The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-13
CONTINUED From Yesterday

soi L
(Coutinued From Yesterday
The creature was too unwieldy to
lift, so the hunter contented himself
with cutting away n launch n
part of the flank. With this trophy
over his shoulder, he fastened to re-
trace his steps, for the evening was
already drawing in. He had hardly
started, however, before he realized
the difficulty which faced him. In his
eagerness he had wandered far past
the ravines which were known to him,
and it was no easy matter to pick out
the path which he had taken. The val
ley in which he found himself divided
and subdivided into many gorges.
which were so like one another that 1t
was impossible to distinguish one from
the other. He followed one for a mile
or more until he came to a mountain
torrent which he was sure that he had
never e before. Convinced that he
had taken the wrong turn, he tried an
other, but with the same result. Night
was coming on rapidly, and 1t was
almost dark before he at last found
himself in q defle which was familiar
to him. Even then 1t was no easy
matter to keep to the right track, for
the moon had not yet risen, n the
high cliffs on either side made h OBJ
security more profound. Weighed down
with his burden, and weary from his
exertions, he stumbled along, keeping
up his heart by the reflection that
every step brought him nearer to Lucy
and that he carried with him enough
to insure them food for the remainder
of their journey.
He had now come to the mouth oil
the very defle in which he had left
them. Even in the darkness he coulc
recognize the outlines of the cliff
which bounded it. They must, he re
flected. be awaiting him ~anxiously. fol-
he had been absent nearly five hours
In the gladness of his heart he put hi:
hands to his mouth and made the eler
reecho to a loud halloo as a signal that
he was coming. He paused and lis
tened for an answer. None came save
his W cry. which clattered up the
dreary. silent ravines, and was borne
back to his ears in countless repeti-
tons. Again he shouted, even loudei
than before, and again no whisper
came back from the friends whom he
| had left such a short time ago. A
vague, nameless dread came over him
and h hurried onward frantlcally,
dropping the precious food In his agi-
tation.
When he turned the corner, he came
full in sight of the spot where the fire
had been lighted, There was still q
glowing pile of wood ashes there. but
- i,oJ n,riIoof1xr mt haon faudnl Ginnp
his departure. The same dead silence
still reigned all around. With his fears
all changed to convictions, he hurried
on. There was no living creature near
the remains of the fire; animals. man
maiden, all were gone. 1t was only toe
clear that some sudden and terrible
disaster had occurred during his alb.
seneca disaster which had embraced
them all and yet had left no races be
hind II.
Bewildered and stunned by this blow
jefferson Hope felt his head spir
round, and had to lean upon his rifle
to save himself from falling. He was
essentially a man of action, however
and speedily recovered from his TEN.
porary impotence. Selling a half-con-
sulned piece of wood from the smoul
dering fire, he blew it into a flame, anc
proceeded with its help to examine thu
little camp. The ground was al
stamped down by the feet of horses
showing that a large party Of mounted
men had overtaken the fugitives, and
the direction of their tracks proved
that they had afterward turned back te
Salt Lake City. Had they carried back
both of his companions with them.
Jefferson Hope had almost PERSUADE
himself that they must have done so
when his eye fell upon an object which
made every nerve of his body tinglc
within him. A little way on one sid
Of the lamp was a lowlylng heap OF
reddish soil, which had assuredly
not been there before. There was nc
%mistaking it for anything but a newly
dug grave. AS the young hunter APP
preached 1t. he perceived that a stick
had been planted on it, with n sheet
of paper stuck in the cleft fork of it
The inscription upon the paper was
brief, but to the point: