Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1914-10-23
The Trey O. Hearts
Continued from Page Three)

the ridge.
Toward noon he returned in haste
from the last Of these surveys
.scrambling recklessly down the noun
tain side and throwing himself upon
his horse with the advice
We've headed 'em-can make II
now II we ride like all get-out'"
For half an hour more they pushed
on at the best speed to be obtained
from their weary animals, at length
drawing rein at Il point where the iran
crossed the ridge and widened out
upon long broad ledge that over
hung the valley of the lower trail, with
a clear drop to the latter from the
brink Of good two hundred feet
One hasty look back and down INTO
the valley evoked grunt OF satlsfac-
tion from Hopi Jim.
Just in time, he asseyerated. Here
they comet Ten minutes more
His smile answered Marrophat $
with unspeakable cruel significance.
Texas win sleep better tonight
when he knows how I've squared the
deal for himI" the bandit declared
what are you going to do? Judith
demanded, refining her horse IN beside
Marrophat as the latter dismounted.
A gesture drew her attention to a
huge boulder poised insecurity on the
very lip OF the chasm,
We're going to tip that over on
your friends, Miss Judith Marrophat
replied, with smack of relish in his
voice. "Simple-neat efficient Ell?
What more can you ask
She answered only with an irrepress-
ible gesture Of horror Marrophat $
laugh followed her as she turned away
For some moments she strained her
vision yainly, endeayoring to pene
trate the turbulent currents Of super
heated air that filled the valley Then
she made out indstinctly the family
marked line of the lower trail and
Immediately she caught glimpse OF
three small figures, mounted, tollnG
painfully toward the point where death
awaited them like bolt from the blue.
Hastily she glanced over shoulder
Hopi Jim and Marrophat Ignoring her,
were straining themselves against the
boulder without budging it an inch,
for all its apparent nicely OF poise For
an instant a wild hope flashed through
her mind, but it was Immediately eX-
orcised when Hopi Jim stepped back
and uttered few words OF which only
two-"dynamite' and reached
her ears.
Kneeling beside the boulder he dug
busily for an instant then lodged the
stick to his satisfaction, attached the
fuse, and breaking off, edged on his
belly to the edge of the cliff and
looked down. carefully calculating the
length of the fuse by the distance OF
the party down below from the spot
where the rock must fall
But while he was so engaged and
Marrophat aided him, all eager inter.
est. Judith was taking advantage OF
their disregard of her
Hurriedly unbuttoning her jacket
she whipped a playing card from her
pocket, a trey o hearts and with the
stub of a pencil scrubbed three words
on its face-"Danger Go back
Then finding a small, fattish bit Of
rock, she bound the card to it with
"a bit of string and with one more
backward glance to make sure she
was not watched, approached the
brink.
Hopi Jim was metieulously shorten
ing the fuse, MaTophat kneeling by
his side
In the canyon below the three were
within two minutes Of the danger
point.
1t was no trick at all to drop the
stone so that it fell within a dozen
feet of the leading horseman
She saw him rein in suddenly, dis
mount, cast a look aloft, then dismount
and pick up the warning.
AS the others joined him, he de
tached the card and showed 1t to them
At the same time Hopi Jim and Mar
rophat jumped up and ran back, eact
Selling and holding his horse by nose
and bride
Constrained to do likewise lest she
lose her mount, Judith waited with t
lightened heart
The explosion smote dull echoes
from the tanks of the Painted hills
all browsing in the MONDAY hush
the boulder teetered reluctantly on thu
brink, then disappeared with tear
ing sound followed by rush Of eartl
and gravel; a wide gap appeared IL
the brink of the trail.
Leaving Marrophat to hold the two
frightened horses while the cir
soothed her own. the bandit rushed tt
The edge, threw himself fiat and swort
bitterly, with an accent of grievance
as he rose.
From the canyon below dull noist
OF galloping hoofs advertised too plain
ly the failure of their attempt.
And Hopi Jim turned back only tt
find Judith mounted, refining her horst
in between him and Marrophat, anC
prepared to give emphasis to what sht
had to say with an automatic pisto
that nestled snugly in her palm.
"One moment, Mr.. Slade," she sug
gested evenly. Just moment before
you break the sad news to Mr. Mario
phat. I've something to say that need;
your Observation-Disclosures, your respect
1t is this! | am parting company with
you and Mr. Marrophat | am riding
on toward the west, by this trail II
either Of you care to follow me'-the
automatic flashed ominously in the
sun glare-"it will be with full knowl
edge of the consequences. Mr.. Mario
phat will enlighten you if you have