Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-07-14

|
have your iife,-back!"
| raised my torch. and. looking to-
ward the ledge, saw man kneeling
over Brace.
He raised his arm to silence Brace,
and the light fell on the bright blade
OF the knife in his hand. l shouted.
Turning, he saw me midway across
the chasm, and sprane to his feet.
Then recognized him. 1t was Van
Hoeck.
1t was he, but could believe my
senses. His eyes We're not the
same. At that distance, his
sishtless eyes should have been hard
ly distinguishable from his cadaver-
Gus face but now they shone out
black and lustrous. Yet, in that i'll
slant as he looked toward me. they
seemed to fade away in the light OF
my torch. And this was no decep-
ton OF my sight.
With a savage cry OF rage, he held
up his arms to shield his eyes from
the light. and yrusping his knife. he
made his way quickly toward the
rock to which the rope on which
stood was attached.
III lllolllcLL lllC NiioiC LIN SUI
was revealed. He was a Nyctalops,
and his eyes, blind in the light, We're
gifted with the extra ordinary power
OF seeing in the darE,-a power by
which was explained all that had
hitherto been inscrutable III the rob
berry OF the Great Hesper, and the
attendant events at Monken Abbey.
With a perception that he int ended
! to cut the rope which sustained me,
FASTENED toreach the ledge on which
he stood. But my progress was ne
cessariy slow, for the lower cord,
stretched with the weight upon it,
formed deep bend, and my damp
boots slipped upon its wet surface.
Which would he cut first? Ii it were
the upper ore, must trust to catch
ing the lower as fell! With this
view, kept myself as perpendicular
as circumstances permitted; at the
same time Sraspin5 the upper one
with all my force, in case he cut the
lower one.
l was within q yard OF the rock
when felt the rope under my foot
| jerk as Van Hoeck cut the first
| strands; the next instant it went alto
SSlllSI anu "1tS lCiu SN ~ NY
hands to the upper rope over the
| chasm.
"Die! cursed dog. die shouted Van
| Hoeck, with the frantic excitement OF
man achieving at last the object OF his
life, as he attacked the upperrope with
his knife. "Die. and know that all
you cherish in the world shall be mine,
wealth, and the woman you love.
Die"'
And with that, he severed the last
strand, and | swept down through
space. Ciin,ing with desperate energy
to the rope in my hands, swung,
cramping myself together in anticipa-
ton OF Il violent shock against the
side OF the precipice. Happily,
the rock above projected a little,
so that the blow was less severe
than l expected. l rebourded and
swung to and fro like a pendulum
in the pitchy darkness. For, in order
to Get a tirmer grasp upon the rope
when saw his intention OF cutting it,
| had dropped the torch, which fell
like the spark OF & rocket into the
depths below.
What was to do? dared not try
w. pu.. my f.h t,o'' 1890. .''4I ~ nc
W.. ioPe' ~ ; ;Ie olia le..Aaliotl
S III ny .lI'I shn5id VIZ Is- 'aie rogG "
''. ..na s1,.' ara ,.nr +,,era et;II57 w.
ao,,oS G s. s.le 80 el'0-0 '''''' A'o'@
'' w. :. - -, $3.50 $500
s.Hono = ~ er,, ,.,o ,u
sie - tls iotte,-M " 'iei' ca''' you
Icy ~ ~ ~ . r.. III ~, ,o.4a
a. Ille sEIlie l'!ile Lels .ne Anosleu
rol?S uuii ~ 5oT us;I'i's' NY "i'o'''oers'
~" sHe ea.e:s. r
81. w. Mas ~. al. . nI; a.. ~ sum.
ie'' ''i0 WEI Aol'e s'!p''''s '''lo''si niy
| hands. Leaving 20 with one hand,
clutched out wildly for the kno.ted
rope, and by the happiest chance sue
ceetied in Selling it.
got a cross-piece between my feet,
and was comparat lively safe. If Lola
had stre1gth 10 hold on for few mo-
ments. But that might not tax hertoo
greatly, still srasped the wet rope.
"Saved," called out TO hey.
t!Not - chnutai Yam IJonrl-