Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1906-01-09

over Pine creek were almost cut away
and when he rode on to it. of course
it went down with him and his horse"
WAL IL II was me. who's goln' to
prove 1t? And If | bungled that job !
amt a-goin' to queer this. don't you
forget it. Now no more foOlin'. See
that rock over yonder on the trail?
You go along till you reach It, then
climb up and stand right on top of
IT."
Lee obeyed perfOrce. and as she slow
ly traYersed the four hundred or so
feet her mind was busy. but she
could devise no way of escape Above
were the precipitous rocks. below the
precipiee, before the narrow rail. and
behind was Pete Long ready to shoot if
she attempted to run.
The rock indicated by Long iutted
up from the very edge Of the ledge
almost overhanging the abyss. The
girl carefully climbed its rough sides
and, reaching the apex. where there
was just room for her feet. stood up
right A glance backward made her
feel faint. and she turned toward the
man.
Don't be skeeredg' he yelled. "I
amt a-goln' to hit yer"
He took deliberate aim, and the bull
let cut the air within an inch Of her
overalls. The next passed between her
ankles. third whlzzed just above her
sombrero. and a fourth almost grazed
her right hand. But Lee nerved her
self, cllnched her small teeth and stood
as firm as the rock beneath her.
Stands as stiddy as one Of them
statyers in the park down to Frisco
Long muttered. ''waal. I'll try some
thin else"
And. hoping thus to break her nerve.
he took steady aim at her heart. and
when she held her breath. expecting the
end, he laid down the rife. then picked
It up again and pointed it directly at
her face, then at her neck Finally he
fired again. the bullet grazing her
jumper. but leaving no mark. a second
striking and splintering the rock at her
feet
Still she stood firm, but she knew she
could not hold out much longer, and
death seemed almost welcome. Then.
as Long again played with his weapon.
aiming at one vital spot and then at
another. faint, awful hope crept into
her consciousness.
When, startled by the, sound of
Longs hammering. Lee had run from
the tunnel to learn the cause, she had
just put in her last blast and had light
ed the fuse. very long one. for she
could never quite overcome her fear
OF the blasting. In her haste. as she
now remembered, she had left all the /
explosives in the tunnel over which |
Long was standing, and-and the long |
fuse must be nearly burned out.
I'll end this thing one way or an
other pretty quick" muttered Long as 1
be fired again. I'm gettin' tired Of
this"
As the bullet whizzed past her it SEEM
ca to Lee that the earth heaved beneath
mans feet, and, following blind
l.ll.s-s % -. Il -. sSRtiop. she slid
from the rock and fell face downward
on the ledge. Then an awful reverbera-
don echoed through the canyon. Rocks
new above and around her. a fragment
Of one striking her as she lay half
stunned, making scalp wound which
caused the blood to trickle down her
face
When a few moments later she dared
to raise her head she saw something ly
Ing on the trail which told her that she
was alone on the mountain. and. clasp
ing her temples with both hands to
guard her eyes from other sights, like
4 hunted deer she sped down the trail.