The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-01-14

done my best. I suppose It's wrong
10 give up--but they've made II too
much for me. this time"
II know" she said gently.
"You"-he stammered-"you're not
afraid?"
There is nothing to fear" she said
but death. :"
Then" he said more bravely, after
a time-the water now was near his
chin-"good.by-good luckl"
Not yet. dear friend" she returned.
mot yet"
But the sun was p~erilously close
upon the rim OF the world. But q little
time. and II would be night.
He closed his ayes to shut out the
vision OF its slow. i~mplacable descent
The water was now almost level
with his lips: It seemed strange that
his throat could be so dry. 50
He opened his eyes. shuddering.
ITS good-by now" he faltered.
Not yeti" her voice a beside
him. vibrant. Lookup there-alonx
the cliff"
He lifted his gaze
Two men we're running along the
clif-and the man In the lead was
Alan. But his lead was very scant.
and the man who pursued was one OF
Judith's, and stuck to the trail like q
bloodhound fresh from the leash.
And now the water was al his lips:.
Barcus could no more speak without
%strangling.
or a sudden he groaned In his heart;
though there was no passable way
down the cliff. still the sight OF his
friend alive and unframed had brought
with IL a thrill OF hope; now that hope
died as he saw Alan stumble and 90
10 his knees.
Before he could rise the other was
upon him, with the fury Of q wolf seek
ing the throat of a stag.
For an Instant they fought like mad
men; then. In n trice. the sky line
OF he cliff was empty; one or the
other had tripped and fallen over tho
brink. and falling had retained hold
OF his enemy Inc carried him down a.
well.
BY no chance. Barcus told himself.
could either escape uninjured.
Yet. to his Amusement, he saw one
man break from the others embrace
and rise. And he who lay still, q
crumpled. inhuman heap upon the
sands, was Judith's man.
With n violen, effort Barcus lifted
his mouth above water and shrieked:
Alan! Alanl Helpi Here-at the
end OF the point-in the water-helpi"
A precious minute wac lost before
Alan discovered their two heads, SO
barely above that swiftly rising food.
Then he ran toward them as he had
never run before. and M he came
whipped out a jack-knife and freed Its
blade.
Even so--since II was. Of course.
Rose whom Alan freed the first
Barcus was half-drowned before Aiap
helped him in turn up to the beach.
And as this happened the laet blood.
red rim of the sun was washed under
by the waves.
Two minutes later the lifeboat was
afioat. and Mr.. Barcus. already recoy.
cred. was laboring with the fiywheeI
Of she motor. stimulated to supreme
exertion by the sight CT a party. led By
Judith. racing madly down the beach.
But II was not until we'll out from
shore and on the way To the safety
promised by tho mainland--no read.
lily discernible on the horizon-tbas
any one OF them found time for speech
Then MIR. Barcus Strengthened up
his ~assiduous attentions 20 the
motor. and observed:
"You bear a charmed life. my ad-
.venturons friend. I want to tell you
when ] saw you 60 over that clinf
! made up my mind your usefulness
would be at least permanently I'm
Az II 10. l don't mind telling
you that II ever ! get out OF this affair
alive. I'm going to have q try AZ your
NE myself. just once. for luchi.