The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1908-01-31
CHAPTER discontinued.


She shook off the restraining touch
of his hand as If 1t were contamination
and sank down upon her knees beside
the inert body. He could barely per.
'ceiye the dim outlines of her bowed
figure, yet never moved, his breath
'%perceptibly 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-" Then she stood stifly up
right, facing him. I'm ready now" she
announced calmly. you car go or
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 loosened stone, might draw
the fire 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-
cient 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
to 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 cen 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 vel
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 leaping for
ward from rock to rock. Almost with
the flash and sound Hampton sprang
hastily back and gathered her in his
arms.
Catch hold. Kid. anywhere; only go
up, and quick!"
She retained no longer any mem.
Dry of Hampton: her brain was com
pletely terrorized. Inch by inch, foot
by foot. elinging to a fragment Of rock
here. grasping a slippery branch there,
occasionally helped by e%ncountering q
deeper cash in the face of the preci'
pice, her movements concealed by the
scattered cedars. she toiled feverishly
up. The first time she became aware
that Hampton was closely following
a when her feet slipped along
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 q leaf o.
an aspen. she crept forward onto 8
somewhat wider ledge of thin rock
and lay there quivering painfully from
head to foot. A moment of suspense
and he was outstrotched beside her
resting at full length along the very
outer edge, his hand closing tightly
ove her own.
Remain perfectly quiet" he whis
pered. painting heavily. I'VE q b.
no safer anywhere else"
Shots and yells, the dull crash o
blows, the shouts of men engaged II
= death grapple. the sharp cracking
of innumerableS rifles. the inarticulat'
means of pain, the piercing scream o
sudden torture, were borne upwart
to them from out the blackness. AL
mt once the hideous uproar cesssd will
a hpa. yelDiug of triumph. sasmtngl,