The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-09-30

operations about here. Como On. Oct
into the boat"
For some reason best known to
himself. the naturalist seemed To have
lost all interest In HIS specimens and
to have n sudden curiosity about Del
Mars AFFAIRS. AZ the motor boat sped
on. no came slowly and curiously out
OF his hiding place and gazed nxedly
at Del Mar.
No sooner had Del Mars boat got
n little distance out into the harbor
than the naturalist hurried down the
Dodge dock. There was tied Elaine's
own fast little runabout. lie Jumped
Into II and started the engine. follow.
ing quickly In Del Mars wake.
Look" called tho cmissary To Del
Mar, spying the Dodge boat with the
naturalist In Il. skimming rapidly aft.
or them.
del Mar strained his eyes back
through his glass at the pursuing boat.
Hut the naturalist. In spite of his
smoked glasses, seemed not TO have
impaired his eyosight by his studies.
He caught the CLINT of the sun on the
lens ut Del Mars eye and dropped
down into the bottom of his own boat.
where he was ut least safe from scru.
tiny. II his boat we're not.
Del Mar lowered his glass. That's
the Dodge boat" he said t%houghtfully.
! don't like the looks OF that fellow.
Give her more speed"
lei Mar had not gone long before
Elaine decided To take a ride herself
She ordered her horse around from
the stables while she donned her neal
little riding habit. A few minutes
later, as the groom held the horse. she
mounted and rode away. choosing the
road by which ! had gone. expecting
to meet me on the return from town.
h was %galloping along at a good
clip when suddenly her horse SHE'D ut
something.
Whoa. Huster.'' pacined Elaine.
Hut II was OF no use. Buster still
reared up.
why, what 10 the natter" she
asked. What do you see?'
She looked down at the ground
There was a spot OF blood in the dust.
Buster was one OF those horses to
whom h sight OF blood Is terrifying.
Elaine pulled up beside the road.
There was q revolver lying in the
grass. She dismouuted and picked Il
up. No sooner had she looked at II
than she discovered the initials wv.
j." carved on the butt.
Walter Jameson" she exclaimed.
realizing suddenly that II was mine.
ITS been fred. too"
Her eye fell again on the blood
spots. blood and-footprints-into
the brush she easped In horror. fol.
lowing the trail. What could have
happened to Walter:"
With the revolver. Elaine followed
where the bushes were trampled down
until She came TO the place where |
had been bound. There she spied
some pieces OF paper lying on the
ground and picked them up.
She put them together. They were
pieces " the envelope OF the letter
which We had decided to send to Wash.
iugtun.
Which way did they take him"
she asked. looking all about out dis
covering no trail.
She was plainly at q loss what
course 60 pursue.
What would Craig DO" she asked
herself.
Finding no answer. she stood think.
ius Il moment. slowly tearing the en-.
Velcpe 70 pieces. II she were 70 DO
anything at all. I, must De done quick.
~. suddenly an idea seemed 70 occur
20 her. She threw the pieces Of paper
into the air and let them blow away.
10 was upscieutiic detection. perhaps,
but the wind actually took them aud
carried theiu in the direction In which
the men had forced tue TO walk. after
they had robbed me OF the letter.
That's IT, cried Elaine 10 herself.
IN follow that direction.
Meanwhile. the men had hurried me
OF along = trail that led TO the foot
% 4 clir Then the trail wound up the
cir. We climbed it until vi reached
the top.
There In the rock was 8 rude stair.
way. | drew back. But one man drew
a gun and the other preceded me
down. Along the steep sooue steps
cut in the face OF the rock they forced
me.
Below. sn = riff In the yery wall Of
the cli1. Was a ave In which already
we're TWO more Of Del Mars men. talk.
ing in low tones, In the dun light.
A We made our way down the
ereakneck stairway. the foremost Of
my captors stepped on a large hat
rock. As he did ~. It gave way slight.
y under bis foot.
A light In the cav dashed up Tn
der the rock was \ secret electric
connection which operated a lamp.
Someone coming muttered the
two uen. On guard instantly.
Il was a somewhat precaricus foot.
ing as We descended and for the mo