Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-07-10

out avail Now he mad come to me.
believing that his presence in the dis
trict would cause Thorpe to remain
in concea1ment
Twice Thorpe has been seen in the
last week-once in a range of hills
near the coast, once running out in
the lake in his launch but at distance
and speeding to cover when hailed.
These facts 1 verified within a few
hours after my arrival at Clyde.
Dacre had searched the hills in vain
I wasted no time in that direction. 1t
was the man who had seen Thorpe in
the launch to whom 1 paid the most
attention. He was a fisherman and
he was positive of his Identification
of the man I was after.
You see," he observed to me-
there are one or two charges
against Thorpe for violating the
game laws, and Of course he is under
cover to evade arrest. With steam
craft, though, you can make up your
mind he won't take much to over
country rambling"
THAT looks reasonable acceded.
Where did he disappear to when you
hailed him the other day?''
Between Point of Rocks and the
Bay, as we call it. There's a mile
stretch. Somewhere along there he
disappeared Cave or a secret path
up those steep cliffs, 1 don't know,
but when 1 ran in shore there was no
sign of either craft or man"
You are sure it was Thorpe?"
''Humph, 1 guess so. That yellow
sweater and red fez of his are not to
be mistaken was the confident re-
ply.
1 secured small row boat and
spent the better part of two succeed
ing days on the lake. I particularly
lowered about the points of location
designated.
1t was late in the afternoon and /
was midway between Point of Rocks
and the Bay, when 1 saw a light gaso-
line launch making from the open wa
ter for shore. 1 saw, too, the man in
charge-yellow sweater, red fez. !
was on my way to Clyde, for the sky
had become overcast and a sudden
stiff breeze threatened.
My man, Reuben Thorpe, sure as
fatei'' I breathed.
1 steadied the yawl as best I could
The little launch was headed for
spellbound. 1t was curdling At full
speed it seemed to crash into a great
mass of grim gray rock and-disap
| pear!
Particularly had I noticed a promi
nent chalky line in the rock directly
| where the launch had vanished.
| doubted not that 1 could keep it in
| sight and took up my oars to star
| direct for the spot. I was off in my
| calculations. A tempest of WING
drove one oar from my grasp. The
same fierce source drove me land
wards with incredible rapidity.
AS 1 neared the frowning wall o
rock, 1 prepared to jump to evadt
being dashed against it. To my in
| finite amazement the yawl dove into {
soft, yielding surface.
1t was a canvas curtain painted II
resemble rocky surface on it's out
side and the deception discoverabl,
only at close contact!
Just beyond this masked entrance
was a cavelike apartment Their,
| Thorpe and his stepdaughter ha(
found refuge. 1 fingered unsuspectet
until I learned the situation. Thu
poor girl was pining for her lover
but her stepfather was arranging tt
go far off to some isolated spot will
the morrow. His great contention
| seemed to be that her sutton was too
high above her to mean really to wee
her.
But of that he was convinced, whel
later that night 1 sent for my ellen
and led him to the cave.
What came of 1t all? Happiness
complete. Dacre gave up society
time-serving friends. hollow plans 70
fame. In a quiet hamlet he built
pretty home. Thorpe was welcom
there, and as time went on some o
the roughness left his rugged nature
and he became a really presentab1
member of the contented group o
three