The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-07-31

girl?"
"oh. the girls right enough. She's
| standing exactly where she can hear the
cry of the suffering in distress. You
can leave that part OF the drama TO
me. She's a smart girl, with plenty of
pluck, but all the same. I'm going to
make use OF her. Have you got the
things?"
/ Got everything. pardner. Got a
proper wipe over the skull. too
How on earth did you manage to do
| that?"
"MeddIin with Bell, of course Why
| didn't you let him come and produce his
| picture I'm peace? We should have been
all ready 10 fiabbergaster him when ne
did come"
MY good Merritt, 1 have not the
slightest doubt about It. My plans are
! too carefully laid for them To- go astray.
But, at the same time. firmly believe
! in having more than one plan OF attack
| and more than two ways OF escape. But
| II we could have despoiled Bell OF his
picture II would have been utterly use
| less for him TO have come here. He
would have gone back, preferring to
accept defeat to arriving with a cock
! and bull story to the effect that he
| had been robbed OF his treasure on the
way And so he got the best OF you.
| eh?"
Rather! I fancied that was pretty
strong. put--well, II doesn't matter
| Here I am with the tools, and / ain't
| going to fail this time. Before Bell
| comes the little trap will be ready. and
| you will be able TO prove an alibi."
Henson chuckled hoarsely. He loved
| dramatic effect, and here wac one TO
| hand. He almost fancied that he could
see the white outline of Chris's figure
| from where he stood
Get along" he said. "There is no
time TO lose"
Merritt nodded and began to make his
way upward. Some way above him
Chris was looking down. Her quick ear
had detected some suspicious sound.
She watched eagerly. Just below her
the big electric light on the castle tow
er cast a band of flame athwart the
cliff. Chris looked down steadily at
this. Presently she saw a hand uplift-
ed into the belt of flame, hand grasp
ing for a ledge of rock, and a quickly
stifled cry rose to her lips. The thumb
on the hand was smashed fiat; there
was a tiny pink nail in the center.
Chriss heart gave one quick leap.
then her senses came back to her. She
needed nobody to tell her that the own
er Of that hand was James Merritt.
Nor did she require any fine discrim
nation TO perceive that he was up to no
good. That IL had something to do
with the plot against Bell she felt GER
tain. But the man was coming now;
he could only reach the top of the cliff
just under the wall where she was
standing. Chris peered eagerly down
into the path of light until the intrud-
er looked up. Then she jerked back,
forgetting that she was in the dark
ness and absolutely invisible. The &C.
ton was disastrous, however. for 1t
shook Chris's diamond star from her
head, and it fell gently, almost at the
feet of the climber. An instant later,
and his eyes had fallen upon II.
What bloomin' luck" he said, hoarse.
ly. Il suppose that girl yonder must
have dropped 1t over. Well, it's as good
as couple of hundred pounds to me. |
anyway Little missile, you'd better
take a fearful farewell of your Jumps
of sugar. as you'n never see them
To Chriss quivering indignation, he
slipped the star into his breast pocket. |
again"
For a noment the girl was on the
point of crying out. She was glad she |
had refrained a second after, for a real
ly brilliant thought occurred to her. |
She had never evolved anything more |
clever in her life, but she did not quite |
realize that as yet.
Nearer and nearer the man with the |
manned thumb came. Chris stepped |
back into the shadow. She waited until |
the intruder had slipped past her in the
direction of the castle and prepared to
follow at discreet distance. Whatev- |
er he was after, she felt sure he was be- |
ing ordered and abetted by Reginald |
Henson. Two minutes five minutes |
elapsed before she moved.
What was that? Surely, a voice |
somewhere near her moaning for help. !
Chris stood perfectly still. listening for |
the next cry. Her sense of humanity !
had been touched, she had forgotten |
Merritt entirely. Again the stided cry |
for help came.
who are your" Chris shouted. And |
where are you?"
'Henson," came the totally unexpect- |
ed reply. I'm down on a ledge Of |
rock. No, I'm not particularly badly |
hurt, but dare not move"
Chris paused for moment, utterly |
bewildered. Henson must have been
on the lookout for his accomplice, she |
thought, and missed his footing and /
fallen. Pity he had not fallen a little |
farther, she murmured, bitterly, and |
broken his neck. But this was only for /
a moment, and her sense of justice and |
humanity speedily returned.
II cannot see anything of you" she |
said.
'All the same, I can see your out |
line" Henson said, dismally. II don't |
feel quite so frightened now. / can |
hang on bit longer. especially now I
know assistance is at hand. At first I |
begun to be afraid that was a prison
er for the night. No; don't go. IL I
had a rope should have the proper |
confidence to swarm up again. And |
there is coil OF rope In the arbor close |
by you. Hang 1t straight down over
that middle boulder and fasten your /
end around one of those iron pilasters.'
The rope was there, as Henson, had |
stated; indeed, he had placed 1t there /
himself. With the utmost GOODNESS and |
courage Chris did as she was desired. |
But ii took some little time to coax the |
rope to go over in the proper direction. |
There was a little laugh of triumph |