The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-10-21

II was One OF F7eF FaIneTS BOOKS
duSt-grimed faces streaked with rivu-
let's of perspiration, burst into the
hotel in Santa EuIalia-
Say, mister" one of them demand
ed breathlessly of the clerk. sis there
a Teller named Jarvis Hope a-staying
here?"
There he is. over by the door" said
the clerk. pointing to Hope, who, bag
gard with anxiety, was discussing
with Hook further plans to be fol-
lowed in the search for Cleo.
Say, mister" piped the boy, tug
ging at Hopes sleeve, sis your name
Jarvis Hopper
That's my name. son." said the Of
ficer. what do you want of meg
Il reckon this letters fer you, then"
and the boy displayed the note from
Cleo.
Hope eagerly devoured the few i'll
written lines.
ITS from Cleo :" he exclaimed. turn
ing to Hook. who was peering eagerly
over his shoulder. Thank God. she's
alive! That heIl-hound Morton has
her a prisoner up in the mountains.
In cabin on a ledge. she says"
do you think you could show me
the place where you saw herr"
''Sure. been fshin' there a lot Of
times"
Come along. then" cried Hope, and,
followed by Hook, he fairly dragged
the boy into his motor car.
So excited were Hope and Hook at
the prospect of finding Cleo that Meth
er of them noticed that another car
was following them, nor, when the
roughness of the country compelled
them to leave their machine and pro-
coed on foot, did they notice that the
two men in the other car did likewise
For two hours the boy led along the
winding course OF the river until at
last they reached the gloomy defile
with its perpendicular walls Of rock,
known as Dead Mans gulch.
There's where I seen the lady-up
there" said the boy, pointing to where,
far above them. the sheer face OF the
cliff cut the sky.
do you know how to get up there?"
demanded Hope.
Nope" was the answer. ct amt
never been up here 'cept for fishin'"
Come on. Hook" called Hope.
There must be a trail to the top some
where if we can only find it, At last,
streaming with perspiration and stag
gering from exhaustion. he reached
the mesa where Morton had land
ed in the aerOplane. a few score
yards away he could see. above
4 line OF bushes, 2 weatherbeat-
en- cabin, and, standing in the door
way-GOd be thanked was Cleo.
They saw each other at almost the
same instant Running TO the brink
Of the chasm which separated them.
Hope tried to call across to her. but
the distance was too great: she could
not catch his words. But he saw her
pointing to the cable. Hurrying to
the end Of it, he glanced about for the
basket, but it was not to be seen
Rendered reckless by his thoughts for
Cleo, and taking no thought as to how
he was to get back, he grasped with
both hands the pulley-hOOk from which
had hung the basket and swung him
self of into space He was half way
across the appalling abyss when Cleo,
who had been watching him in ter
rified fascination, uttered a piercing
shrek Of horror Small wonder that
she shrieked- She had seen q man
emerge suddenly from the bushes
which lined the opposite cliT-a man
whose evil face she recognized. It
was MahlinI Frozen with horror, she
saw him run toward the end OF the
cable from which Hope was dangling.
She saw him swing an ak high above
his head; she saw it whistle through
the air and bite deep into the rusted
cable; she saw the strands Of wire
part, one by one; she saw her lovers
face turn paIlid-and then she faint
ed.
CTO BE CONTINUED.