The Carlisle independent., 1917-05-03


 dust-grimed faces streaked with rivu- lets of perspiration, burst into the hotel in Santa Eulalia.
 Say, mister" one of them demand ed breathlessly of the clerk, "is there feller named Jarvis Hope a-staying here?"
 .There he is, over by the door," said the clerk, pointing to Hope, who. hag- 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, 'is your name Jarvis Hope?"
 That's my name, son." said the of- ficer. "What do you want of me%
 'I reckon this letters fer you, then" and the boy displayed the note from Cleo.
 Hope eagerly devoured the few ill., written lines.
 Its from Cleo!" he exclaimed, turn ing to Hook, who was peerlng eagerly over his shoulder Thank God, she's
 
 her prisoner up in the mountains. In cabin on ledge, she says
 Do you think you could show me the place where you saw herr"
 ''Sure. I been fishin' there 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 neith- CT of them noticed that another car was following them, nor, when the roughness of the country compelled them to leave their machine and pro- ceed 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 deflle. with its perpendicular walls of rock, known as Dead Mans gulch.
 There's where l 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. 'T ain't 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 precipitation 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 en cabin, and, standing in the door way-God be thanked twas 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 off into space. He was half way across the appalling abyss when Cleo, who had been watching him in ter rlfied fascination, uttered a piercing shriek of horror. Small wonder that she shrieked. She had seen a man emerge suddenly from the bushes which lined the opposite cliff-a man whose evil face she recognized It was Mahlin! Frozen with horror, she saw him run toward the end of the cable from which Hope was dangling She saw him swing an ax high above his head; she saw 1t 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 pallid-and then she faint ed.