The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-01-19

iiau udckeu tillS lntO TWO eQual lenSJnS.
One of these lengths he proceeded to
make fast around his own waist, then
around Roses. The other he left to
be similarly employed by Alan and
Judith. For it was agreed that they
must climb. and while the cliff offered
no problem to daunt a mountain climb.
er OF any pretensions. 1t was consid-
cred best that the fugitives should be
hitched up in pairs against any pos
sibility of slip. The pairing had
been determined by the fact that
Barcus boasted some slight experience
In mountaineering. while Rose was
plainly the most exhausted of the two
women. the least able to help herself
in an emergency
He had worked his cautious way,
with the girl In tow. to a point mid
way up the face of the eliff. following
long diagonal that provided the cas-
lest climbing, when Alan stole back
to Judith and reported that. on the
evidence of observation and belief, he
was convinced that the pursuit had
turned back-perhaps for want OF am
munition. perhaps to execute some
less hazardous attempt upon the lives
of the fugitives.
Without delay, then. lie made the
free end of the rope fast around his
own waist, and, following the way Bar
Gus had chosen, began the ascent.
Twothirds of the climb had been
accomplished. and Rose and Barcus
had arrived in safety at the top; be-
hn Dto IN
proved irresistible.
Immediately beneath his heels the
face Of the cliff was deeply followed
out. leaving drop Of SO feet to a
shelving ledge Of shale as steep as a
roof whose eaves-perhaps another
fifty feet below-jutted out over an
other fall Of hundred feet.
Alan shuddered and swallowed: hard
before resuming the ascent.
Another 20 feet brought him to
a ledge quite six feet wide. offering a
broad and easy path to the summit.
He gained this with prayer of heart
felt relief and was on the point OF
rising to his feet when a cry of horror
from Barcus and a scream of terror
from Rose. watching over the uppeT
edge warned him barely in time to
enable him to snatch at and grasp
knob of rock before .iuditns weight
tautened the rope between them ard
jerkcd Alan's legs from under him
His feet and legs kicked the empty
air beyond the lip OF the ledge. he
lay face downward, clutchins desper-
ately the knob o. rock. praying thar it
might not come away il his grasp.
that his grasp might hold, that Barcus
might arrive in time To- save them
both. The rope was cutting into his
waist like a dull knife. The drag Of
.Iutfith's body WIS frightfdl He could
feel her swinging like P. pendulum at
the end of its 80 feet. and could
imagine but TOO vividly what Aould
happen il ttte rope should prove
family.
The fall ~ 20 fee,' TO the shale
rpof was nothing. What would fol-
low would. however. spell deatn. The
impact of her body would set the
shale in motion. like an ava.anche-
and beyond the caves was onfy empti-
ness and the bowlosr-strewn bed Of
the chaSm. hundred feet iyelow!
The sweat poured from his face like
rain. His, eyes starred in their sock
cts. the blood drummed i1 his ears
with a rcnr resembling distant tlrn.
der. His fingers grnw numa. his thrnat
dry.
He fen that he could not hold, on
another instant when. aorhp,ly, that
torture was no more. The ropa, hats
been relieved of!its burden. He haard
a scream from below echoed AZ on.e
from above. then the thump of judith's 8
body failing On the shale. tnan the
slith aring ruIahle OF: the hndsEde
gathering momentum.
Barcus. at length arrived. assisted
him to place Of securely Spent
and faint and sick With horror. he lay
prone and shuddering.
Only the assurance of Barcus that
Judith had somehow escaped being
precipitated over the caves of the
shale roof rouseG him aud gave him
nerve enough to resume the climb
1t was true. when he found courage
to look and see for himself: she lay
within three Yards OF the brink su-
pine. lner face uplifted to the sun. ua-