Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-05
THE AFTERGLOW

| s,armered. leaning against the eliff in NOR
tai anguish.
"Gone, master? where?"
Gone Dead. perhaps Find her for
me Find her You can see-in the DARK
IL am as though blind Quick, on the
trair'
But tell us"
Something has taken per. Some saw
age thing. Some wild man! Even now ne
may he killing her Quick-after them
Bremilu stood staring for a. moment, uh-
able TO grasp this catastrophe on the very
moment Of arrival But Xangamon. Of
! swlfter wit. had already fallen on his knees,
there by the mouth OF the cave, and now
seeing clearly by the dim light which more
than sufliced for hin--was studying the
traces of the struggle.
stern, meanwhile. clutching his head be-
tween both hands, dumb-mad with agony,
was choking with dry sobs.
master See"
Zangamon held up a piece OF splintered
wood, with theN bark deeply Scared by
teeth.
stern snatched IT,
part Of the pole gave her TO brace the
rock with" he realized. Even that was
of no avail"
"Master--ths way they went"
Zangamon pointed up along the rock
terrace Stern's eyes could distinguish no
slightest trace on the stone, but the Meru-
caan spoke with certainty lie added:
There was lighting all the way along
here, master, And then, here, the girl was
dragged"
stern stumbled bllndly after him as he
led the way.
There was fighting here? She strus-
ged?"
yes. master"
THANK God She was alive here. any
how She wasn't killed in the cave. Maybe.
in the open she might"
Now there Is no more fighting. master.
The Wild thing carried her hore."
lie pointed at the rock Stern, trembling
and very sick. flashed his electric lamp upon
1t. With eyes OF dread and horror he looked
for blood stains.
what? A drop with a dull. shudderng
groan he pressed forward again.
out he jerked his pistol and fired, straight
up, their prearranged signal one shot,
then a pause then two, Some bare pos
sibllty existed and that she s,l might
1.-Two, land hear and know that rescue came
If it could come before it was eternaly
too late
"On, on :" cried Allan. "Go on. Zanga-
mon Quick Lead me on the trail 20
The Merucaan, now aided by Bremilu,
who had recovered his wits. secuted ahead
like bloodhound on the spOor of fugi-
n iavelin.
Bent half double scrutlnizing in the dark
the stony path which Allan followed be-
hind them only by the aid of his flash they
proceeded cautiously up toward the brow of
the cliff again.
But ere they reached the top they
brarchcd off on to another lateral path. still
rougher and more tortuous, that led along
the breast of the. canyon.
This way, master 1t was here, most
surely the thing carried her"
What kind Of marks? Did you see signs
of claws?"
CLAWS? What are claws?"
SHARP, long nails. like our nails, only
much larger and longer DO you see any
such marks?"
Hangamon paused a second to peer
| II seem to see marks as of hands, master,
but"
"No matter. on, We must find her
Quick-lead the way"
Five minutes of agOnzng suspense for
Allan brought him, still following the guides,
without whom all would have been utterly
| lost to kind of thcky wooded dell that
descended sharply to the edge Of the canyon.
Into this the trail led.
Even he himself could now here and there
make out, by the aid Of his light broken
| twig trampled ferns and down-crushed
grass OnOf he distinguished "A blood stain
on lmb-fresh blood not cOagulated A
| groan burst from between his. chattering
| teeth.
lie turned his light on the grass beneath.
| All at once blade moved.
"Oh, thank God :" he wheezed. '"They
passed here only a few minutes ago. They
| can't be far now"
| Something drew his attention. He
| snatChcd at Il sapling.
| "Iair!"
! Caught in a roughness of the bark few