her from the
main roadl"
"We didn't I'll swear to that, Cap'n."
''Very we'll 1t seems that the girl came
/ to her death by accident. This is as il
should be. Twill accompany you to the
! spot and view the body. If all is as you
have told it there will be something
| further"
"Hard money!"
"Yes, hard money!
'1Good.n
A chuckle fell from the rufflan's lips.
Then, without more words, the two walked
TO the road Darkness had fallen, and the
twain were not likely TO be recognized even
should they chance TO meet any one Soon
they gained the path that led TO Mother
Cabera's cabin. Down this the twain
bt., az nd in n thnxy az h.a-
fore the hut itself
1.-THE body is inside, supposed
"Nix,n answered the man.
"Where thenl"
"Bill nor me hain't teched it sense we
wouldn't do it. Eff you want to see the
corpse it, your privilege, dispose"
Even the calloused heart of the Captain
gave an unwonted throb at this. The
thought that the slender body Of their vic
tim lay exposed under the cliff for many
hours was unpleasant.
"A lantern, quick, y ordered Captain Star
bright, IL Will investigate. The poor child
must have Christian burial in any event
1t is awful leaving her there all this time
ave couldn't help it, Cap'n. We expected
you sooner. Gittin' tired of waiten l went
for ye,n answered the Captains tool, apol-
ogetically,
Then he entered the house, returning soon,
bearing lantern in his hand.
"Bill wouldn't come, so ! spect III heV
ter pilot we to the place.
''Very good. Lead the way"
And then the two men set of down the
path toward the scene of the late accident
1t order to gain the foot Of the perpendic-
ular hill it was necessary to begin the de-
scent some distance from the spot where
Lura Joyce had been hurled into the rocky
gulch.
After a scramble among bushes aud
along dangerous places where the loose
pebbles threatened TO precipitate them into
eternity, the two men gained the foot Of
the declivity and stood in damp atmos-
phere at the bottom of the gulch.
snow, then. how far is it'll"
This from the painting Captain.
'About twenty rods, reckon"
'Lead on, quicklyl' returned Starbright,
in an impatient voice.
The dampness and gloom did not agree
with him, and he was anxious to have his
unenyiable mission over with at the earliest
possible moment. There seemed something
uncanny in the surroundings, and for the
first time feeling akin to fear crept over
the Captain.
Hank CABRERA moved forward, swinging
his lantern before him. The walking was
easy, and soon the lantern
bearer came to halt
"Wellln demanded Starbright.
"We're here, Cap'n."
The Captain felta rising in his throat, but
he swallowed it with gulp and peered for
ward over a rock as his companion flashed
the rays of his lantern forward.
He thought to look upon the mangled |
remains of the fair girl he had once sought |
in marriage, and it is little wonder that the |
Captain was trifie nervous under the cir
II see no onelp uttered Starbright, after
a hasty survey.
Hank CABRERA uttered an imprecation and |
scanned the rocky ground.
"The gal hain't here, for fact" he NUT
tered at length. II s'pect the wild animals
has carried her off,
" That is absolute nonsense
"Ehl Why is itl"
IF such were the case some traces /
would be left behind. see none here.
Your lie won't go down, Henry CABRERA
ats traces you seek, ehl What do you |
call this!n and the man with the lantern
held up bit of gray cloth that had evident
ly been torn loose by jagged point Of
rock
The Captain at once felt the delicate text
ure, and decided that it was piece from a
dress, and closely resembled one |
that he had seen worn by Lura Joyce.
"Jest look down here, pardner."
Col,A oarxx
the stones at the foot of the steep declivity, |
one huge, grimy finger pointing at the
ground. The Captain saw and shuddered.
Here, under the mans finger, had been a
pool Of blood which was now coagulatsd 1t
was horrid reminder of the awful tragedy |
the solemn rocks and trees had witnessed |
but twenty-four hours earlier.
The Captain shuddered and drew back
"What dye think now, parenerl"
CABRERA regarded Captain Starbright with |
o curdling grin.
ut looks as though somebody had fallen |
here, surely,,' admitted the Captain, ''but |
must see the body before Twill be convinced |
that sure thing was made of the work"
'Do We imagine gal could fall sixty foot |
onter them rocks AM not be killed, misterin |
sit doesn't seem possible" admitted Star
bright, shut how am ] to know that you are
not deceivingme Some one seems TO have |
fallen on these rocks, but it may be another |
than Lura Joyce. demand to see the body |
before any thing further is done.r
"Wal, I'll do my best-r
Then the man began search which re-
suited in failure.
"Somethin's carried the dead gal away,
that's sartin,n muttered Hank. II can't |
see through it no more than you kim
"Let me take your lantern moment,
HANK
The forester turned the desired article |
over to Captain Starbright, and he pro-
ceeded to make an examination ON his own |
account de was not long in making dis
coveries that satisfied him. A strand of |
curling red brown hair was pressed under |
bush near the base OF the rock, and half
concealed in blood-sprinkled leaves lay
pearlhaudled penknife that he knew TO be
the property OF ~the venturesome Miss
Joyce from the fact that 1t had been pres