Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-18

! ~ i'">fStSs Schofts. VIII unu 1909
: :. :or YOU. when you are ready to 80.
| myself Will be your guide"
, fhank YOU. Philip heSitated again:
ne dtd not like to leave Julia alone for
/ another instant. yet the atmosphere OF
, the hut was affecting him unpleasant
~. We'll wait outside" he added.
AS they sat on the ground ut n little
distance from the hut. the woman
brought them a quantity OF cakes OF
coarse meal baked in ashes--an that
she had to give them. by her own ac-
count--to which she added gourds
filled with a hot. black decoction allex-
, ed TO be coffee. The cakes they de-
voured ravenously. but the coffee they
could not stomach; one swallow SUI
feed TO each: furtivcly. to avoid giving
onense, they empticd the gourds upon
the ground.
) Eut that one swallow proved more
than sufficient to serve the voodoo
woman's ends. Within i've minutes
both men were stretched out at length
in drugEed slunbcrS.
Swiftly. then. the woman whistlcd
In from hiding behind nearby cop
pice huge half-nakcd negro lead
ins mule harnessed simply with n
rope halter.
Bringing the insensihlc princess from
the hut in her arms, the woman. with
the ncgro's assistance. placed her on
the back of tho mule. and mounted
behind her.
The negro leading with the halter
they moved on upon the hill-trail. E.
That day was we'll advanced. the sun
approHim ately OH the meridian. when
Philips senses struggled out from be-
meath the oppression OF tho drug. He
sat up. confused. haunted hy formless
fears. the taste OF aloes in his mouth.
The clearing and tho hut very
still.
When he tried to get upon his feet.
ciddiress assailed him: the earth
rocked: the skies swan wildly. He
was forced 10 seize a nearby tree for
support; AMI i; was some time before
he was able to so on into the hut.
What he found Thereon what he
failed TO nn6-completed his recovery.
Wi!d-cred with alarm, he ran out.
shook Juan Lopez back to conscious
ness. communicated the news of Ju-
las second disappearance. and cast
about for some clue 10 the way she
had been carried off
Herein his training the Western
plains served Philip we'll. footprints
OF a mule were plainly indicated in the
moist. soft earth. Cnburdcncd the
animal had been led to point by the
door Of the hut heavily laden it had
moved OF toward the hills
PausirS only to Stake their burning
thirsts at a nearby stream. the two
desperate men took the trail IN pur-
suit. Philip leading with gaze fixed
TO the Garth that betrayed SO clearly
the way taken by tho kidnapers.
All through the scorching heat OF
MONDAY they ploddcd on suffering
acuteiy. but sustained by indomitable
rurpose. Within two hours they We're
threading foothills. I'm hour later they
were painting up narrow path that
wound UP the side of great, haggard
hill.
Below them the ground fell away
, sharply into n dank and steamng gull
= ley IN whose depths roarcd an unseen
stream. Above the flank OF the noun
tam climbed as steeply 10 peak
shrouded in clouds.
Presently. IS they turned shoulder
or the mountain side. Juan with n
smothered exclamation caught Philips
arm, drawing his attention to a point
ahead. where the path ended abruptly
AT the brink Of a yawninS chasm-or
rather. jumped across IL by means OF
narrow swayinE bridge of ropes sup
porting footway Of plank. TO continue
Z round slope as prccipitous as that
which they were travelling.
On tho far side of this bridge
which they had just crosscd-the VOC
i doc woman and Julia on the back OF
the mule were moving off at as rapid
a trot as was practicable, while the
negro fingered, kneelinc and saving
= tho footway.
. With one accord the two men broke
into run, Philip srrntins well ahead
When he arrived At the bridge tho
! negro had already succeeded in sever
IL ing one Of the ropes and was attack
ing the other. There was thrd
5 breast high serving as handran.
n Grasping this last, Philip recklessly
adventured upon the footvay. He had
y edged to the middle OF the span when
2 1rnr n \, 10
I him TO hang from the hand-ropc
Laughing grimly the negro slashc cd
al the latter. An instant later Il part
: ed. and Philip. swinging down was
dashed against the face OF the farther
d slope with force that wcllnigf
e stunned him aud caused him 10 rclaA
his grasp.
y simultaneously roar OF rage sound
: cd above his head. and Juan I.opc.
r launched himself bodily across thc
chasm.
Tha, was great leap, and sure
r one. Landing on the far side. the ser,
d want collected himself with catlik'
g quickness and srappled with the ne
d gro. After The briefest of struggle:
the latter, neatly tripped. fell back
a ward. headlong into the chasm.
: Without hesitation, Juan ran back
J. little distance on the path. turned. ant
e with the help OF brief run. again
h hurled himself across the gap.
e rope, dragged Philip up TO tho foot
path with nothing to spare. In an
p other minute Philips hands woul'
s. have Slipped from the end OF the rope
It The silent Death.
v While Philip and Juan Lopez rested
y on the brink of the chasm. painting
II and shaken with reaction from theil
tremendous eSertons. Il curious noise
like smothered cough. sounded III tn,
e nush OF the hills. Al the same in
- slant the earth TO one side OF Philip!
n feet was kicked up by a bullet.
Instantly Juan Lopez seized him
% whrled him right facc-about ant
A. dragged him at run down the path.
d Twice before they gained the shelte
d OF that shoulder OF hillside which shu
off the bridge from sight, other hui
lets suEaed sulenly into the path
- winging their heels.
a Ramon" Juan gasped as they pullct
10 up in safc--"T saw him the instant IL
fired the frat shot. He's got Il riff