The Raymer enterprise., 1916-10-26


looped line hanging at the tunnel
mouth was In any way connected with
the illuminate caps which he had
placed so pregnantly close to his bur-
led mine. But it was well, he remem-
bered, to be prepared for such men
as Legar and his followers.
Now" said the masked figure, turn
ing to the girl, Il want you to stay
here until get back"
Waiting for her deliverers return,
however. proved neither pleasant
nor tranquilizing pastime. The girl
became restless. Then sne became
worried. Then she even ventured to
creep out along the rough.shored pas
sageway, to where the tunnel opened
en- shelf OF rock and gravel half way
up the hillside. Screened as 1t was
with shrubbery she could sec little OF
the valley before her. The only point
OF life that met her gaze was black
touring car crawling along the valley
road. When that car turned OFF the
read and twisted and rocked in be-
tween the bushes below her she
| thought, at first, that ii was her un.
known guardian returning TO her. But
when she saw five men cautiously
emerge from that halfhidden car and
creep still closer through the under
brush, she felt sure that they were
net approaching as friends. For a mo-
ment her heart leaped up into her
mouth. Then she bFeathed again, for
| she saw that they were not approach
ing her hiding place. but apparently
seeking one Of their own. And as they
foregathered behind screen OF scrub
! oak not more than thirty feet below
her she knew both by their guarded
tones and their general conspiratorial
aspect that they stood intent on their
own ends, quite obliyi0us Of her and
her hiding place.
Her face paled, however. as she
heard the clearer and mere authorita-
tive tones of one OF those speakers.
For that Voice, she knew, belonged to
Legar, and only to Legar.
The girl. pushing her cautious way
through the bushes. leaned even closer
over the ledge. Then she held her
breath, for she saw that her move
ments had lcCsened the gravel at her
feet and sent coyey OF powders
careening down the hillside. The
voices below at the same time came
to sudden stop. In another moment
she could hear the crash of hurrying
feet through the tangled shrubbery.
Before she could turn and fly Le-
gar and his four evilfaced followers
were charging up the slope. They
were upon her, cutting OF her retreat
before she could dodge back into the
| passageway, Yet she did not surren-
der without struggle. She fought
them back as best she could, standing
at bay with her back against the rocky
hillside. 1t was not until Legar's hand
elamped like a wise on her arm that
she screamed, and screamed again.
A masked figure picking his eau
tious way along the crest Of the hill
above them heard that cry and seemed
to understand its meaning. For, on
hearing that repeated scream, he no
longer picked his way. but ran fran
tically, and with all his speed. SO pre-
cipitately did he seurry down that
rocky hillside, in fact, that he de-
scented In flying leap in the very
midst of Legar's followers clustered
about the girl. He landed like a
fallen plumb bob, heels down, knock.
ing cne OF the Couspirators sprawl.
ing over the cliff edge as he came. An
ether he sent with a well-aimed blow
in the saEie direction. The third was
not disposed of so easily But an
adept jiu-Jitsu twist of the body soGn
sent this opponent diving headfore-
most into tho loose gravel 1t was
then that Legar, seeing his men going
down about him like ninepins, re.
leased his clutch on the girls arm to
draw his revolver.
At the same moment that he did
so the man In the mask, swinging the
/ girl sharply about, darted for the tun.
nel-mouth. He was through it before
Legar could level his gun and fire. He
was half-leading, halfdragging the
painting girl down the narrow passage
before any of the band could follow.
But before he lodged for the hidden
| powder house he threw up his free
hand and caught at the loop which
hung there at the end Of his line. And
he pulled IL vigorously as he ran.
The result Of that simple movement
was both prompt and appalling. Tho
thunder of a great detoHation shook
the earth. The rocky hillside erupt-
ed into sudden volcano OF flying
earth and gravel, flinging its tons of
debris into the echoing valley. And
under the debris could be seen the
still struggling limbs of Legar and his
men.
But the man In the mask did not
/ Ytnnar ...;, A. II