Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-09

tons as to possible gateways Of
escape. The rain, which had been ,
ahating. now ceased, but from every
tiSsllrc in the mountains came tie roar
Of rushing water. and little openings
Of rock and waterway that might have
offered n chance when dry were now
ont of the question. In fact, il was
Mans belief that before morning wa
ter would be running over the main
trail itself
Yet said De Spain finally, before
morning we must he Il long way from
This particular spot. Nan. SaSsoon
has posted men ut the neck of the
gap-that's the'first thing he would do.
I'll tell YOU" he said suddenly as
when after long uncertainty and anx-
ions doubt one chooses an alternative
and hastens to follow II. Retreat is
the thing for us. Nan. Let's make for
Music mountain and crawl into our
cave till morning. LCfever will get
in here some time tomorrow. Then
we can connect with him.
Realizing that no time was To be lost,
they set out on the long Journey. Ev-
cry foot of the troublesome way Of
fcred difficulties. Water impedcd them
continually. Nan picked their trail.
But for her perfect familiarity with
every foot Of the ground. they could
not have got 10 the mountain at all.
When they got to the mountain trail
itscli u.,y found their way swept by
mad rush of failing water, its deafcn-
ing roar punrtured ~ fragments of
loosened rock which, swept downward
from ledge to ledge, split and thun-
dered rs they dashed themselves
/ against the mountainside. On pro-
/ tectcd floor the two stood for II mo-
menl. listening to the roar Of the cata.
ract that had cut them off their refuge.
40 use, Nan" said De Spain.
There isn't any other trail Is thcre?"
She told him there was no other
"And this will run all night. Henry"
she said turning to him and as IL
thinking of a question she wanted TO
agk, "how did You happen to come TO
me tonight when wanted you So"
Il came because You sent for me-"
he answered, surprised.
But ! didn't send for YOU
He stopped, dumfounded. "What
10 you mean. Nam" he demanded I'M
easily. ~ got your message on the
telephone last night, in my Office ut
Sleepy Cat. from a man that refused
to give his name
Il never sent any message to you"
she insisted In growing wonderment.
y have been locked in a room for
three days, dearie. The Lord knows
| wanted to send you word. Who ever.
telephoned message like that? Was
it trap to get you in here?'
he told her the story-of The siren
nous efforts he had made to discover
The identity of the messengar--and
now he had been baked. NO mat
Ter said Nan at last. 1T couldn't
have been trap. 1t must have been
4 friend surely, not an enemy.
Henry" every time she repeated
bis name De Spain cared less for
what should happen in the rest Of the
world, "What are we going to do now?
We can't stay here all highland
take what they will greet us With in
) the morning"
lie answered her question With IN
other: What about trying TO get out
by FL Captain"
/ She started in spite Of herself. 'lt
. would be certain death, Henry"
II don't mean ut the worst to try
to cross it till we get glimpse of
daylight. But it's quite n way over
, there. The question is, Can we find
trail up to where we want to COZ
, II know two or three" she mn
r swcred, ''if they are only not flooded
} The storm seemed TO have passed
{ but the darkness was intense. and
, from above the northern SupersitionN
came low mutterings of thunder. Com
). PEELED to strike out over the rocks e
get up to any of the trails toward FL
\ Captain. Nan. helped by De Spain
| when he could help, led the ascent
) toward the first ledge they could hope
T to follow ON their dangerous course
: The point at which the two climbed
4 almost FIVE hundred feet that night
v up Music mountain is still pointet
o out in the gap. No person, LOOKING
at that confused wall, willingly ne
. lievcs it could ever have been scalet
o In the dead Of night. Torn, bruised
q aud exhausted. Nan. handed up by hen
o lover, threw herself Mt last proStrat,
on the ledge ut the real beginning o
y their trail, and from that vantage poin
A they made their way along the east
o ern side Of Music mountain for tw,
q miles before they stopped again (,
n rest.
4 II was already well after midnight
n a fnvOring spot was seized on by ID,
, Spain for the resting place he wanted
n a dry recess beneath an overhnngin,
q wall made shelter for the fire tina
- he insisted on building to warm MAJ
:. IN her soaked clothing. II was dan
!, gerous. both realized. TO start n fire
!. hMt ihrN concenleh Tho Mao MS hes