The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-14
The Trey o. Hearts
Romantic Tale by Louis Joseph Vance
Copyright. 1914. by Louis Joseph Vance

Sla s5y brink Immediately bclow--nol
less than a fathon.
The canoe was now we'll within j
hundred feet. a swift glance gagged
It's course with approximate accuracyj
Alan turned. dropped his legs In thJ
space between tho timbcra and let III
body fall backward. arms extended a
length, an.i swung braced BY his feel
beneath the outer timber.
With swiftness that passed conI
scious thought. he WAS aware Of Thu
canoe hurting onward with the spcctI
on Wind. It's sharp Prov apparently
aimed directly for his head: he expeI
rienced fugitive impression of thti
bronze mask of Jacob In profile sct}
grim. impnssivc ms always Then hand
/ closed around hts wrists like clamps
tremulous weight tore at his a,,naI
until the dislocation OF his shoulder1
seemed no less than accomplished fact
and with an effort OF inconccivablc off
hculty he began to lift. to drag tht|
woman UP out of the foaminS. ravcnl
ing. clamourous jaws OF death
Somehow that Impossible feat wal
achieved: somehow the woman gained
a hold upon his body, shifted II 10 hill
belt. contrivcd inexplicably TO clambe
over him To tho timbers: and some
, how lie In turn pulled himself up II
safety. and sick with reaction spra .lccI
prone. lensthwise upon that foot
wide bridge. above tho screaming abyssI
Later he became aware that theI
woman had crawlcd TO safety on thtj
farther shore. and puiling himself 10
gether. initiated her example. Solid
earth underfoot. he rose and stood
swaying. besct by great weakness
Through the gathering darkncss-i9
CHASTITY twilight in which tho fIaminrl
forests on the other shore burned Will
an uncarthly glare-hc discovered thd
J.st
to his and he heard her voice. a scrcaul
barely audible above the comminc lie ID
voices OF the confagration and thd
cascades.
You fool! Why did YOU save me
tell you. have sworn your dcath-.J
The utter grotcsGucness of II alA
broke upon his intelligence like tht1
revelation OF some enormous funda I
mental absurdity in nature. HID
laughed a little Historically. waving,
her aside one might an unrcason
able child
"Oh. go TO the devil" he cackicd in 4
sanely.
Darkness followed a lash of light Il
ming seemed to flame between thcnla
liic fiery sword. To its crashing
thm der. he lapscd into unconscious \
ness.
When he reused. il was with Al
shiver and shudder. Rain Was fall
Ing In torrents from a sky tho hue OF
slate. Across the lake dense volume :,
of steam enveloped the fires that faint |
cd beneath the dclugc. y great hiss 1
ing noise filled the world. muting event
the roar of tho spillway.
Ic was alone.
But in his hand, tattcred and,
bruised by the downpour. he found-ai
rose
That day was not and MINDLESS with
an unclouded sky-a day OF brass and
burning.
Yesterday had been ono Of torment
and OF terror. when tho forest and all,
It's hidden people cringcd and tremblcd. /
first before the onset of the great frc;
raging In the north. then beneath tho,
blast, the lightninss. thundcrs andI
tropic downpour OF q tempest thatt
rolled up from the south to quench thel
conflaEration.
Such memories but dccpcncd thu
sense of to-day's serenity. III floodiHc
sunlight the woodlands baskcd anal
steamed, and a great stiffness hroodcd
over all the Wilderness stiffness dis
turbed rarely and then only on its sur.
face Gas cats paws darkcn fugitivclyE
tho mirror of a shining pooh by small.
stcalthy noises. soft paddinEs. light
gatherings, flushed calls. AN infrcquont.
mutcd whirr of wings.
Long before any sound audible to
human cars disturbed tho noonda =
hush, u bobcat summing on a log in A
glade to which no trail led pricL cd
ears. rose, glanced over shoulder with
a snarl and-of a sudden was no more
there.
Perhaps two minutes later a sue
cession of remote era shings began to
be heard, cumulative volume oil
sound made by some heavy body fore
ing by main strength through the un-
dcrbrush. and ceased only when a man
broke into the clearing. pulled M, stood
for an instant swaying. then rcelcd TO
"A seat on tho log. pillowinS his hca
on arms folded across his knees and
shuddcring uncontrollably in all his
limbs.
He was a young man who had been
and would again be very nersonable
Just now he wore the look Of one
bounded by furies. His face was Grim
son with congcstcd blood and strcaked
with sweat and Crime; blush veins
throbbed in high rolicf upon his tenn
pies; his lips were cracked and swollen.
his eyes haGgard. his hands torn and
bleeding. His shirt and trousers and
cruisers" were wrecks, the latter
scorched. charrcd. and broken In
dozen places. Woods equipment he
had none. beyond hunting knife belt
ed at the small OF his back. All else
had becn either consumed i'm the forest
fire or stolen by his Indian guide.
who had subsequently, died while al.
tempting to murder his employer.
Continued Tomorrow j