Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-06-22

| to the window OF her room. a far-OH
peal of thunder echoed from the noun
tains. Luckily, no flash had preceded
it, and Nan, rife in hand, slid safely
down to the end of the lean-tO, where
De Spain helped her to the ground.
He directed her how to make a zigzag
advance toward the pine, and, above
all, to throw herself fiat and sidewise
after every shetland not to fire
often.
In this way they advanced slowly
but safely to the disputed point and
then understandable horses were
gone. A fresh discharge of shots came
from two directions-seemingly from
the house and the stable. A moment
the gap-their sole avenue of escape.
They withdrew to the shelter of a
large rock familiar to Nan even in the
dark. While De Spain was debating
in his mind how to meet the emer-
gency, she stood at his side, his equR
he knew, in courage, daring and re-
source, and answered his rapid ques-
tons as to possible gateways of
escape. The rain, which had been
abating, now ceased, but from every
assure in the mountains came the roar
of rushing water, and little openings
of rock and waterway that might have
offered chance when dry were now
out of the question. In fact it 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 be long way from
this particular spot, Nan. Sassoon
has posted men at 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-
iOus doubt one chooses an alternative
and hastens to follow it. Retreat is
the thing for us, Nan. Let's make for
Music mountain and crawl into our
cave till morning. Lefever 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
fered difficulties. Water impeded them
continually. Nan picked their trail.
But for her perfect familiarity with
every foot of the ground, they could
not have got to the mountain at all.
When they got to the mountain trail
thnu fnnnI hv n
mad rush of falling water, it's deafen-
ing roar punCtured by fragments of
lOOsened rock which, swept downward
from ledge to ledge, split and thun-
dered as they dashed themselves
against the mOuntainSide. On a pro-
tected floor the two stood sfOr mo-
ment, listening to the roar of the cata-
ract that had cut them off their refuge.
'NO use, Man." said De Spain.
There isn't any other trail, is there?"
She told him there was no other.
"And this will run all night. Henry"
she said, turning to him and as if
thinking of a question she wanted to
ask, "how did you happen to come to
me tonight when l wanted you sop
Il came because you sent for me-
he answered, surprised.
"But l didn't send for you"
He stopped, dumfOunded. "What
do you mean, Nan?" he demanded I'M
easily. II got your message on the
telephone last night, in my office at
Sleepy Cat, from a man that refused
to give his name"
II never sent any message to you
she insisted in growing wonderment
three days, dearie. The Lord knows
l wanted to send you word. Who ever
telephoned message like that? Was
it trap to get you in hereY
He told her the story-of the siren.
uous efforts he had made to discover
: the identity of the messenger-and
how he had been baked. mo mat.
ter" said Nan at last. at couldn't
have been trap. 1t must have been
a friend surely, not an enemy.
Henry" every time she repeated
: his name De Spain cared less fol
/ what should happen in the rest of the
r world, what are we going to do now
= We can't stay here all highland
take what they will greet US with il
2 the morning"
!, He answered her question with an
: other: what about trying to get out
' by Ell CapitanW
: She started in spite of herself. "It
: would be certain death, Henry"
Y Il don't mean at the worst to try
. to cross it till we get a glimpse OF
daylight. But it's quite a way over
e there. The question is, Can we fine
=, a trail up to where we want to goT
2 81 know two or three" she an
e swered, "if they are only not flooded
4 The storm seemed to have passed
: but the darkness was intense, ant
4 from above the northern SuperstitionS
= came low mutterings of thunder. Com
i PEELED to strike out over the rocks tC
y get up to any of the trails toward e
8 Captain, Nan, helped by De SPAR
when he could help, led the ascent