Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-04-13

NHNNW ~
ly. 'for It is the key to the hiding
place Of the Van Horn loot, which Lee
gar must have cached whom we had
him on the run. It gives Wrenney's
Oak as a starting place, and here are
the directions for pacing of the dis
tances to where the plate is con-
cealed."
Captain Bracket, now rehabilitat-
ed in his customary dignity, reached
out an authoritative hand for the
paper and studied it intently for a
moment.
Anyone could see that" he an
swered slightingly, and we've got to
get out to Wrenney's Oak in a hurry
If we're goin' to beat the Iron Claw
and his pirates to that sack Of loot"
With his usual buoyant spirits de-
cidedly crushed, David Manley stood
on the broad veranda and watched
the little party embark in a racing
motorboat, which carried them swift
ly owe the limpid waters, leaving a
long trail of foam in its wake. For a
brief space Davy stared irresolutely out
owe the lake, then a look Of sudden
determination flashed into his face,
and a few minutes later he was at the
holm of the speedy ARROW" skim
ming over the surface of that lake as
lightly as a swallow on the wing.
He landed q short distance below
the deserted craft of his employer and
made his way through the moss-car.
peted woods toward Wrenney's Oak
as silently as in aboriginal. AS he
approached that hoary veteran of the
forest, he saw under it's wide-lung
branches the golden-haired object of
his quest.
The giant oak had implanted its
sturdy roots deep in the soil on the
edge of a precipitous ravine, and as
Davy's eyes travelled up the steep hill
side which abruptly fanked the mar
row path skirting this ravine his face
suddenly went white with fearsome ap-
prehension.
Peering out Of a tangled thicket
was the ~deep-seared face of Jules LIE
gar. That face was as repellant in
its beastlike ~ferocity as must have
been the hideously painted savages
who once roamed these forest glades
bent on murder and destruction. I'm
conscious of the presence of this Turk
ing foe, the stalwart police captain
was solemnly pacing off certain dis
tances, guided by a slip Of white pa
per which he held in his hand.
Standing near by and completed!
absorbed in these awkward maneuverI
was the graceful figure of Marger.
Golden, her stoop-shouldered fathe
close beside her.
A rasping oath from Legar warnet
Davy that something had gone amis
with that worthy's plans.
THE cops stumbled on the RICH
place by accident" growled the angr,
voice from behind the bushes; "th
fool thinks the stuff is in the gfounI
now he's starting to dig right il
front of the cave-that sews up Loui
good and tight-weu have to do some
thing and do it quick"
IF you want to put the kibosh o
that bunch buttin' into business
l know how to do it," said Franl
THAT big rock we seer up the hi
don't need much of a shove to sen
it goin' down like thunder let loost
an it's headed just about right t
smash that whole outfit of the ledg
into the gully"
Davy saw the two rapidly movin
figures climbing up toward a massiv
bowlder which by one of those cd
whims of nature hung so lightly poise
on the hillside that the hand of
child might have set it vibrating Q
? its precarious balance. He saw L
gar and Dutch Frank place their shou
} ders against that granite bowlder.
+ Davy knew that in a few secOn(
that revolving bulk OF solid grant
would acquire a velocity which wou.
r send 1t tearing past him like a shot o.
of gun. He raced down the hillsiC
and put his last ounce Of strengI
Q into a flying leap which landed hi
1 close to Margery Golden and her sta
3 tied companions.
l He dived against the wondering-ey
e girl as a groggy football player mig.
" weakly hurl himself against the o
Q posing line, and the sheer impact
I his weight sent them both sprawliI
several yards up the trail which be
dered the ravine. Even as Emo
z Golden and Captain Bracket rush'
y to lay hands on Margery's supposl
Q assailant the flying mass Of rock thu
n dered across the space where they
had been standing but the second
n fore, and sweeping every obstacle o
OF It's path. ven crashing and reV'
heTating into the depths Of the yaW
q nB chasm far below.
4 It was the hardy police o%ficer.