The Raymer enterprise., 1914-04-09

panion were good pistol shots. and
given half chance could probably
disable the brute. And now as the
trail ran downward again they broke
into fast trot once more.
Motionless the one upon the cleft
watched them until they had come
within a couple of hundred yards, eye
ing them with the motionless alert
ness of an eagle upon his eyrie. then
spreading his wings launched himself
into open space. The noise OF his
heavily beating wings came plainly to
their ears, his flight was irregular and
labored like that OF hawk bearing
away chicken, or an eagle lamb,
and so long as the travelling was good
the struggling pair in pursuit nearly
kept pace with him. Half a mile fur
ther on, however, the canyon bed
again became a steeply rising tumble
Of rocks, and up this they went la
borlously. And once again when they
reached the summit they saw the OBJ
ject OF their pursuit Just arising from
the trail after moments rest and but
a stone throw ahead of them, yet still
shielded as cunningly as ever by the
body of the girl. So on and on they
went with the perspiration streaming
from their bodies and their hearts
thudding heavily. but with the grim
determination to follow until ex-
hausted nature bereft them OF the
power of movement and left them
prone and gasping upon the rocks.
Tolliver, still few PAGES in advance.
threw aside his coat with curse Of
impatience at its weight and March.
after minutes consideration, did
likewise. 1t bid fair to be chase that
would draw their strength to the last
ounce and wear their endurance to the
bone. therefore one could not well
travel too light His collar and vest
quickly followed the first garment and
feeling far more free of action and
breath by thus having rid himself OF
those cumbering things, he quickened
his pace with step which once more
fell lightly.
An hour had passed with no perman-
ent change In their see-saw positions.
As the Flying Man had led the air
craft by distance unvarying to the
eye, SO now did he lead the toiling two
who hung SO grimly on his course.
When by reason Of the steepness or
roughness of their path he got so much
as half mile ahead, he would prompt
ly stop and refresh himself until they
had come up within a few hundred
yards, whereupon he would founder up
with difficulty and resume his flight
with heavily beating wings. Noon with
Its horizontal sun found both pursuers
suffering acutely Despite the cool
ness of the mountain air their clothing
was drenched with perspiration. their
limbs racked, their heads swan. their
feet tortured, their breath came In
wheeling gasps. Yet without pause
and without word uttered they strug.
gled on, first one forging to the lead
and then the other, passing and being
passed alternately as the footing IA
vored or retarded, sliding down sharp
inclines to the rattle OF following
stones, scrambling up painful ascents
where they left the blood Of their
hands and knees upon the sharp rock
edges, sometimes stumbling into a fall
that tore ragged gaps In their clothing
and raked the skin from their limbs,
their mouths half open, their limbs
shaking, their breath whistling. their
eyes forever glued upon the retreating
one who, with brief rest for every
mile, still baflled them as maddeningly
as during the first hour. And above
all was the incessant torment OF their
thirst.
One o'clock found them upon the
edge OF a ravine. deep and precipitous.
it's bottom a jumbled mass OF huge
boulders that through the untold cen
turtles Of the past had gone crashing
to its bottom from the mountains top
Just ahead of them the winged one
was tapping in direct flight for the
other side, while they travelling upon
their blistered feet must first descend
It's dizzy slope to its lowest depth.
Chamber across Its chaotic bottom and
struggle painfully up the other side
good mile Of heart-breaking struggle
against half miles unimpeded fight
(To BE CONTINUED