Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1915-01-30
CHAPTER L.
Retribution.

Retribution.
And yet the very consciousness o.
the girls danger was all the stimu
liant that Alan needed to recall him tC
himself.
Once arrived with Barcus at the tor
of the cliff, he lost no time in settine
about preparations to effect her res
! cue.
! In this business Fortune smiled upo,.
him, as it were, by predisposition.
broad roadway ran along the top
of the precipice. turning off at a
little distance to the right, to descend
the mountainside. And just beyond
this turning Providence had chosen
to locate the camp of a hydraulic min
ing outfit.
Alan's appearance at the top, in
fact, was cOincident with the arrival
at that point of half a dozen excited
miners; and he had no more than
voiced his demands than three of their
number were fastening back to the
camp to procure rope and more hands
Within five minutes Alan. against
the protests of Rose and Barcus. was
being lowered over the edge and down
to the shale roof on which he land
ed at spot far to one side of Judith,
to escape all danger of sending a sec
ond landslide down upon her.
Picking his way carefully down to
the very brink, Alan edged along this,
more than once saved a fall to death
only by the rope, until he stood i'm
mediately below Judith.
Then pausing. he instructed her
carefully, tossed the end of the rope
into her hands, and when she had
wound it twice round her arm, crept
up to her side and helped her make it
fast about her body.
His signal to the miners that all
was well educed prompt response.
There was a giddy interval in which
the two swung perilously between
heaven and earth. Then they stood
once more in safety.
Supported by sympathetic hands.
the quartet staggered into camp.
their story, as condensed by Barcus
and breathlessly confirmed by Alan.
already winning them enthusiastic
And this was very we'll for them.
For they had no more than seated
themselves and begun to appreciate
what perils they had escaped. when
he rumble of a motor car sounded be-
'ond the shoulder of the hill.
Startled by this alarm once more
nto full command OF his tagging fac.
llties, Alan rose and stumbled out
nto the roadway, taking cognizance
# such facilities for defense as the
amp afforded and issuing instructions
With a voice vibrant with fear. not
or his own safety, but for the safety
( those whom he loved.
Not far from the point where the
DAD swung from the cliff to thread
he camp the hydraulic nozzle was In
ction, its terrific force of water melt
lg the mountainside away ton by ton.
Toward this Barcus ran at top speed,
aiming the man in charge of the noz-
lie just as the car swung round the
end.
Pausing only long enough to make
ertain that there could be no mis-
Ike-and having this certainty made
oubly sure by Jimmy's action in ris-
q from his seat and firing over the
indshield pointblank at Alan as this
st stood waiting in the roadway
ARGUS and the miner swung the noz-
e round until it bore directly on the
II.
The power of its stream was such
at the car was checked instantly In
, tracks; and before the water could
I'VE been shut off or the stream di-
rted. the machine was driven back
the very lip of the cliff and over
completely. taking with it those
ain upon whose efforts all the hopes
Seneca Urine of late had been cen.
red.
A death that was mercifui. in that
was instantaneous. awaited them at
e foot Of the cliff.
CTo BE CONTINUED)