The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-10-26
eleventh lNSThLLMENT

she swung until, feeling earth beneath
her feet again, she released her hold
upon the grapevine and dropped upon
the opposite bank. But, though stag
gering from fatigue, she dared not
rest, for she we'll knew the relentless
ness and resource of her pursuers
Her clothes torn to ribbons by rocks
and briers, her face and hands scratch
ed and bleeding, her breath coming
In choking sobs. she yet stumbled on
and on until she dropped at last from
sheer exhaustion. She had reached
the very Limit of her strength; she
could go no farther. For an hour,
two hours, perhaps, she crouched amid
the bushes, wincing at every sound,
for she could not bring herself to be-
1leve that Mahlin and Satsuma would
abandon the pursuit. Tortured by the
thought of Hope and Hook lying
wounded, perhaps dying, in the forest,
and goaded by the knowledge that II
the man she loved was to be saved
she must reach the nearest settlement
and send them help, she twice strug-
gled to her feet, but she had spralned
her ankle In her mad hight and each
time she sank back, helpless and
groaning. Nor could she hope to find
her way down the mountainside, for
she had completely lost her bearings
and darkness was already falling.
Overcome by loneliness and misery
and fear, she threw herself face down.
ward on the ground and her slender
figure shook with sobs, for. be 1t re-
membered. she was very young and
very unhappy and very, very tired.
But all at once she ceased her sobs
and sat erect, tense with terror, for
her quick ears had caught the murmur
of approaching voices. Mahlin and
Satsuma must have found a way
around the gulch and have again
picked up her trail. At the thought
she fell into an uncomfortable fit Of
trembling. Stout-hearted though she
was. the knowledge of what 1t meant
for her to fall into the hands of the
japanese and his equally ruthless en-
ployer, sent her into an agony Of fear.
Far, far rather would she have sub
mitted to the caresses of Morton than
to find herself in the power Of such
fiends In human form as she knew
her pursuers to be. Yet she could
fly no farther. Her ankle was swollen
and was causing her excruciating
pain. She knew that her sole chance
OF escape was to remain hidden In
the bushes that they might pass her
by. The voices were nearer now.
So violent was the pounding Of her
heart that 1t seemed as though 1t must
betray her. Now she could distinguish
the tones. About them there was
something familiar. Then she knew.
1t was not Mahlin and Satsuma who
were approaching, but Hope and Hook.
She waited, breathless, until they were
near enough so that there was no
chance of her being mistaken. Then :
Jarvis, Jarvis" she called. Its
Cleo here, In the bushes"
There were twin exclamations of sur
prlsed relief, the crash of underbrush
trampled under foot, and Hope, close
ly followed by Hook, burst through
the bushes and gathered her into his
arms.
"Thank God! Thank God |" he whis-
pered hoarsely. as he crushed her
slender body against him. IL didn't
dare let myself think of what had nap
pened to you, Cleo. darling. 1 was
afraid that that hell-hound Mahlin
had caught YOU"
"And thought that you had been
killed, dearest" she sobbed. her head
upon his breast. 81 saw Satsuma
strike you when you were struggling
with Mahlin / saw you fall
then they both started after
me / knew that the only way
to help you was to reach the town
and get assistance so / ran
/. they nearly caught me on the
edge Of gulch, but l swung across
lit on grapevine then
sprainSl my ankle and couldn't 60 any
farther I've been so worried
about you, Jarvis are you
badly hurtT und her hand felt timor.
ously of the lump that Satsuma's wea-
pon had raised on the back of his
head.
"Only q tap, dear" he answered
Tightly. II was only unconscious for
a few minutes. Hook got a nasty
crack, though. 1t was twenty minutes
before was able to bring him around
As soon as he was able to walk we
started in the directoh you had taken
hut we could md no sign Of you