The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-12-03


whom she mad escaped.
Once more Kitty felt surge across
her the feeling that after all, she was
weak, and always must be weak /;
| whereas, he, her late enemy, was
strong and always would be strong
She was content to cover down behind
him and leave the event to him.
The noise of the oncoming melee be
hind them grew in volume now as
Count Frederick turned to face the
shaggy figure of the man who but now
had been the captor of Kitty Gray.
The muzzle of the pistol pressing to
his face spoke louder than any words
seemed, indeed, to restore to him a
part OF the reason he had lost through
dwelling here among the savages, on
shore upon which he had been cast
unknown years earlier. He threw up
his hands now. "Avast, there, cap,
tain!" he cried. 81 surrender"
who are your" demanded Count
Frederick. COR what are your"
The half-demented creature passed
hand across his face. Blessed if
could tell you the truth about that,
sir" he said, land that's the truth. But
seems to me / remember l was once
Old Jimmy Wainwright of the ship Ad-
venture, out of Clyde. It's maybe we
were cast away somewhere, years
since, and I'm thinking Adam was
then a boy. Delay all! Friend, cap
tain, your honor, don't shoot old jim
my Wainwright, if so be am him"
But what are you doing down here.
under the earth, MANI"
Captain, your honor, sir, came
here to live safe. 1 kill some of them
black folks once in a while. They
think I'm crazy, and maybe they're
right. How can / tell, captain, your
honor, sir?"
you know this placer" exclaimed
Frederick. Thus far we are safe, but
listen to them coming"
"Ay, ay, sir; fighting like cats and
dogs. They always do. We must cut
and run, or they'll kill us all, and put
us in the big fire yonder. Don't
know? I've seed sights plenty, up
there. l couldn't a-beared to seen the
white lady burned"
Lead on!" said Frederick, quickly. |
We must hide, or it will be too late"
This way, captain, your honor, sir! |
And bear hand lively!"
Count Frederick and Kitty Gray fol- |
owed him as he fled deeper into the |
cavernous interior of the lava hill. |
corner after corner, until
It length the sounds of the pursuit be-
anne fainter and died away far at the
ear.
'Ere's my 'ome, SIR" began the old
'ailor at last, as they paused before a
'ude cabin, which showed some ami
nal-like proof of human occupancy.
Well be safe ere, I'm thinking"
; But they were not safe for long. The
leen instinct of the savage trailers,
lot in the blood lust which now pos
essed them, brought them on ulti-
nately along the trail, and to it's end.
hey heard the savage shouts Of their
ursuers gaining in volume, heard the
bud of their bare feet on the rocky
oors. A moment, and the yelling band
TODD before the entrance to their
avern.
The natives were spearmen, and
heir shafts were cast with strength |
nd accuracy. Those beleaguered ones
ad no shields with which to parry
UGH weapons, and yet for one instant
barrier was offered to the assault.
With savage, half-animal roar,
lie old sailor-whose full history
ever was to be known-cast himself
| front of his new friend, opposing !.
Is shaggy breast to the leveled
pears. He fell pierced by a dozen
lafts, still roaring his defiance. Above
Is body now spoke again and again
lie weapon of Count Frederick. A
ilf dozen dusky forms fell and filled
, the opening. The savages behind
I've back and sought to fee.
This instant of their hesitation gave !,
-ederick one more opportunity. =
atching Kitty by the arm he passed
lck to the rear of the little cavern
the hope there might be egress
at way-for surely the wall of steel l
front could not be passed. He a
und it-a narrow passageway. Pant
g and breathless, stumbling, falling
d rising, the two hurried on until
length they heard no more in their
rs the din of fighting. n
The passage way now seemed grad =
lily to rise, its walls closing in. At
18TH, far ahead, they saw a faint u
zee of light. 1t deepened as they IL
vanced, until at length it became
ible through broken aperture be- "
nd which shone the full light of
Y. Gasping their Joy at this, they +"
rried up and on until at length their
It stood upon the surface Of that M
tn to which they had been accus- CT
ned.
t was strange and new scene g
ich lay before them now. There iit
no path that they could see-the 10
nth of the cavern came out at the CO
OF high cliff. Far below them
the sea, blue-tinged and ripping at
to its horizon. But no sail broke no
wide expanse, no path showed