Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1913-12-25
CHAPTER XIV.


North came up on run. "Thanh
the Lord" he exclaimed huskily. 81
feel like falling upon my knees and
worshiping" Ever alert as a weasel
he looked upon all sides and upward
Where Is he now?" he demanded
She shook her head.
Il do not know. He left an hour
ago-creeping away among the rocks
He goes and comes as silently as a
shadow. Always he seems to be upon
the watch, by night as we'll as by day
| doubt II he ever sleeps" She looked
at Alan's torn garments, bloodstained
face and lacerated hands. "Oh, it Is
too bad, too horrible! And Clay
She shuddered and covered her face
with her palms. Il think ! lost my
senses for time last night when that
terrible thing happened. He seemed
to be falling for hours. Take me away
from this place of hideousness. "
North, pacing restlessly about
frowned.
Guess we will all have to wait here
oUOulb uuLll We nave loIobSA tAAAS
game of ours. For all we know, he
may be roosting somewhere about and
waiting for us to set sail. / dare not
take you aboard until know that he
is not in a position to interfere. He
has given me a few illustrations OF
what he can do in the flying line when
he wants to-and neither have | for
gotten poor Putnam as yet" The wis
dom of his position could not be con-
troverted. Doris must not be risked
in the downward flight until the en-
envy was either rendered harmless or
driven afar. They must wait.
Briefly she told them of her ordeal.
Following the fearful shock of finding
herself borne upward by him had en-
sued a condition Of unconsciousness
with brief spells Of reason regained,
wherein she saw them running and
falling as they struggled on below in
their pursuit, intermitted by blank
periods until at last she awakened to
find herself in this land of desolation,
He had not seemed to desire to injure
her either upon the flight or after
their arrival here, in fact had handled
her no more severely than necessary
in transporting her. And after their
descent he had laid no hand upon
her, only staring at her by the hour
from the distance of yard or two
with his great, beetle-like eyes, silent
as a gargoyle or craven idol. Then
of a sudden he would arise, listen as
though he had heard a sound which
had not registered itself upon her
ears, disappear only to later on come
creeping back with the stealth Of a
cat to resume his steadfast gazing.
He had not seemed to notice the bit
ter chill of night and had made no
effort to make fire, and her principal
sufferings had been caused
by the night cold. Neither had de
eaten or drank in her presence, and
what he was engaged in during his
frequent excursions she had no idea
except when
She shuddered, clinging convnlsive-
ly to March, speaking in a broken
voice II would give years of my life
to efface that horrible memory. The
moon had arisen fairly high when all
at once be became rigid, listened, and
his eyes shone-Oh, with such light,
SO uncanny, SO vindictive. They were
the eyes of a coiled serpent, only so
much greater than a serpent's and
fraRv ta11
malice. Then he crept away like
ghost through the shadows of the
plateau with wings trailing and l saw
him outlined for moment upon dis
ant pile of rocks before he dropped
tut of sight upon the other side. 1t
vas still then as it is now-this I'M
earthly stiffness wherein all noises
seem faint and far away with no
board to emphasize them.
Then a cry arose, cry so awful that
or a moment | was paralyzed by the
lorror of it, and after that came the
of struggle, the voice of a
nan who is fighting for his life, hoarse
nd desperate, together with strange,
sound such as the creature
made that night upon the lawn after
lay had wounded him. | knew that
e had surprised either you or Clay. |
r possibly both of you, and that
omebody would be killed. My strength
anne back to me as it did when
ushed out to you with the sword and |
q my desperation seized stone and
an towards the place where they !
ipre fighting nnt knowing what |