The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1897-09-03

~ ] run, vog10OnO tnou&ntS Wnlrleu
like dervishes through my brain. l
recalled the pro~erbial patience and
cunning of madmen. Burlington, armed
with powerful field glasses. must have
watched and waited tpossibly for
full month"; for this very chance. From
my knowledge of the man l shuddercd
to think what foul use he would make
of il.
When l reached the end of the sand
paused. A cove wns directly in front Of
me-in fact, q succession of coves. shell
tered, each one, by frowning headlands.
At high tide these coves were inaccessi-
BILE from the shore; and already the
waters were tapping idly at the base Of
the cliffs. Seagulls screamed overhead.
The wet sand was blood-red with sun
set reflections. The sun itself was be-
low the horizon, the day dying fast
and the abort spring twilight stealing
swiftly from landwsrd.
Scrambling across the rocks,
scanned anxiously the semicircular
cove in front of me. No human being
was in sight. Hurrying on, / struck
again the sand. and on IL the footprints.
These I followed to the mouth of the
Pirates' cave. There-where the peb-
bles hid the tEacks-4he spoor was lost.
Ny worst suspicious were realized.
! listened intently for the murmur OF
voices. Then. slipping of my shoes, l
stepped noiselessly forward. My right
hand gripped the stock OF pistol
which lat the urgent request of GerardD
I carried habitually in my pocket The
cave had two chambers, IN inner and
an outer. the latter lighted by a small
aperture in tho roof. remembered,
with sudden gust of hope, that il was
possible to crawl through this aperture
and regain the cliffs above. had per-
formed this feat myself at much per-
sonnl Inconvenience, but Mark made lit
tie of It. Here, then, was loophole Of
escape.
The silence, acccntuated by the drip
and trickle of water, was horrible. a
more appropriate stage setting for
tragedy could scarcely be conceived.
The dank walls, Shiny with fungoid
growth, harbored no echo. What
nymph. indeed, would haunt so fearful
n grot? The pools Of water courted
blood-stained hands. And in the deep
crannies ond hssures were hiding places
for hecatomb Of victims.
lam NO coward. but horror smote me
in the face.
A I glided In the shadows to the en-
trance Of the inner chamber heard u
peculiar noise fretting Of garments
against rocks. Pistol in hand. ! plunged
forward. High up. crawling painfully
across jagged rocks. was Burlington;
but where was the boy7
"Halt!" cried. sternly.
The sound Of my own voice startled
me: and IL startled the madman above.
He turned suddenly. grasped helplessly
at the Shiny walls, lost his hold and
crashed headlong to my feet. He had
fallen in the most awkward possible
place, . rift between two rocks. For
the moment every feeling wss ban
ished save that Of pity; but how to ex-
tricate him passed my understanding.
DE lay senseless upon his back. The
trapezius muscles hsd borne the brunt
of the shock and saved him a broken
Ieck: but in the nature of things he
must have suffered very grave internal
Injuries. But the catastrophe added
fuel to tlse flames of my anxiety on
Marks account. Had he escaped
through the hole in the roof? Or-I
dared not finish the sentence.
A hasty survey Of the cavern some
what reassured ne. and remarked,
with saAisfaction, that the hands Of
Euriingtou were unstained save for the
PATCHES of fungus, that his clothing
lore no evidence Of committed crime.
that his features even were calm and
YeMceful. bending over his PROSTATE
lotly n the sorest Perplexity ] heard
q welcome football, and an instant later
Demetrius stood beside me.
"Mark?- I stammered. Have you
seen Nark?"
'.IIe 10 with his mother" he replied,
roolly. Then he too bent down and
,axcd steadily into the face Of hia en-
cmy.
HE is not dead, Mr.. Livingston"
The fellow asked no questions. He
accepted the situation with extrsor-
Ainary st0icism.
-He il very badly injured an-
swered, curtiy-'I fear fatally"
''whaa are yov going TO dot" be
whispered.
"Do2 why. get him out Of this-et
nnce."
lie laid . hssvy finger upon my fore
arm.
"Mr. Livineston" - hie hot breath
stirred the hair upon ny temples-"Mr.
Livingston. the tide is coming in"
The diabolical suggestiveness Of the
words palsieti my tongue
The tide ID coming in" he repeated,
slowly. . hoerid smile upon his clean
cut lips.
Vt would be wise, ! reflected. to ignore
his meaning.
"Yes," returned. I'VE have not a
minute to los. Take his feet, Demcfri-
lis. Luckily, we ere strong men,"