The Mena weekly star., 1917-06-21

The Two Refugees Looked Down on
 the Flooding Gap.
 started until the eastern sky frightened before the retreating storm, and with he first glimmer of daylight the two were at the beginning of the narrow foothold which lay for half mile be- tween them and safety.
 The face of El Capitan presents, midway, sharp convex. Just where 2 it is thrown forward in this keen angle. the trail runs out almost to c ] Eknife-edge, and the mountain is so Enearly vertical that it appears to soverhang the floor of the valley. They made half the stretch of this 4 sangle with hardly a misstep, but the advance for part of the way was Id climb, and De Spain, turning once \ to speak to Nan, asked her for her 'rife that he might carry it with his own. What their story might have been had she given 1t to him, none can tell. But Nan, holding back, re- fused to let him relieve her. The dreaded angle which had haunted De Spain all night was safely turned on hands and knees. and. as they round ed it toward the east, clouds scudding over the open desert broke and shot the light of dawn against the beetling Rrete.
 De Spain turned in some relief to point to the coming day. As he did 80 gust of wind, sweeping against the sheer wall, tipped him sidewise, and he threw himself on his knees to avoid the dizzy edge. His rife. which lay under his hand on the rock. slipped from reach. Tn the next in- stant he heard 1t bouncing from rock to rock, five hundred feet below.
 Greatly annoyed and humiliated. he regained his feet and spoke with laugh to reassure Nan. Just as she answered not to worry, little sing Ing scream struck their ears; some thing splashed suddenly close at hand against the rock wall; chips scattered between them. From below, the sound of a rife report cracked against the face of the cliff. They were so startled, so completely amazed. that they stood motionless.
 De Spain looked down and over the uneven floor of the gap. The ranch houses, spread like toys in the long perspective, lay peacefully revealed in the gray of the morning. He could discover no sign of life around any of the houses. But in another moment the little singing scream came again, the blow of the heavy slug against the splintering rock was repeated, the dis tsnt report of the rife followed.
 Under fire" muttered De Spain. He looked at Nan. Wed better keep moving" he said. Come whoever is shooting can follow us hundred yards either way" In front of De Spain fourth bullet struck the rock. Man." he muttered. I've got you into a fix. If we can't stop that fellow, he Is liable to stop us. Can you see anything?" he asked, waiting for her to come up.
 "Henryv She was looking straight down Into the valley, and laid her hand on De Spain's shoulder. 'Ts there any thing moving on the ridge-over there -see-just east of Sassoon's ranch house?"
 De Spain. his eyes bent on the point Nan indicated, drew her forward to a uip in the trail which, to one stretched hat, afforded slight protection. He made her lie down, and just beyond her refuge chose point where the path, broadening little and rising in stead of sloping toward the outer edge, gave him chance to brace him sei1 between two rocks. Flattened there like target in midair, he threw his hat down to Nan, and, resting on one knee, waited for the shot that should tumble him down Fl Capitan or petray the man bent on killing him.
 Another bullet, deliberately aimed, chipped the rock above him. Nan, hgonizing in her suspense, cried out fne must join him and go with him II he went. He steadied her with q Few words. A bullet struck again siciously close between them. De spain spoke slowly: Give me your Tile" Without turning his head, he heid out his hand, keeping his eyes rigidly on the suspicious spot on the rloge. How far is 1t to that road. Nan?"
 She looked toward the faint line that lay in the deep shadows below.
 Three hundred yards"
 Man, If 1t wasn't for you, couldn't travel this country at all," he re-