The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-10-31
cHAPTER ni.-contInued.

CHAPTER 1H@Continued.
she shook on the restraining touch
Of his hand as II it we're contamination
and sank down upOn her knees beside
the inert body. He could barely per
ceive the dim outlines OF her bowed
figure. yet never moved, HIS breath
p~ereeptibly q~uickening. while he
watched and waited. Without word or
moan she BENT yet lower and pressed
her lips upon the cold. white face.
The man caught no more than the
faintest echo of a murmured Good
by. old dad; I Wish I could take you
with me" Theu sne stood stifiy up
right, facing him. I'm ready now" she
announced calmly. You can 90 OF
ahead"
They crept among low shrubs and
around the powders. carefully guard |
ing every slightest movement lest
some rustic Of disturbed foliage, or
sound OF loDsened stone. might draw
the IRE OF those keen watchers. Every
inch OF their progress was attained
through tedious cropping, yet the dis
lance to be traversed was short, and
Hampton soon found himself pressing
against the uprising precipice. Against
that background OF dark cliff they
might venture to stand erect, the faint
glimmer Of reflected light barely sufi-
Client to reveal to each the shadowy
outline OF the other.
Don't move an inch from this spot"
he whispered. 1t wouldn't be a square
deal. Kid. to leave those poor fellows
70 their death without even telling
them there's a chance TO get out.
She attempted no reply, as he glided
noiselessly away. but her face. could
he have seen it, was not devoid of ex-
preston. This was an act OF gener-
osity and deliberate courage of the
very kind most apt to appeal to her
nature, and within her secret heart
there was rapidly developing a re-
spect for this man, who with such
calm assurance won his own way.
Then. suddenly. that black curtain was
rent by jagged spurts OF red and yell
low flame. Dazed for an instant. her
heart thrObbing wildly TO the sharp
reports Of the rifles. she shrank cover
ing back, her fascinated gaze fixed
on those implike figures leaplng for
ward from rock 10 rock. Almost with
the fash and sound Hampton sprang
hastily back and gathered her in his
arms.
Catch hold. Kid. anywhere; only go
up. and quickl"
She retained no longer any mem
DRY Of Hampton; her brain was com
pletely %terrOrized. Inch BY inch. foot
by foot, clinging 20 a fragment Of rock
here. grasping a slippery branch there,
occasionally helped by e%ncountering a
deeper cash in the face Of the preci-
pice. her movements concealed by the
scattered cedars, she tolled feverishly
up. The first time she became aware
that Hampton was closely following
was when her feet slipped along q
naked root. and she would have
plunged ~headlong into unknown depths
had she not come In sudden contact
with his supporting shoulder. Faint
and dizzy. and trembling like a leaf OF
an aspen. she erept forward onto q
somewhat wider ledge Of thin rock
and lay there quiyering painfully from
head 10 foot A moment OF suspense
and he was outstretched beside her
resting at full length along the yerl
outer edge. his hand closing tightly
over her own.
Remain perfectly quiet he Wills
pered, painting heavily. we can b
no safer anywhere eiss.
shots and yells. the dun crash o
blows. the shouts of men engaged Il
q death grapple. the sharp cracklinI
OF innumerable rides, the lnarticuiat
means Of pain. the piercing scream @
sudden torture. were borne upwar
20 them from out the blackness. Al
NJ once the hideOus uprOar ceased wit
"A final yelping of triumph, seemingl
seechoed the entire length Of h
chasm, In the midst Of which one sir
gle voice pleaded pitifully -0nly {
die away In a shrek. The two agol
lied mgitives lay listening. their ear
strained 10 catch the slightest SCUM
from below. Hampton's cars could oil
Germ evidences Of movement, and i
heard cultural voices calling al a di
lance. but TO the vision an vas blacI
These uncertain sounds ceased, n
strained ears Of the f%ugiuyes hear
the crashing Of bodies through n
thick shrubbery. and then eyen IN
noise died away Ia TIE distance. "
neither ventured 10 ir or speak
may De that the i-rl slept htfuli
worn out by long Vigil and Intent
strain. but the mal proved less "a
tunate. his eyes staring out %continul
a. into the black void, his though
unon ether days. His features we.
drawn and haggard when the Or
gray dawn found CHASTITY reheeti'
alaae lie opposite rock summit. "a
ALI blurred eyes be watched the fat