The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1919-03-06


within q few feet OF him, and once or twice
be thought he saw one Of them looking direct.
~ az HIM. lie dared not move a limb nor hard
Iy breathe. He thought. what If he should
eneeze or cough?
II was a long, tedious wait, and every mo.
ment seemed an hour The time wore away.
and It was near the middle Of the afternoon.
lie became so numb and cramped from re-
naming so long in one position that he ven
tured to slowly move his foot, and in so doing
touched loose stone and sent il rolling down
through the brush
Just at that moment one Of the 'moonshiners
appeared at the mouth Of the cave and caught
the sound
Tom saw the man, and felt that his time had
come. The man slowly advanced after calling
to his companions. Toms first impulse was to
1re but realizing that he would have no
cnance against so many, he quickly resolved
to attempt to escape.
sprngng up with all the agility he pos
Sessed, he darted away i'm the brush. with
bullets following thick after him.
10 was hot chase they gave him. and once
when they were almost on him he eaped q
deep ravine
They quickly followed, and for a half mile
ne plunged through brush and briers tumbling
and scrambling over the hedges Of rocks, and
at last came to bay on the brink Of high
precipce.
We've got i'm now, =" be- heard one of his
pursuers shout and bullet whizzed by Toms
head
He glanced above and below, and ne saw
no avenue OF escape
We'll hang i'm" another said and Toms
blood boiled at the thought
Il will beat you out of that pleasure" ne
thought
Then with derisye laugh ne leaped for
ward and with one bound went over the pre-
cipice, and was plunging down into the awful
abyss hundred feet below
II was dark when he returned to sense Of
bis surroundings, and found himself lying at
the foot of large tree. He attempted 10 rise
and with difficulty succeeded, and. though he
was not seriously hurt, he was badly scratched
and bruised
When he made the leap he never expected
TO escape death. and the moonshiners evil
IDENTIFY considered IL impossible that ~ could
survive. for they had given up all efforts 20
reach him. Had he not in falling struck the
boughs of a scraggy tree that grew out Of the
bank far down toward the bottom, he would
have mashed into shapeless mass on the
rocks below
For a while he sat stin thinking over all
that had happened and trying TO decide what
TO do next
Al first he thought Of going back 20 Blan-
tons but on second thought he concluded that
that would be dangerous; for if his enemies
were still watching for him, they would be
sure to keep guard in the neighborhood Of
Blantons house. No, he decided that wouldn't
do, neither would il do for him 70 Turk in that
section He must get away. That was the only
sensible thing to do.
He followed down the ravine al such rate
as he could make In his bruised condition, and
considering the awful darkness and the rough
ness OF the way
II was almost a mile to the river, but ne
reached it at asst and, taking the trail he be-
o. n .f trst nil e. h.
station and In the course Of twenty-four hours
ne was safely at home in St Louis.
lie sent for Benton, and detailed to him all
the incidents OF his discovery. and few days
later was reioiced 10 learn from the old de-
tective that the moonshners were all safely
locked up, a force of detectives having sur
rounded and captured them all.
The next week Toms uncle came to see him.
and at parting requested permission TO bring
a lady friend on the following Gay.
Tom gave permission readily, for after his
terrible escapade and several days confne-
ment, he was glad TO see any one. and besides
he had no desire TO cross his uncle's wishes
1t is doubtful if he gave his coming visitor
a thought after his uncle went out. for all day
and although his waking night hours. his
thoughts were centered on pretty Nellie ivy
man, way off there in the Ozark Mountains
II have the reward money" he said. "and
Nellie shall be my wife"
The morrow came, and his uncle, with the
lady friend, asked for admittance.
"Confound it alll' Tom muttered, II don't
feel in any mood this morning to be bored
with the presence of old grannies, and half
wish | hadn't granted uncle's request to see
his female friend"
The door opened, and Uncle Morris came for
ward, smiling.
"Tom," he said, "ths is my friend. Miss
Twyman"
Tom stood there utterly dumfounded. while