Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1916-03-03
CHAPTER LxVll.
In the Bowels Of the Earth

Count Frederick and his little band
Of warriors did not at once arrive up
on the solution OF the mystery OF the
strange white woman. The childlike
caprice OF the natives led him hither
and thlther, to this village and to that
80 that a considerable time had
elapsed before at length he found him
self upon the scene Of the late fatefu
happenings, although himself at thai
time still ignorant alike OF the occur
rences and their cause, To him this
was but one more savage village, one
more set OF difficulties, one more
series of disappointments.
Thoy brought him, guarded by his
own warriors, and hence for the time
safe, into the presence OF the same
chief who had devoted Kitty Gray &C
ruthlessly to the sacrifice To Count
Frederick he was only one more say
age with whom hs could hold no CON
verse
But even as he stood before the hut
Of this old ruffian Count Frederickt
eye caught sight OF something which
caused his heart to leap.
1t was little object, an unimport ant
item which might have escaped Luy
other eye than his. Yet his gaze was
drawn to 1t irresistibly.
1t was bit OF cloth. torn tribe Of
soiled and ea-encrusted checkered
cloth, a portion OF woman's garb.
Count Frederick recognized It at once
as q part OF the dress skirt In which
he had last seen Kitty Gray CARRIED.
There was no mistaking 1t. He knew
Il as well as the pattern Of his own
apparel.
She had been here! The mysterious
white woman was Kitty Gray!
Now indeed Count Frederick OF
Gretzhotfen became the man OF action.
Away now with doubt and despair
and welcome again the fierce resolve
Of brave man determined to live and
conquer, determined once more to
achieve the dearest purpose Of his
lifel
He caught from the post Of the door
which had torn OF this fragment OF
cloth, and held It 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 It was to them. 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
him, and right lusty contest directly
arose between these two factions or
tribes, whichever they may have been.
Az for Frederick himself, he had rot
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 70
Spouse.
Drawn by horrible suspicion Of the
meaning Of this ere built at the brink
Of the pit, he hurried thither to Join
the group Of lingerers there. and nov
by mere chance found confirmation
and found hope 40 well.
He saw the print Of small boo,
heel in the sand, other footmarks Just
beyond--it was trail Yes, yes, she
had been there. But the footprints
ceased. The trail ended as though ths
maker Of 1t had flown up into the air
|, Beyond, the imprint Of large and mis-
l shapen feet still led.
. Count Frederick now turned savage
: ly upon these gibbering creatures
Q about him. and the meaning Of BIZ
, demand was perfeetly apparent u
them. Threatening 10 throw then
0 into the are which thsy had prepsre'
!. Cor another. h. sot from them aArisk