Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-11-30

length terrified by the pace ,lat
carried them careening along
the narrow road. Beverly cried out TO
him. her voice slri,l with alarm. Aunt
Fanny was crouching on the floor OF
the coach between the seats, groaning
and praying
stop. Where IRE you golngf' cried
Beverly. putting her head recklessly
through the window. If the man heard
her he gave no evidence of the fact.
His face was set forward. and he was
guiding the horses with firm, un-
ouivering hand. The coach ratified
and bounded along the dangerous way
hewn in the side of the mountain.
misstep or Il false turn might easily
start the clumsy vehicle rolling down
the decllvity on the right. The convict
was taking desperate chances and
with a cool, calculating brain, prepared
to leap to the ground in case OF acci-
dent and save himself, without a
thought for the victims inside.
stop! Turn aroundv' she cried In a
frenzy. 1--WE shall be killed. Are you
crazyT
By this time they had struck de-
scent In the road and were rushing
along at breakneck speed into oppress-
i've shadows that bore the first i'm
prints Of night. Realizing at last that
her cries were falling upon purposely
doof oare payarIy Calhoun capk hdck
into the seat. weak and terror stricken.
1t was plain to her that the horses were
not running away. for the man had
been lashing them furiously. There
was but one conclusion--he was delib-
erately taking her farther into the
mountain Businesses. his purpose
known only to himself. A hundred ter
rors presented themselves to her as
she lay huddled against the side Of the
coach. her eyes closed tightly, her ten
der body tossed furiously about with
the sway of the vehicle. There was the
fundamental fear that she would be
dashed to death down the side of the
mountain. but apart from this her
quick brain was evolving all sorts Of
possible endings-none short Of abso-
lutte disaster.
Even as she prayed that something
might intervene to check tie mad rush
and to deliver her from the horrors of
the moment the raucous voice of the
driver was heard calling to his horses,
and the pace became slower The aw-
full rocking and the jolting grew less
severe, the clatter resolved itself into
broken rumble, and then the coach
stopped with mighty lurch.
Dragging herself from the corner,
poor Beverly Calhoun no longer dis
dainful heroine, gazed piteously out
into the shadows, expecting the muir.
derous blade of the driver to meet her
as she did so. Pauloff had swung from
the box of the coach and was peering
first into the woodland below and then
upon the rocks to the left. He wore the
expression Of man trapped and seek
ing means of escape Suddenly he dart.
ed behind the coach. almost brushing
against Beverly hat as he passed the
window. She opened her lips to call
nm, bat even MS she did SO he tool,
- his heels and raced back over the
road they had Travelled so precipitously.
Overcome hy surprise aud dsmay.
she only could watch the flight in 81.
,c2c" Less than hundred feet from
where the coach was standing he turn
cd TO the right and was lost among the
rocks. Ahead. four horses covered
with sweat We're painting and heavlng
as II in great distress after their mad
run. Aunt Fanny was still moaning
and praying 10y turns in the bottom of
the carriage. D9rkneSs was settling
down upon tie pass. and objects hun
ured yards away were swallowed bv
the gloom. There was no sound save
the blowing 0f the tired animals and
the moaning of the old uegress. Bever
y realized with sinking heart than
they were alone and helpless In the
mountains, with night upon them.
SAe newer knew where the strength
ana courage came from. but she forced
'peA 'he stubborn coach door and |
scrambled TO the ground, looking fran. |
ticaily I'M all directions for a single
sign Of hope In the most despairiug
terror she had ever experienced she
started toward the lead horses. hoping
against hope that at least one of her
men had remained faithful
\ man stepped quietly from the inner
side of the road and advanced with the
uncertain tread Of one who = overcome
by amazement He was STRANGER
and wore an odd, uncouth garb. The
failing light told her that he was n,t
one of her late protectors. She shrank
back with faint cry of alarm. ready
to fly to the protecting arms of hopeless
Aunt Fanny il her uncertain legs could
carry her. At the same instant another
ragged stranger. then two, three, four
or five appeared as if by magic, some
near her, others approaching from the
shadows.
"Who-who in heavens name are
IouY' she faltered. The sound Of bar
'Wn voice in a measure restored the