The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-02-16


same instant Harry hear feeble
shout from the road. He dismounted
q led the pony forward to where
weirdly CARRIED little halbfreed lay ON
the ground holding the bride Of the
horse that had thrown him.
| Ankle gone," explained the little
man. Riding for help l was. You
ride now. White girl-they're killing
her up there-now."
white girl! Where? Talk fast,
man"
1.-TWO miles over the mountain and
down the valley-straight ahead. You
go to the bottom Of the valley, not to
the top-not where the Indians are.
Climb tree; take my rope; it's the only
chance now"
Harry caught the coiled lariat from
the others saddle and rode as he had
never ridden before. All was vague In
his mind except that she was near. she
was In peril. and he must reach her.
What the peril was he could not guess.
He touched spurs to the willing little
horse and it's every fibre strained to
the chase
How, by road and trail, he ever
reached the valley of the Death Stone
Harry never knew. Perhaps chance,
him to the lonely spot. After long,
hard riding he was attracted by the
low rumble Of many voices lifted in
a sort of chant Following the voices,
he came to the foot of steep cliffside
where long trench, partly of natural
formation partly hewn from the stone
made q chute or runway from noun
tain top to valley.
He looked up the runway to where
at its upper end, motley band Of
Indians were engaged In some weird
worship. He started his horse up
the steep in the shelter of the woods.
He came to a spot where huge tree
limb crossed the runway, and the
little halfbreed's words came to him.
Climb the tree; it Is the only chance"
AS he pondered what to do he was
galvanized into action by a commo-
ton above him. From the midst of
the Indian group emerged two giant
braves. They were carrying white
woman between them. They placed
her in the runway. Her golden hair,
unbound, floated on the wind. 1t was
Pauline.
Harry choked back cry, and now,
with grim speed, he threw aside his
rifle, caught the lariat, and swinging
up the tree. crawled swiftly out on the
? overhanging limb. Concealed by the
foliage, he waited.
A rifle cracked, and for the first
time, Harry saw that at the top Of
the runway, behind aPuline stood q
mighty boulder, almost perfectly round
the diameter of which-about five feet
J, fitted the trench SO well that 1t
could roll in it like ball In bowling
gutter
NOne-even among the Indians
knew how many times the Stone of
Death had rolled and been dragged
back again to the top of the cliff. The
stains upon 1t were many, but unnun-
bered. Upon Its surface was written
, in blood the doom of the false pro-
phets and pretending immortals. None
had ever won in the race with the
Death Stone.
TIE crack of the rifle was the sig
NAL for group of Red men to press
behind the stone to free 1t on It's fear
full course. 1t was also the signal for
Pauline to run. Her hair streamed
wildly in the wind as she sped, like a
frightened deer, down the deadly path.
The rifle sounded again and the In
dams heaved the stone into the trench.
: It rumbled as it came ON 1t gain
ed upon the fleeing girl. They plan
ned to prolong the torture by giving
her hopeless lead.
i Dancing, gesticulating, shouting, the
Indians watched the race. Only one
watcher was silent and motionless.
j.. Hidden by the leaves he braced himself
: upon the tree limb For the first
moments after the rock was released
! he had turned sick and dizzy Now,
as they came near-the thing relent-
less but inanimate pursuing the thing,
helpless, beautiful and most precious
10 him of all things in the world-he
was cold and nerveless. Not the quiv-
, or of a muscle hindered the desper-
ate task he had set himself
A moment later he was sObbing like
a child as he half dragged, half carried
Pauline to his waiting horse. By the
magic of luck, by the mystery of a
protecting fate, the lariat moose had
fallen about the shoulders of the flee
ing girl To the amazed and terrified
Indians up the cliff she had seemed
to soar suddenly, spirit-like, out Of the
trench aud to vanish in the foliage of
the tree, while the boulder Numbered
on. cheated OF its prey
But quickly out of the woods upon
the open plain below appeared rider
with a WOman's form clasped before
him ON the saddle The baffled Indians
scurried for their horses.
They reached the valley They gain
, ed upon the burdened horseman and
his tired horse. They fired as they
3 rode, the bullets splitting venomously
in the dust around Harry and Pauline
The pony stumbled. Harry jerked
1t up and 1t struggled bravely on, but
: the cries sounded louder.
i The bullets bit nearer.
! Suddenly the firing Increased There
!, we're more cried. And Harry, refining
B. the pony saw, galloping over the ridge
to the westward, the full posse of Hal
: Haines. They fired as they came
). They cut between him and the Indi-
$ ans. He stopped the pony and lifted
Il Pauline to the ground.
"My precious one, God bless you and
e forgive us ALL" sobbed Mrs. Hainef
Dolly woo oouuh% IN her rnofh IN q