Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-06-12
rise up into the moonlight.


My heart gave leap as he quickly
raised his right arm and hurled some
thing as far as he could In the direc-
ton that Kennedy had taken.
| stole out from my own hiding
place in the shadow of my rock and
darted quickly to the shelter of q
bush. nearer the figure,
II turned to steal away.
| leaped at him and he went down,
rolling over and over In the under
brush and stubble.
He was powerful and stronger than
| and after a tough tussle he broke
loose. But | had succeeded, never
theless. / had delayed him just long
enough Kennedy heard the sound of
the struggle and was now crashing
through the hedge at the crossroads
In our direction.
managed to pick myself up, just
as Kennedy reached my side, and. to-
gether, we followed the retreating
figure as 1t made its way among the
shadows. Across the open space be-
fore US we followed him and at last
saw him dive into an old barn.
A moment later we followed hot.
foot into the barn. AS we entered,
we could hear peculiar grating
noise, as though a door was swung
open. Evidently the man had gone
through and closed the back door.
We threw ourselves against the
back door. But 1t did not yield. There
was no time to waste and we turned
to rush out again by the way we
came, just as the front door was
slammed shut
The man had trapped us.
We could hear his feet crunchine
the dry leaves and twigs as he Went
around the side of the barn again
Suddenly the pale silver of ths
moonlight on the floor Redeemed.
The man had struck a match ant
thrown 1t into mass of oil-soaket
straw and gunpowder which protrudet
through one of the weather'beatei
boards, near the floor.
For a second | looked dismayed a
the rapidly mounting flames.
"A very pretty situation" | forcet
with laugh. But | hope he doesn
think wen stay here and burn, will
a perfectly good window in full view.
took a step toward the window. bu
before could take another, Kennel!
yanked me back.
Don't think for moment that h.
overlooked that, ne shouted.
Craig looked around hastily, In
corner, lust back of US, was loni
pole He snatched 1t up and movet
cautiously toward the window
Keep back, Walter" he muttered
"just as far as you can
He mad scarcely raised the window
fraction of an inch when an old
rusty, neayy anvil and a bent, wori
plowshare crashed down to the foo
directly over the spot where | shoul'
have been II he had not dragged M
away.
I think you may try it safely now
all right" smiled Kennedy coolly.
We climbed out of the window, no
an instant too soon.
Having gained the clump of woods
the gaunt figure had paused toni
enough to gloat over his cleve
scheme. Instead, he saw US maxim
good our escape. With a gesture O
intense fury he turned. There wa
nothing more for him to do but t
zigzag his way to safety across couI
try.
Kennedy did not pause an instan
longer, but in the light of the burr
ing barn, as best he could, started t
follow the trail In desperate Ell
deavor either to overtake Long Sill
or at least to find the final directio
in which he would go.
At the entrance of the passagewa
which led to the little undergroun
chamber in which we had sought tn
treasure hidden by the Clutchin
Hand, WI Fang was seated on roc
waiting impatiently. though now an
then indulging in sinister smile
the subtle trick by which he had r
covered the ring.
The sound OF approaching foe
steps disturbed him. He was far to
clever to leave anything to chant
and like serpent, he wriggled benin
another rock and waited. 1t was on
q glance, however, that he needed
allay his suspicious. 1t was Long 81
breathless.
WI stepped out beside him 80 quie
ly that even the acute Long Sin d
) not hear. "Well?" he said In a gu
tural tone.
Long Sin drew back In fear.
have failed, oh, master" he replied
an imploring tone. Even now the
are following my tracks"
WI frowned. 1--WE must work quic
ly, then,' he muttered.
He picked up dark lantern near b
fx5foatt,x urn4hau fr nun Gin Thu