The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1915-05-06

bardships they had Of late suffered
In common 1t was undeniable-but
even in his most private thoughts
Alan denied It fiercely. Judith, on
the other hand, not only acknowledged
II freely to herself, but secretly de-
rived a strangely sweet and poignant
Measure from the knowledge that she
loved so madly and hopelessly.
That her love was hopeless she
knew but too well. Even though Alan
might not be altogether Indifferent to
her. after all that mad passed between
them. his loyalty to Rose was I'M
sbakabIe. And not for worlds would
Roses rival have had 1t otherwise.
She could not have loved him as she
did had he not been so unmovably
true. AS 1t was, since she could not
hope her love might be returned, she
was content to love and to promise
herself that, II opportunity ever Of
fered she would not prove unready to
sacrifice herself for her love.
And at times she caught herself
praying that such opportunity would
be accorded her, and quickly, and
that the sacrifice it should demand
would be complete.
Now prayers are sometimes an
swered when the boon craved is good
| for the soul.
Slowly and painfully these four
toiled along ar obscure trail that fol-
lowed the windings of the little river,
| until a branch struck into the main
stream and so discovered to them yet
another trail leading into the west
ward canyon
Then again slowly and painfully
they plodded on following blindly an
other trail blazed by Fates as blind as
they.
Above them. on the road they had
abandoned, the crimson racer doubled
back to the point where 1t had passed
Judith and Barcus; it's occupants de-
scended, explored, and came present
ly upon the trail of the fugitives.
Bloodhounds could not have set.
tied down upon a scent with more
good will and eagerness than Mr.. Mar.
rophat and his faithful aide.
The sun was high and blazing above
the canyon when the pursuit came
within rife shot of the chase
A spiteful shot reused the quar-
tet from a pause of lethargic dismay
due to tardy appreciation of the facl
that they had penetrated witlessly al
most to the end of blind alley.
A hasty council of war armed Allan
with Judith's revolver and posted hin
behind a bowlder commanding the ap
proaches to the chasm. The weapon
a powerful As, had a range suficien
to numb the impetuosity of the as
sassins and keep them under cove
and out of sight of the desperate es
says the fugitives were making t
compass an escape.
For in the shed behind an abandone
log cabin-souvenir, no doubt, of SOM
forgotten prospector-Barcus had I'm
earthed a length of stout hempen rope
With the aid of a rusty shovel h
had hacked this into two equal lengths
One of these lengths he proceeded t
make fast around his own waist, the
around Roses. The other he left t
be similarly employed by Alan an
Judith. For it was agreed that the
must climb, and while the cliff offere
no problem to daunt mountain climl
err of any pretensions, it was consiC
cred best that the fugitives should b
h hitched up in pairs against any POI
:. sibility of a slip. The pairing ha
r been determined by the fact the
C Barcus boasted some slight experienc
in mountaineering, while Rose wa
o plainly the most exhausted of the tw
If women, the least able to help herse
/ in an emergency.
# He had worked his cautious wa,
q with the girl in tow, to a point mil
IS long diagonal that provided the ca
v lest climbing, when Alan stole baC
n to Judith and reported that, on tn
- evidence of observation and belief,
e was convinced that the pursuit hs
t. turned back-perhaps for want of ar
e munition, perhaps to execute SON
ID less hazardous attempt upon the live
id of the fugitives.
re Without delay, then, he made Il
free end of the rope fast around h
ID own waist and, following the way Ba
Gus had chosen, began the ascent.
is Twothirds of the climb had be-
accomplished, and Rose and Bare,
al had arrived in safety at the top, b
o. fore the temptation to look dow
lie proved irresistible.
RS Immediately beneath his heels Il
face of the cliff was deeply hollowl
or out, leaving a drop of so feet to
Id shelving ledge of shale as steep as
roof, whose eaves-perhaps anoth
er fifty feet below-jutted out over a
m other fall Of hundred feet.
er Alan shuddered and swallowed ha
IS, before resuming the ascent.
Another 20 feet brought him
he a ledge quite six feet wide, Offering
broad and easy path to the SUNNI
ed He gained this with a prayer of hea
ry felt relief and was on the point
rising to his feet when cry of horr
ad I from RnrpuS aud