The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-11-10

--SASAJ ADA LLE easiest route EulQe
could show him from the western side
Of the Andes TO the eastern pampas.
The happenings Of every day-yes,
every hour-such as creeping along
the verge Of a precipice on a trail
scarce wider than his two hands. OF
leading his burro over hairlike swing
ing bridges, with the earth few thou
sand feet below-he had come to re-
gard as minor incidents.
They had reached the point Of great
est altitude on their journey and were
Just entering. through a cleft in the
solid rock, an absolutely level plateau,
covered with short grass, when five
men, as though actuated by a common
spring, suddenly emerged in front.
While two Of the bandits kept them
covered with their carbines, the 9TH
ers bound them hand and foot and
led them some distance toward the
middle Of the plateau, where they
were dumped from their donkeys and
robbed Of everything Of value.
After that they were fed. which
somewhat allayed the apprehensiOns
Of Rouse, who had been studying his
2aptors and doubted If FIVE more repul-
siye or even equally yillainous looking
rascals could be assembled.
When at the close Of their repast
they had taken few 9uffs from
Rouse's best cigars. they appeared to
expand with a feeling as near akin
TO good humor as anything Of which
they were capable, and seizing this
opportunity, Rouse quietly asked for
one Of his own Perfectos. The man
who, gaping with establishment, hand
ed It to him, said:
Enjoy it, senior, for you'll have to
walk straight this afternoon"
Can you walk straight" continued
the joker. and the laughter ceased.
Morally. can; but physically not
at all-for limp"
This seemed TO be considered even
more humorous than the bandits
badinage. and sent the rufians into a
roar Of merriment.
Rouse thought that ominous. No
thorough scOundreI laughs in that way
without meaning harm to someone.
But, as lightly as possible. he in
quired:
Which kind of straight walking did
you mean?"
We'll, physically. senior; and it's
pretty important for you"
In a little while they unbound the
guides feet, leaving his hands tied
behind him and bandaged his eyes.
One man lay down and gazed steadily
across the plain. Rouse tried to fol-
low his glance, but could discern moth
ing but the unbroken plateau. extend
ing for some miles to the next range
of mountains. Stretching out an arm
and sighting along it as one might a
rife, the PROSTATE man held it stead
lily pointed at the object Of his scru-
tiny. The two men holding the guide
faced him exactly in the direction in
Dictated and released him, telling him
to walk straight ahead.
Whatever the game might be. It was
soon evident that the guide would not
prove a success. for he was gradually
veering to the left. As this became
more apparent, the laughter Of the la
drones rose higher and Rouse's uneasi-
ness increased. A vague but powerful
dread impressed him with a sense of
swiftly impending calamity. The next
moment he almost laughed himself at
his indefinite fears. What harm could
possibly befall a man on that level
D1afu9 II fhai- % r+o-- -,o.-- = IN
them. why had they not already done
so: They had made no movement to
ward their weapons. which lay stacked
with their saddles. II they let the
guide 60 far enough he might make q
break for the mountains, and
A movement as of expectancy
among the men at his side brought
Rouse from his revery with a shudder
and drew his wandering attention back
to the guide, who was stiI drifting
perceptbly TO the left. The next in
slant he had disappeared,
There. on the level plain, he had
gone from sight in a fash
That was the fateful moment for
Grafton Rouse Il was then that his
hard common sense and iron nerve
struggled for mastery over the form
less fear tearing at his soul-and won.
The single second in which he knew
that he was again master of his old
self was the happiest OF his life
even If it were to be the last.
Another moment was left him for
swift and vigorous thought, while the
murderers were still enjoying their .
CHASTITY entertainment. It was evil
IDENTIFY vital that he should walk I.
straight But could he-and how? His 1
active memory leaped back to child. 1
hood days, when the human cubs with /.
whom he spOrted Knocked his slight T
and with frank. boyish bru- 1
tality nicknamed him "Gimpy" How F.
he had set his teeth together. and,
time and again. practiced walking a
crack in the pavement with his eyes
shut, till he could beat any symmetri- 4
cal boy Of his acquaintance II he
could but recall the trick-for it was
! trickl
There was stir among the robbers.
who began to rise.
Rouse thought intently He remem-