The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1916-03-03

are with whom ne could holu no con
verse.
But even as he stood before the hui
Of this old rufian Count Frederick's
eye caught sight OF something which
caused his heart TO leap.
Il was a little object. an unimportant
item which might have escaped any
other eye than his. Yet his gaze was
drawn to II irresistibly.
II was a bit OF cloth, a torn trife OF
soiled and sea.enorusted c%heckered
cloth, a portion OF a woman's garb.
Count Frederick recognized II at once
as q part of the dress skirt In which
he had last seen Kitty Gray CARRIED
There was no mistaking II. lie knew
It as well as the pattern OF his own
apparel.
She had been here! The mysterious
white was Kitty Grayl
Now indeed Count Frederick OF
Gretzhonen became the man OF action.
Away now with doubt and despair
and welcome again the fierce resolve
OF a brave man determined 20 live and
conquer, determined once more to
achieve the dearest purpose of his
life!
lie caught from the post OF the door
which had torn on 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 II was to tlom They knew that this
man would kill unless he found that
which he sought-the captive but now
rescued from the doom OF fire.
Frederick's own men fell in behind
MIN, and a right lusty contest directly
arose between thesN two factions or
tribes. whichever they may have Deen
As for Frederick himself. he mad not
time for matters OF this sort. He hur-
ried to hut after hut. tore aside root
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 a horrible suspicion Of the
meaning Of this fire built at the brink
Of the pit, he hurried thither to Join
the group Of llngerers there, and now
by mere chance found confirmation
and found hope as well.
He saw the print OF a small boot
heel in the sand. other footmarks just
boyond-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 70
them. Threatening to throw them
into the fire which they had prepared
for another, he got from them shrieks
Of protest. much rlaking Of the head
in denial. and much pointing on
toward the forest which lay ahead
Some came to him and showed him
the two lines OF footprints, the one
line continuing on. and pointed to the
forest, although themselves not ven
turing to follow.
with a new terror in his heart, yet
feeling a conviction that Kitty Gray
still lived. he 5id not pause to wreak
q present vengeance upon these crea.
lures, but hurried on along the broken
trail.
The doglike craft OF one or two OF
his own band Of savages aided him
Not stacking speed. they pointed out
where the trail ran. Now and again
Count Frederick could see on the
earth the imprint OF the woman's feet
where for a time she had rested OF
been put down. At length, at the brink
If the abyss before which Kitty Gray
80 recently had stood, he saw the dou
BILE imprint again-where both captive
and captor had stood and looked
DOWN.
The trail led on, and down, whittier
none could guess. Frederick Of Gretz
hoffen did not stop to guess. but
plunged forward impulsively. Who
ever or whatever might be this crea
ture which had carried her OF, here
At least was his lair.
The dusty floors OF the cavern, ~
by the flare OF such torches as they
found ready for such work, still re
tanned the record. Captor and captive
hal walked here. Deeper and deepel
into the caverns under the hill the!
followed the trail. until at length thu
distracted eyes OF Count Fredcricl
saw on ahead something to give hin
pause.
He saw Kitty Gray standing, alive
apparently unhurt, in a vast apart
ment of these s-ubterranean yaults' BE
yond, the floor seemed To break on
to what depth he could not guess. \,
egress at either extremity OF the sui
terrancaS chamber could be seen from
where he stood. The trail led thitheI
to where abe stooG-to where at he
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