The Red Cloud chief., 1897-01-29
CHAPTER NIN.

from INC opposite ieuSe.
Looking across. | saw him sitting
on the bowlder binding his arm with
his neckcloth.
Lola is hit The villain has done
his work." | said.
Hell never do no more" Brace
answered. pointing up the ledge.
Van Hoeck had tried to escape
the way he ca,no, after shooting
Lola. and had got some distance
along tn. ledge when the great rock
opened and slid away.
Ho stood on the narrow
path now "a CHASTITY spec
taclc. A piece of Quartz had struck
him on the head; II thin stream Of
blood was trickling down his back.
In one hand he held the Great
IIesper: in the other he graspcd his
rifle.
But he dared not o from the
position he had reached when the
roof tilted up; for the light that
burst in had blinded him once more.
The sensitive rctina had closed over
the pupils. and the blank, sightless
eyes stared wildly round, incapable of
seeing.
1t was possible for Brace TO reach
him by going::along the ledge.
..Will you save him?" ] asked.
Not | pardner." he replied. IL
leave him to providence. he his end
what it may. The shot he fired at
my poor youngster started the con-
Germ. and brought the whole thing
down. Ills God Almighty's judge
ment. Lot IL be-"
Van Hoeck let tho rifle slip from
his hand; how Insignificant to us
seemed the sound that came up from
below. as the weapon struck n rock,
after the mighty discord that had
Numbered in our ears. and yet to
him how terribly significant!
We could see his hand %quivering
as he CROPPED along the edge of the
wall.
In vain now he strained his eyes
to see the ledge by which he had
followed us Yet he could not stand
forever there.
He found a crevice for his fingers,
and made a step forward; he advanc'
ed again. but the rock he put his
foot on was a piece Uf debris tina,
had fallen upon the ledge. 1t rolled
under his weight. lie staggered
back. swinging his arms in the vair
attempt to get an equilibrium. ther
he shot forward, and fell h~eadlong
down. down, down into the abyss.
/ held my breath; it seemed
minutes before that hollow pong
reached our ears. telling us tina
Van HOeck was gone forever, ant
the Great Hesper with him.
There was cord. and to spare, IL
the coils. Weighing one end with
q stone, | threw an end across tt
Brace. and when the ropes were
knotted, and a bridge once more
formed, he crossed, and knelt dowr
by me over poor Lola.
He examined her wound, and shool
his head in silence; there was M
!, hope.
We made a mattress of the rug,
on the smoothest part OF the roct
and attempted to lift her upon it
But the movement gave her pain
, and she motiOned us to desist Thei
pointing upwards she made signs fol
US to leave her.
"Not while you are with us, m,
, poor GEL" said her father. will
| more tenderness than l had eve
heard in his voice.
We had the flask. and some food il
u wallet. We eat when we wer,
, hungry, seated beside Lola.
Then exhausted with fatigue, an,
the terrible strain we had been sub
| jected to, we unconsciously fel
asleep, with our backs resting
= against the rock. The last thing o
I. which l was conscious was the press
+ ing of Lola's lips upon my hand.
1 Brace touched my arm.
.'Pardner." he said. In a tone O
{ awe, 1.-THE Kids gone"
z looked where | had seen her ly
/. ing with her face to my hand. Sh,
was gone literally. There was
little stain OF blood upon the rock
0 a drop further on, another close t.
2 the edge Of the platform. She ha,
kept her prOmise-she had bee
good; and now the sufferings Of he
0 short life were ended.
a "She knowed it was no good on
waitin'-paor little cuss."
t felt something in my hand; open
J, ing it | found a ring l had Dough
! for Lola. She had slipped it Their
before she went.
Sir Edmund and Edith came t
!, San Diego In June. the loveliest sea
2 son OF that lovely land. The al
from the sea tempered the sum
o heat. The plantations were alread
buIdened with fruit, everywher
d there was a redolence Of orange
n blossom-.a very suggestive fra
e GRANGE, my dear fellow" said tn
II baronet, pressing my hand.
d. Edith was charmed with all sh
k saw.
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