Evening journal., 1914-11-09

the easiest climbing, when Alan stole back t.
Judith and reported that, on the evidence OF OBJ
servaton and belief. he was convinced that the
pursuit had turned back-perhaps for want OF
munition, perhaps TO execute some less hazardous
attempt upon the lives of the fugtives.
Without delay, then. he made the free end OF the
rope fast round his own waist and following the
way Barcus had chosen, began the ascent.
Twothirds OF the climb had been accomplished
and Rose and Barcus had arrived in safety at the
top, before the temptation TO look down proved
irresistible.
Alan shuddered and swallowed hard before 70
suming the ascent.
Another twenty feet, however, brought him 70
ledge quite six feet wide offering a broad and
easy path to the summit. He gained this with
prayer OF heartfelt relief and was the point Of
rising TO his feet when a cry OF horror from Bar
Gus and a scream OF terror from Rose. watching
over the upper edge. warned him barely In time &c
enable him to snatch at and grasp a knob Of roch
before Judths weight suddenly tautened the rope
between them and jerked Alan's legs from under
him.
His feet and legs kicking the empty air beyond
the lip OF the ledge, he lay face downward, clutch
Ing desperately the knob OF rock praying that II
might not come away in his grasp.
The fall OF twenty feet to the shale roof waf
nothing. What would follow would however spell
death. The impact OF her body would set the shale
In motion, like an avalanche-and beyond the caves
was only emptiness and the bowlderstrewn bed OF
the chasm, hundred feet below
The sweat poured from his face like rain His
eyes started In their sockets. The blood drummed
in his ears with a resembling distant thunderl
HIS fingers grew numb, his throat dry .
lie felt that he could not hold on another in.
slant when, abruptly, that torture was no more.
The rope had been relieved OF its burden. He
heard scream from below echoed by one from
above, then the thump Of Judiths body falling on
the shale then the slitherng rumble OF the land.
slide gathering momentum
Barcus. at length arrived assisted him to a place
or security. Spent and faint and sick with horror.
he lay prone. shuddering.
Only the assurance OF Barcus that Judith had
somehow escaped being precipitated over the caves
OF the shale roof reused him and gave him nerve
enough to the climb
It was true, when he found courage 70 look and
for himself: she lay within three wards of the
brink, supine. her face upturned to the sum- un
stirring-she dared not stir: a single movement
was calculated to set the shae bed again in mo
tion
Painfully he realized that IT, as Barcus asserted
she had deliberately cut the rope herself Juditl
had offered up her life to spare his own
Iv-RETRIBUTION
And yet the very consciousness OF the GIRLS dan
ger all the stimuant that Alan needed Il
recall him to himself
Once arrived with Barcus at the top Of the clin
he lost no time in setting about preparations {,
effect her rescue
In this business Fortune smiled uSon him. as +
we're, by predisposition
broad roadway along the TOP OF the preci
pice, turning on at a little distance to the right
to descend the mountainside And lust bevond thi,
turning Providence had chosen to locate the camr
OF a hydraulic mining outfit
Alan's appearance at the top, in fact was coin
cident with the arrival at that point OF half dozen
excited miners; and he had no more than voicee
his demands than three OF their number were
Fastening back TO the camp 70 procure rome ano
hands.
Within FIVE minutes Alan, against the protest,
OF Rose and Barcus, was being lowered over the
adU md 20 f1to. .I,oI.
ed at spot far 70 side OF Judith 70 escane ali
danger OF sending second landslide down upon
her
Picking his way carefully down to the very brink
Alan edged along this. more than once saved
fall to death only by the rope until he stood IN,
mediately below Judith.
Then pausing he instructed her carefully tossad
the end OF the rope into her hands, and when she
had wound ii twice round her arms crept nm n
her side and helped her make IL fast about ber
body.
His signal to the miners that all was wen ednood
prompt response. There was a giddy interval IN
which the two swung perilously between heaven
and earth. Then they stood once more IN sasa,,,
Supported by sympathetic hands, the quartet.
staggered into camp their story, as condensed nv
Barcus and breathlessly confirmed by Alan. already
winning them enthusiastic champions
And this was very we'll for them For thew had
no more than seated themselves and begun to an
precate what perils they had just eseaped vrbsn.
the rumble of motor Ger sounded beyond the
Startled by this alarm once more into fulI com
mand OF his tagging faculties Alan rose and
stumbled out into the roadway, taking quick coo
nizance OF such facilities for defense as the cam
afforded and issuing instructions with a voice nj
brant with fear, not for his own safety but for tho
safety OF those whom he loved
Not far from the point where the road sv,,,
from the clih to thread the camp the hydraulic no.
ze was in action, its terrific force of water rnelt
ing the mountainside away ton by ton
Toward this Barcus ran at top speed gaining a.,
man in charge Of the nozzle just as the car sTr,r
round the bend
Pausing only long enough to make certain tho,
there could be no mistake-and having this cor
tainty made douby sure by Jimmy's action in ris
ing from his seat and firing over the windshield
pointbank at Alan this last stood waiting in the
roadway-Barcus and the miner swung the nozzle
round until it bore directly on the car
The power Of its stream was such that the car
was checked instantly in its tracks; and before the
water could have been shut OF or the stream di
verted, the machine driven back to the very
lip of the cliff and it completely. taking viii
IL those twain upon whose efforts all the hopes o
Seneca Trne OF late had been centered.
A death that vas merciful. in that II IN
stantaneous awaited them at the foot OF the clir
ITO he confinued)