El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-07
By Garrett P. Serviss
Illustrated by Parker.


of my design. feeling sure that she
would oppose 1t. Her suffering. how
ever, was so painfully evident that l
would have ventured anything in or
der to relieve her.
By this time. although l could hard
IL credit so gratifying suggestion. |
began to think that Payton had stolen
away in despair of being able to cap
ture or kill us and fearful OF the ar
rival Of our friends.
ransom" | argued, land why, then.
should he further risk his life and lib
ertyT
As 1 continued to ruminate upon
this became so convinced that had
hit upon the real explanation OF the
cessation OF his efforts that l spoke
about it to Miss Grayman and told her
of my plan for getting water.
AT first she vigorously opposed me.
but / presented the matter so clearly
that finally she gave in to my opinion.
The time seemed endless before the
day became sufficiently dark to render
my attempt safe against possible de-
lection. l crawled down the rocks.
keeping in the darkest places. and then
wound my way over the open ground
until reached the place where Payton
took his tumble From this l followed
the dry rivulet already spoken OF un-
I'll | attained the brush. This rivulet
was q tributary of a larger stream
which ran over pebbly bottom, the
cold water collecting In little pools.
took long drink and filed my helmet
Although more and more convinced
that had nothing to fear from TURK
ing enemies, did not relax my eau
ton. thinking Of the stake ! had In
the security OF Miss Grayman. and
once more / got down on my knees to
cross the open space
! had not progressed more than a
dozen yards from the edge of the
brush when q scream broke the still
ness 1t came from the summit of the
rocks.
My pulse stopped beating. but instan-
taneously | sprang to my feet, drop
ped my helmet, drew my pistol and.
shouting knew not what, ran with all
my speed toward the rocks. | heard
another scream, muff1ed and cut short,
and madly as l ran. without aim or
object, | fred my pistol three or four
times.
Helen! Helenr | shouted.
There was no reply. of course. I
could hear a. scrambling. however, on
the other side Of the huge pile, and it
occurred to me that l could make
swifter progress by skirting the steep
rocks Accordingly ran round them,
but when | arrived on the opposite
side there was not sound or a NOV
ing thing in sight
had in my pocket small electric
lamp of my own contrivance. which
/ always carried and which had a
mirror throwing bright shaft Of light
to a considerable distance. / now
brought this into requisition and with
1t carefully swept round on all sides.
Nothing was to be seen except the
| rocks, the ground and. the distant
brush.
'aThey may still be on the summit, -
l thought. and hastily began TO
mount had made but few upward
steps when an arm stole swiftly and
silently round my neck. and in an In
slant I was throttled In the grasp OF
a man whose strength. combined with
the advantage of his position, made
my struggles unavailing.
A knee was pressed remorselessly
against the small of my back. and in
less time than It takes to tell it was
| lying prone on the rocks. rendered
powerless by the cruel pressure on my
throat and back.
/ had always been something OF al
athlete, but / could do nothing now
| MY pistol had fallen from my hand
but could not have used it If / hal
had it.
In another minute my arms wer'
pinioned behind. and then my captol
without a word rolled me face upward
and by the light Of the fallen lamp
saw that he was an Indian.
A savage grin overspread his fea
lures.
"Wahr he said. Much bear hug
Don't like him. huh? Come. Mus
go quickr'
He jerked me to my feet and pulled
me down TO the level ground. Then
still grasping the bonds about my
arms, he began to drag me toward
| the brush.
The Indian had picked up my lamp
and my pistol The latter he thrus
into his belt; the former he kept IL
his hand He seemed sufficiently IA
miliar with its use and employed 1t tt
light the way.
white mans eye" he said. 5000
to see In night"
AS we entered the bushes he uttered
| q whoop. which was Immediately an