The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-04-06

sauted 70 them b halt The fuginveg
cast quick glances behind, aad then,
win defiant yelIs, fed.
Two dzrqed around one sife of =
huxe. projecting ciin that formed ne
e1treme spar Of the mountain, and one
wezt tie ether way. Two rife shots
rarg cut % the mountain. and tNo
bullets wAlzzed through the air,
Te winged yer man. Crack Lash,
cried Glum. ~Foliow him and Ii siye
ck4Ee to the othefs'
Paul needed no second command,
but 1arted after the man AZ whom he
rad fred. The fugitive threw away
his 4in and fed FOR life, and for an
hour Paul was fn doubt whether AZ
vas gaining or hg1a Or not At the erd
cf that tine. 70 bis great chagrin, he
aaw hlm cash into a thick forest q
pines and FRI.
When next be saw him he was
creeping along a Ledge Ave hundred
feet above him. With no other thought
fhan the capture Of the fugitive and
recovery 81 bis treasure, Paul threw
CT his snowsI4Oes and clambered up
the steep DreciDice with great iabpr
and 10 little danger Up be went,
needless 0f everything but the solu-
tinn of the mystery which threatened
his life ard happiness Of himself and
Laura He reached the fork and be-
gan 10 climb the great dead LIMB cf a
tree which touched the corrected ledge
Al that moment he heard a cracking
Al the root Of the tree and became
conscious Of q descending motion in
the limbs TO which be ciung-
He knew he was falling. and that
with the vast mass he must descend
into the valley beneath. He left him
self rushing downward through the
air. he closed his eyes; there came 4
horrid crash on his ears, and be knew
no more
When Paul regained consciCusness
he vas lying On q pile Of skins and
furs IN a cavern
man clothed ycolly il bear and
seal skins stood over him. gazing az
him with q pair Of strange gray eyes
His hair was long. falling 70 his shOui-
ders, and his beard. which was almost
white. came to his waist He had 4
haIE-sayage and hzlf-civilized appear
znce.
Paul gazed into the strange. Wild
fnce and asked.
Who are yCu77
The stranger. without taking his
eyes C1 him, asked.
-Tho are youzv
4 am miner from the Klcndlke
who was robbed. vas il pursuit cF
the robbers when the accident befen
me You found me2r
Yes
Paul AZ 6rst supposed that some of
his limbs were broken o. dislocatad-
and dared not move. but after a few
moments he discovered that be had
suffered no greater injury than Sc
we're shock He had fallen sato a deep
snoBdrift. which had broken the fail
and no doubt saved ais 1fe
Wont you tel me who ycu arsg~
asked Paul after few minutes gazing
into the face % the mysterious
stranger. The man turned away for ?
moment as IL he wished 10 avoid the
answer and then slowly turning back
answered.
IL am hermit. viii that suficeg~
do you live Asregr Paul asked.
Yes
How long have you lived in this
mountain
Then came longer silence than
usual. when the hermit of the cave
answered:
What difference can that make to
your | found you in perishing con
dition and brought you here and
saved your life. Is that NOT enough
without selling all the secrets Of ny
ife2 He turned slowly about ana
went TO a small FIRE that smoldered On
the stones some distance away. and
began 20 toast some slices Of moose
steak. Paul closed his eyes and tried
to reason that he coEld be IN 10 irnne-
diate danger. = tae nan had intend
ed to Kill him. he would no dou1t nave
done so waile he was unconscious. he
also reasoned he might hare some
design in saving his life.
tn - -r-+f~-,-.f 4