Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-03-26
XIV.
The Rescue.

North came up on a run. Thank
the Lord" he exclaimed huskily. II
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 well as by day.
l doubt II he ever sleeps" She looked
at Alan's torn garments, bloodstained
face and lacerated hands. ooh, It is
too bad, too horrible! And Clay"
She shuddered and covered her face
with her palms. II think I lost my
lenses for a 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
abouts until we have located this
game of ours. For all we know, he
may be roosting somewhere about and
waiting for US to set sail. I 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 l 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 walt.
Briefly she told them Of her ordeal.
Following the fearful shock of finding
herself borne upward by him had en-
sued a condition of Inconsistencies
with brief spells OF reason regained,
wherein she say 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 fight 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 a yard or two
with his great, beetle-like eyes, silent
as a gargoyle or a craven idol. Then
Of a sudden he would arise, listen as
though he had heard a sound which
had o 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 a fire, and her principal
physical %sufferings had been caused
by the night cold. Neither had he
eaten or drank in her presence, and
what he vas engaged in during his
frequent excursions she had no idea
except when
She shuddered, cllnging convulsive-
ly to March, speaking In a broken
voice. Il would give years Of my life
to eface that horrible memory. The
moon had arisen fairly high when all
at once be became rigid, listened, and
eyes shone-Oh. with such a light.
SO uncanny, 30 vindictive. They we're
the eyes Of a coiled serpent. only so
much greater than a serpent's and
therefore room for infinitely more
malice. Then he crept away like a
ghost through the shadows OF the
plateau with wings trailing and ! saw
him outlined for a moment upon a dis
tant pile Of rocks before he dropped
out OF sight upon the other side. 1t
earthly stiffness wherein all noises
seem faint and far away with no
sounding board TO emphasize them.
Then a cry arose, a cry SO awful that
for a moment / vas paralyzed by the
horror OF It, and after that came the
of a struggle, the voice Of a
who is fighting for his life, hoarse
and desperate, together with a strange,
croaking sound such az the creature
made that night upon the lawn after
Clay had wounded him. l knew that
he had surprised either you or Clay.
Or possibly both OF you, and that
would be killed. My strength
came back to me as It did when |
out to you with the sword and
10 my desperation l seized a stone and
ran towards the place where they
we're lighting. not knowing what |