Arizona republican., 1909-06-10


 left to avoid the trees huge ghosty shapes that swept Steele across the face with stngng fngersthat tore at clothing and flesh
 He must have gone a mile now-perhaps more-he could not tell; for nothing passed but blackness-op pressing, terrible blackness. He powerless tell where he was, where lay the ravine. He knew only that ahead, somewhere, lay the road down which she was riding her death He might strike this road be- tween her and the ravine He might strike the far side; so he could stand its edge and by shouting from time to time her of her danger But he get there first!
 Stumbling the black crowded against a tree, and Steeles leg caught between horse and trunk Still, he did check his mount though his leg was scraped from ankle to thigh
 AS his horse stopped to sniff the ground before him, the darkness bore to Seees eager ears the sound of hoofbeats It be she And in another instant she would lie crushed and bleeding the foot of the Leap for she still distance away and the hel-trap lie somewhere the dense livid blacness that separated them.
 He did not hesitate. But, with a warning cry of "Barbara Barbara!" he plunged red spurs into the black body beneath him.
 He felt the tense spasmodic contraction Of mighty muscles Then like bolt from cross-bow the great animal sprang straight the black wall of darkness The girl the chestnut cantering swiftly along through the night reined her its launches as she heard the cry. For nothing greeted her srainng but silence And then there came almost head Of berr dull noise and horrid sounds like the snappng of dry twig and the blood-chiling scream of horse. And then silence again.
 She leaped from the back of the shvering chestnut and felt her way along through the darkness
 Suddenly her extended foot met no resistance She dropped to her knees and her searching hand felt the rocky edge of the brdgeless chas; and from beneath her the sound of groans.
 Not for an instant did she hesitate. One little foot in its paeneather rding-boot swung over the rough edge of the ravine It felt about in the darkness and last found projecting point of rock and from that oohod she again groped downward and at length reached the bottom of the chasm. Then with hands outsretched she went slowly onward led by the gasp ings, growing fainter of the dying horse The groanings of the had ceased and her heart stood still She found him lying there beside the horse. And for fraction of instant she stood in helpless terror; then she dropped to her knees beside him and sought his pockets for a match
 She found his case and drew one from it, striking it the rocks beside his head The little light fainty iumned his white set face And then, suddenly, with a cry, she fell forward, her lips on his.
  the body beneath her stir and groan came from the lips. Startled, she 1eaped quickly backward In the dense darkness she could hear him moving.
 "I get there first, he muttered, and his voice. though weak, tense with purpose. He struggled to his knees, and at length gained his feet and stood ing unsteadiy in the darkness, while she silent, helpless, for she had thought him dcad
 And then the girl awoke from her dream of despair and called to him softly.
 Her voice." he cried, unsteadily She'll be killedi must get there first!" and he shouted again. tremu- lously the warning that she had heard he and the big black had taken that desperate plunge from Lovers Leap. r.
 But even as he called she was before him and The little chestnut whinnied long, impatiently. "Hao-o-o-o-o-o-ol" came from the brink of the chasm and the bright little eye of lantern peercd over nquisitively The voice was Glendnning's.
 Are you there?" the voice again, anxious, fearing, eager.
 "Yes" answered Steele. Here"
 " Both of you?" came chorus of tense queries. Both of us" was the repy and the mans voice not alone.
 "Oh then you aren't dead" came in tones of great relief and abiding joy from the brink
 "On the contrary" the reply, this time in the voice of the man, e arn just beginning to live" And what then happened no saw; for was dark, very dark, to some and yet brighter than Gods own sun to others =