The Elbert County tribune., 1916-09-15


place of the Van Horn loot. which Le-
gar must have cached when we had
him on the run. 1t gives Wrenneys
Oak as starting place. and here are
the directions for pacing off the dis
tances to where the plate is con-
cealed"
Captain Bracket, now rehabilitat-
ed in his customary dignity. reached
out an authoritative hand for the
paper and studied it intently for a
moment
Anyone could see that" he an
swered slightingly. "and we've got to
get out to Wrenney's Oak in a hurry
IL we're goin' to beat the Iron Claw
and his pirates to that sack of loot"
With his usual buoyant spirits de-
cidedly crushed, David Manley stood
on the broad veranda and watched
the little party embark in a racing
motorboat, which carried them swift
ly over the limpid waters, leaving a
long trail of foam in its wake. For
brief space Davy stared irresolutely out
over the lake, then look of sudden
determination flashed into his face,
and a few minutes later he was at the
holm of the speedy Arrow" skim
ming over the surface of that lake as
lightly as a swallow on the wing.
He landed short distance below
the deserted craft of his employer and
made his way through the moss-car-
peted woods toward Wrenney's Oak
as silently as in aboriginal. AS he
approached that hoary veteran of the
forest, he saw under its wide-fiung
branches the golden-haired object of
his quest.
The giant oak had implanted its
sturdy roots deep in the soil on the
edge of precipitous ravine, and as
Davys eyes travelled up the steep hill
side which abruptly flanked the mar
row path skirting this ravine his face
suddenly went white with fearsome ap-
prehension.
Peering out of a tangled thicket
was the deep-seared face of Jules Le-
gar. That face was as repellant in
its beastlike ferocity as must have
been the hideously painted savages
who once roamed these forest glades.
bent on murder and destruction. I'm
conscious of the presence of this lurk-
ing foe, the stalwart police captain
was solemnly pacing off certain dis
tances. guided by a slip of white pa
per which he held in his hand.
Standing near by and completely
| absorbed in these awkward maneuvers
was the graceful figure OF Margery
Golden, her stoop-shouldered father
close beside her.
A rasping oath from Legar warned
Davy that something had gone amiss
with that worthy's plans.
THE cops stumbled on the right
place by accident" growled the angry
voice from behind the bushes; the
now he's starting to dig right in
front of the cave-that sews up Louie
good and tight-we'll have to do some
thing and do it quick"
IF you want to put the kbosh on
that bunch buttin' into our business,
l know how to do it." said Frank.
That big rock we seen up the hill
don't need much of shove to send
it goin' down like thunder let loose.
an it's headed just about right to
smash that whole outfit off the ledge
into the gully"
Davy saw the two rapidly moving
figures climbing up toward massive
bowlder which by one of those odd
whims Of nature hung so lightly poised
on the hillside that the hand of a
child might have set it vibrating on
its precarious balance. He saw Le-
gar and Dutch Frank place their shoul-
ders against that granite bowlder.
Davy knew that in few seconds
that revolving bulk of solid granite
would acquire a velocity which would
send 1t tearing past him like shot out
of a gun. He raced down the hillside
and put his last ounce of strength
into a flying leap which landed him
close to Margery Golden and her star
tied companions.
He dived against the wondering-eyed
girl as a groggy football player might
weakly hurl himself against the op-
posing line. and the sheer impact OF
his weight sent them both sprawling
several yards up the trail which bor-
dered the ravine. Even as Enoch
Golden and Captain Bracket rushed
to lay hands on Margery's supposed
assailant the flying mass of rock thun-
dered across the space where they all
had been standing but the second be-
fore. and sweeping every obstacle out
of its path. went crashing and rever-
berating into the depths of the yawn-
ng chasm far below.
1t was the hardy police officer, In