Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-11-03

lllIleS.
Sel.m creDt on ahead to reconnoiter
He was back insten minutes with the
information that.asMlrty of men had
but lately passed salong the road to-
ward the south Their footprints in
the soft. untraSe]eisrond were fresh
The Stub of a cigarette had scarcely
burned itself cut.
They broke aWay, from the road and
took less eSposedsSanrse through the
forest to their right. Keeping we'll with
in earshot of the, ridge. but moving so
carefully that there was slight danger
OF alarming the, party ahead
AT last the sound :of voices came to
the ears of the spursuers. AS they
crept closer and. closer they became
aware of the fact. that the party had
halted in the roadway at the point
where a sharp defiles through the rocks
opened a way, down into the valley.
Like snakes the pursuers wriggled
their way to n point just above the
small basin inswhich the party was
congregated.
A great throB of %exu!tation leaped
up from their hearts. In plain view,
Mt the side of the rond were the two
persons for whom they were searching.
Good luck is with u.s." whispered
Chase unconsciously.
Lady Agnes, dishevelcd. her dress
half stripped from her person, was
seated upon great bowlder. staring
hopelessly. lifclessly. at the crowd of
men in the roadway. Beside her stood
n tall islander, watching her and at
the same time listening eagerly to the
dispute that went on between his fell
lows. She was not bound. Her hands
and feet and lips were free.
Bobby Browne was standing near
by. His hands were tightly bound be-
hind his back. His face was blood
covered. and the upper part of his
body was almost bare. evidence of the
struggle he had made against over
whelming odds. He was staring at
the ground. his head and shoulders
dropping iE utter detection.
Three of the treasure chests We're
standing beside the road, affording
seats for US many weary carriers. 1t
was all quite plain to Chase. Rasula
and his men had CHANGED upon the two
white people during one of their trips
to the cave for the purpose of remov-
ing the chests.
Rasula was haranguing the crowd of
men In the road.
1T is the only way" he was shout
ing angrily. I'VE cannot put them to
death until we IRE sure that the 9TH
ers have no chance to escape to Eng
land. I am a lawyer. know what it
would mean If the story got to the
ears Of the government. We have
them safely in our hands. The others
will soon die. Then-thcn there can be
no mistake! They must be taken to
the mines and kept there until have
explained everything to the people.
Part Of, us shall conduct them to the
lower mill and the rest of us go on to
the bank with these chests of gold.''
Rasula and six of the sturdiest men
prepared to continue the journey to
Arafat, transporting the chests. Five
sullen. resentful fellows moved over
beside the captives and threw them
selves down upon the grassy sward.
1--WE will, wait here till day comes,'
growled one of them defiantly. why
should we risk our necks going down
the pass tonight? 1t is o'clock. The
sun will be here In three hours. Go
onr'
"As you like, Abou Dali" said Rasu.
Ia, struggling his pinched shoulders. 81
shall come to the mill Mt 6 o'clock
Turning to the prisoners. he bowed
low and said, with soft laugh;
"Adios. my lady, and you. most noble
sir. May your dreams be pleasant
ones Dream that you are welded
and have come into the wealth of ia.
pat, but spare none of your dream to
the husband and wife who are lying
awake and weeping for the foolish
ones who would go searching for the
forbidden fruit. Folly is hard road
to travel and 1t leads to the graveyard
of fools. Adios"
Lady Agnes bent over and dropped
her face into her hands. She wa!
trembling convulsiycly. Browne die
not show the slightest sign that liz
had heard the CALLING words.
At single sharp command the 81,
men picked up the three chests ant
moved of rapidly down the road
Rasula striding ahead with the flarinl
torch.
! They were barely out of 81. 1T whel
Deppingham moved us though impulse
was driving him into immediate at
tack upon the guards who were lief
behind with the unhappy prisoners
Chase laid restraining hand upon hi
arm.
"wait! Plenty of time. Wait al
hour. Don't spoil everything. Wei
save them sure he breathed in tn
others ear.
The minutes slipped by with excru
ciating slowness. The wakeful eye
Of the three wa: hcrs missed nothin.
that took place in the little gras
grown niche below them. They coul,
have sprung almost into the center o
the group from the position they occu
1
backs to the rocks, their rifles acros
their knees. The others sprawled lazi
ly upon the soft grass. Two torche
stuck in the earth threw weird ligh
over the scene.
Bobby Browne was now lying wit
his shoulder against fallen tire
trunk, staring with answering gaz
at the woman across the way. Sh
was looking off into the night, stead
lastly refusing to glance in his diree
ton.
Then suddenly Lady Agnes arose t
her feet and lifted her hands high tc
ward the black dome of heaven, ST.
lammbo-like. and prayed aloud to he
God. the sneering islanders looking o
In silent derision.
fro BE Continued