Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-04-13


ing, mimlcking the voice of his cap
tive, announced that she was being
taken to church--to regular church I,
wedding.
you'll be made to suffer for this"
Helen threatened, her eyes blazing ,
with anger "You men will be going |
to funerals instead of weddings"
SWELL" interposed Behrens, "if you
want to have your husbands blood on
your head all right. I'm going to mar
ry you tonight and wife oughtn't
to plan against her husbands life"
Then for the first time Helen began
to realize the nature of the plot. She
had long recognized that Behrens.
despite his orders from Holmes, had
entertained for her sort Of queer re-
gard. The idea that such scoundrel
would seriously entertain thoughts of
marrying her had never entered the
girls head. Now she fully realized her
peril. Nevertheless, she was deter
mined to fight to tile last gasp.
behring's camp was in the middle
of swale in the hardwood timber
ridge below China Flats. 1t was
safe hiding place ordinarily, and none
but experienced woodsmen would have
detected the trails leading to 1t.
Tom Dawson had been born in the
woods. He knew which side of for
est tree the moss grew on long
before he could walk. From that
period he had become familiar with
every phase of woodcraft, so that
to him the forest was as plain as
raised print to an educated blind man.
1t hadn't taken Tom long to realize
the direction the tracks he had fol-
lowed were taking. When habitatlons
are few and far apart, deduction is
simplified. Dawson knew that Helen
had been abducted by Behrens ana
spike" Deering long before he came
within sight of the clearing and saw
the thin wisp of smoke rising from the
Deering chimney.
Creeping forward slowly with his
rifle ut the ready, he was suddenly at
tackled from behind by two Of Deer
ing's men who had been set to watch
intruders. OverpOwered without a
chance to defend himself, Tom was
dragged to the cabin.
Helen saw Tom and her hopes rose.
Already the drunken old preacher
from the Bend was on hand. For
tunately the ancient reprob0te had GER
tain computations about performing a
ceremony SO long as Helen refused
resolutely to consent to Ii. A quick
glance passed between Tom Dawson
! and the young woman. 1t was a con-
tract. They would fight 1t out-but
how?
Then chance gave Helen her oppor-
tunity. Behrens turned his back to
her to argue with the minister. Quick
| as flash Helen whipped the auto
| matte from his pocket and slipped II
to Tom. An iSAtant later Spike
| Deering lay writping ON the floor of
the cabin, bullet In his abdomen.
two of his henchmen We're wounded
| and hors du combat, while Helen was
i tearing wildly across the clearing to the
II deep railway cut which was traversed
II at Coleman's Crossing by an over
/ head trolley railway used for light ex'
/ pressage to the little mining town In
| the valley below.
Il Selling the trolley wheel with Its
4 hanging metal attachment, Helen
swung herself out over the chasm with
il out an instants hesitation.
Il From his position below on the rail
II way track, Behrens saw the girl sway
j ing at dizzy height and realized thai
she would probably be dashed to dealt
within few moments. Rushing a
D terrific speed down the swaying wire
g Helen felt her strength going. Will
4. glance downward she saw that sh'
d was directly over the Valley Railwa,
v tracks. The trolley had jammed ant
It she was hanging there immovable.
l. With death staring her In the face
Helen dimly heard the approach Of
a traiIf What happened afterward sh'
d could not remember until the last In
r stlnct of self-preservation prompted
4. her tc grasp at a rail TO keep hersel
T. from rolling OFF the roof OF the DO,
v car on which she had fallen from tn
n, trolley wire. The mixed freight wa
lie an hour late.
d Lying half fainting on the roof OF
70 speeding car, the frightened girl say
ii Behrens coming toward her. He wa
)t clamberlng over the roof Of tic bo
lg car.
ly Helen had no strength left TO flght
Behrens raised her to her feet an
t, was trying TO force her to the end @
II the car. With despairing effort Hele
I'd Dawson resisted. She felt that her las
e. moment had come.
a Crack"
r There was the faint report OF
lie rifle from the side of the track All
es almost simultaneously Behrens' hol
n. of the young woman relaxed. TIL
Sc next instant he staggered and plunge
OF head foremost into a swamp besid
I'd the track where he disappeared frol
ID view.
le AS Behrens fell. Tom Dawso
el stepped from the brush, the stlll smol
ed ing rifle in his hand. Two mil
to utes later the train had come to sto
T. and Helen was again In the hands ,
her friends.
ry (END OF THIRTEENTH EPISODE