The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-10-24

verse
But even as he stood before the hut
Of this old rufHan Count Frederick 5
eye caught sight Of something which
caused his heart 10 leap.
1t vas little object, an unimportant
item which might have escaped any
other eye than his. Yet his gaze was
/ drawn to il irresistibly.
It was bit Of cloth, a torn triHe Of
soilet and sea-encrUEted checkered
cloth, q portion Of woman's gsrb
Count Frederick recognized it al once
as part Of the dress skirt in which
he had last seen Kitty Gray garbed.
There vas 10 mistaking it. He knew
il as well as the pattern Of his own
apparel
She had been here, The mysterious
white woman was Kitty Cray
Now indeed Count Frederick of
GretzhoTen became the man OF action.
Away now with doubt and despair
and welcome again the fierce resolve
OF brave man determined TO live and
conquer, determined once more to
achieve the dearest purpose Of his
life,
He caught from the post OF the door
which had torn of this fragment Of
cloth, and held il before the gaze Of
the chief-before the eyes OF all his
men. They knew what he meant when
he demanded to see the wearer Of this
bit OF cloth. They dreaded the sight
OF his anger fell back before the men
ace Of the little steel tube unfamiliar
as it was TO them. They knew that this
man would kill unless he found that
which he sought-the captive but now
rescued from the doom OF fire
Fredericks own men fell in behind
arose between these two factions or
tribes, whichever they may have been.
AS for Frederick himself he had not
time for matters OF this sort. He hur-
ried to hut after hut, tore aside roof
after roof, wall after wall, hunting for
the woman whom above all things he
most desired to see He did not find
her His questions brought no re-
sponse.
Drawn by horrible suspicion OF the
meaning OF this fire built at the brink
of the pit, he hurried thither to Join
the group OF lingerers there, and now
by mere chance found confirmation
and found hope as well.
Ia he 81
heel in the sand, other footmarks just
beyond-it was a trail Yes, yes, she
had been there. But the footprints
ceased. The trail ended as though the
maker Of it had flown up into the air
Beyond. the imprint Of large and mis-
shapen feet still led.
Count Frederick now turned savage
ly upon these gibbering creatures
about him, and the meaning OF his
demand was perfectly apparent to
them. Threatening TO throw them
into the fire which they had prepared
for another, he got from them shrieks
Of protest. much shaking OF the head
In denial, and much pointing on
toward the forest which lay ahead.
Some came TO him and showed him
he two lines Of footprints, the one
inc continuing on. and pointed to the
orest. although themselves not ven
uring to follow
With new terror in his heart. yet
ceiling a conviction that Kitty Gray
still lived, he did not pause to wreak
| present vengeance upon these crea-
ures. but hurried on along the broken
rail.
The doglike craft OF one or two of
lis own band OF savages aided him
'ot stacking speed, they pointed out
where the trail ran. Now and again
'ount Frederick could see on the
arth the imprint of the womans feet
'here for time she had rested or
cen put down. At length, at the brink
t the abyss before which Kitty Gray
o recently had stood, he saw the dou-
lie imprint again-where both captive
nd captor had stood and looked
own.
The trail led on, and down, whittier
one could guess. Frederick of Gretz-
often did not stop to guess, but
lunged forward impulsively. Who
yer or whatever might be this crea-
Ire which had carried her off, here
least was his lair.
The dusty floors of the cavern. lit
y the flare of such torches as they
)und ready for such work. still re-
lined the record. Captor and captive
ad walked here. Deeper and deeper
Ito the caverns under the hill they
'llowed the trail, until at length the
stracted eyes of Count Frederick
iw on ahead something to give him
luse.
He saw Kitty Gray standing, alive.
oparently unhurt, in a vast apart
ent of these subterranean vaults! Be
md, the floor seemed to break off
what depth he could not guess. No
,ress at either extremity OF the sub
rranean chamber could be seen from
here he stood. The trail led thither,
where she stood-to where at her
dc stood also a strange misshapen
,ure of man. or what had been a