The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-11-15
,ddenly uttered a scream.

pointed.
The walters who were holding her
released their grip for an instant.
Leontine broke from them and began
running at the top of her speed. AS
she did SO she shook out the mantle
and managed to envelop herself with
| 1t.
The crowd, which had taken up the
pursuit, suddenly stopped. completely
baffled. Leontine had vanished into
thin air. apparently, as If she had new
er existed.
LeOntine, having made herself invis-
ible. stood perfectly still. She was
afraid to run, for fear that the move
ments of her limbs would stir the man.
tie. Then Blanca came out dragging
Ravengar's body. She laid 1t down
upon the ground and wept over it.
Sitting a cry, Leontine kneeled
down noiselessly upon the other side
of the stricken man and gazed into his
face. Blanca, few inches away, was
wholly unaware Of her proximity. So
might a mans invisible, good angel
kneel beside him, helping and prompt
ing him.
Ravengar breathed, he stirred. Tears
came into Leontine's eyes, and deep
sense of thankfulness. Mingled with
this was gratitude to this Woman who
had saved him.
Leontine stood up. stepped back. and
threw of her mantle. Blanca saw her
and uttered an exclamation of dismay
and CONSERVATION.
"You have saved his life." cried
Leontine, land can never thank you
enough. You have given me back the
only man flying who means anything
to me-"
And she held out her hand to BIZ
anca.
Blanca dashed Leontine's hand fu-
riously away.
Leontine had let her mantle fall
completely from her in her agitation.
Suddenly she perceived Sebastian and
the rest OF the crowd in pursuit of her.
She had betrayed herself.
Ravengar was alive and, for the
present, safe. She must save herself.
She looked wildly about her. A little
distance away was an out-building.
with a number of empty hogsheads
standing against the wall. Leontine
rushed toward it. trying to draw on
her mantle as she ran.
She shook it open and got 1t about
her head and shoulders, and let it fall
to her feet. For the second time the
girl had eluded him. She had simply
vanished. She was nowhere to be seen.
LeOntine, not daring to stir, heard
her husbands heavy breathing as he
ran past her. He stopped and looked
about him in utter bewilderment. Then
he began running back toward Blanca.
"Where is she?" he shouted.
Blanca, kneeling still beside Raven
gar, had watched ths scene. She had
seen Leontine disappear, but there
were a few small trees in the line Of
view between herself and the barrels,
and she was sure Leontine had sought
refuge in them.
And in fact Leontine. Us soon as Sc
bastian broke OF the chase, had made
her way toward the largest barrel, in
which she could very well conceal her.
self. A person looking in would see
nobody.
"She is in one of those hogsheads," !"
Blanca said, pointing toward the out
buildings. xiii her now, Sebastian.
XIII her! I'll do it."
A sudden light came into Sebastian's
eyes. ut needn't be murder" he said.
ut can be an accident. Come with me,
Blanca"
Sebastian glided through the trees,
making no sound as he went. Blanca
followed him.
"In the third barrel from the right"
she whispered.
Sebastian crept under the over
hanging roof of the shed until he
reached the corner. He was now al
most within reach Of the barrel. The
lid hung from the top by single nail.
A hammer rested under the sill Of the
door. Sebastian raised 1t and, rush
ing out, pulled on the lid and began
mailing 1t.
Blanca meanwhile felt in the other
barrels. There was nobody there.
II guess that's got her," said Sebas-
tian triumphantly to Blanca.
Then Blanca began to understand
his meaning. From the outbuilding
the ground sloped toward the high
cliff which bordered the river, running
ut first gently, and then with sud
denly increased grade until it became
vertical at the extreme edge. There
was a fall Of two hundred feet from
the cliffs top to the rocky river below
Sebastian gave the barrel q gentle
push.
A few seconds later there came to
the watchers ears the faint sound OF
the splash in the river.
Ravengar opened his eyes and looked
about him. He did not at first know
what had happened to him. Then he