The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-11

- gained the sea in time to catch
the cruiser sent down to take
off refugees-lay but single spur Of
the Sierra Madras. North and south
the mountains Of this spur lay. with
the shining gold and silver sanded
stream of the Oxactl dashing down
the gorge.
They were seven Americans whom
the sudden spread OF the Mexican in
surrection had surprised at the Gift
ford hacienda on the rich coffee bear
ing, cattle grazing plateau at the
headsprings Of the Oxactl. Politically,
commercially or socially each men,
Der Of the party was of Importance
in the States north of the border-of
such Importance that for more than a
week American papers had been rum
ming columns of speculation each
morning as to the partys safety. In
fuential journals clamored openly for
intervention il any Of the party were
killed proclaiming that it would be
proof that the Mexican Government
was without power to protect for
eigners.
However, the party was still intact
after the fourth day of the flight and
had halted toward evening before the
northern defile into the final valley.
There was short. stubborn, gray Og-
den Clifford. still as scornful Of per-
sonal danger as when to humor his
guests he had set out for the coast;
his gentle little wife, still striving to
share his scorn; his guests, white
haired Stanley Dawson, still carefully
cheerful, and his frail, beautiful wife;
their youngest daughter, Alice, just
"a, blue eyed. dark haired. straight
nosed, 1.-the. alert, yet without en-
counter with real fear.
Because she was there young Kirk
Frentiss. the TALL fair haired. hatless
man sitting easily in the Mexican sad
de on the roam horse on her right.
was there, and halted upon her left
was Jim Reilly, older than Kirk in his
WEAKNESS, heavier, awkward in his
high horned saddle
Numerically four others were to be
counted in the party-MeXican Fed
stopped before turning to defile into
the valley ahead Alice did not even
look at the escort to reconnoitre. She
reached for Premises bride as he dis
mounted. Reilly also Immediately got
down.
The girl contmsted the two as they
In the secure. park paved country
place upon the shore of the lake north
Of Chicago. where the three lived, she
had been brought up to believe that
since the two had graduated in the
same class from college eight years
before Jim had made himself the more
worthy. Kirk swinging and buoyant
as he walked up the rough trail, was
supposed largely to have wasted those
years in achievement that had gained
him only prize cups, place in English
and American sporting journals, no.
torlety for nerve throughout two con-
tnents.
He was trained to respond without
a fraction of a seconds conscious
thought to swing a racing motor car
lack into the road after throwing
tire at turn; to roll away before
the charging ponies were upon him
When he was thrown at polo; to right
automatically a banking monDplane
after the engine had burst a cylinder.
jim tagging and short breathed as
they climbed the slopes above the trail,
had spent his time supposedly far bet
ter--eight hours a day at his desk.
with squash or racquets occasionally
at the University Club in the after
noon in wlnter-golf or tennis ON Sat-
urdays in summer.
She understood that at his direction
from his desk in the Loop trains car
red food from farm to city. from city
TO ship and spread provisions to all
the ports Of the world, where other
trains. caravans and burden bearers
spread 1t again. Commercially she
knr" he commanded many thousands
vi n, nut mere no one or the Mexi-
cans looked to him instinctively as the
hader-no one, even Of the four older
people who at home told her he was
most 20 he admired.
IN" TWO young men disappeared in
N" bush above the trail. impulsively
Alice dismOunted and gave her bride
ana hlrks 10 a Mexican and followed.
A. she passed the turn in the trail
me roar of falling waters was ex-
ph.ntd, Directly below the Oxactl
rushed 10 precipice and fell over,
Su'hinS the spray from the big boul-
GERS pf''ruding from the shelf of rock
from It's basin at the bottom the river
NlH'n"l and went more slowly be-
,"''h oIoadenlng, more gentle banks,
u"'''l with adobe huts and crops In
I" walton, But behind these plots on
'''H sides Of the river the Sierras rose
STARK sheer, painless.
''hIy directly ahead, where twenty
"'.'' 70 he south the valley narrowed
mo mountain path again above the
g.. ~', was there "A possible way out.
ana The day was fast fading. The
a'''''" NJ the western range was
r,'nI 10 a sharp purple line, already
-' '' me flank Of the gray noun