The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-11-20

the Spiders reply. I'm getting uneasy
about him. The Hermit may have
taken shot nj him." Anxiety lest his
remark had caused the other man to
yet into trouble, John reached for his
rife.
"Stay here and entertain Ethel for .
while. III take . peek around and see
II I can locate him." But the Spider
would have none Of 1t.
II won't let you 60 alone. We will
just have look into Sweetwater VAL
ley. Yop go aronnd the mountain and
meet me below" With this understand
ing thsy hastily parted.
John. coming to the top Of the bare
hill overlooking the valley on the .op-
p0site side Of which Morgan was left
suspended to the cliff by his confed.
crate paused to scan the broad scene.
As he did 40 the shadow of q great
bird fell at his feet. and gazing into
the sky he saw dozen mountain vul-
lures wheeling and swooping In the
air, their course ever narrowing to the
far side Of the valley. And as he look
ed and wondered what prey they saw.
an object met his eyes that made him
utter a gasp Of horror. For suspended
against the face OF the opposite cliff,
dangling In the air like a spider upon
his thread. was the body of man
about which the wolves OF the air were
rapidly gathering. And even as he
looked he saw one Of the voracious
rv~,. <v,ro. .v,C0vx v,v.o,, tho doFun noloaa
one with curved beak drawn and great
claws curved.
Stopping to witness no more he sank
upon one knee and leveled his rife.
1t was.a long shot and quick one-a
shot which might only be attempted
with hope Of success by an expert
rineman. yet at the crack Of the weap-
on the wings OF the attacking creature
suddenly collapsed and the dark bsdy
with its white trimmed wings went
plunging downward like a plummet
to the rocks below. A second shot
quickly followed with q second great
bird falling rs had the first. and the
remainder Of the circIing crew. fright
ened by the fate which had befallen
their fellows, withdrew in rapid up
ward spirals until they became mere
specks in the clear sky.
Arising to his feet John stood gazing
in the clear sky.
II wonder who on earth he can te7''
he muttered. Then seeing that the
danger was past and the birds had
been frightened into the reaches Of the
sky. he threw the gun over his shoulder
and started on q brisk run to reach
the other side Of the valley and rescue
the unfortunate who hung suspended
40 perilously above the rocks that lay
at the foot Of the cliff.
II 20 happened that the land lay in
. conformation which enabled John to
reach the spot desired BY making q
comparatively Mort turn around q
Ridge which circled the end Of the
valley like the rim Of . bowl. Several
minutes of fast travelling brought him
to . point above which the form Of
Morgan hung suspended. and throwing
his ride aside John prostrated himself
upon his stomach and peered down at
the hanging one. The sight that met
his gaze made him shiver with horror.
OuC DsOC VI 11OAB0o AaNC WOb tOtn
and bloodcovered where the foul
brutes Of the air had plucked at him
his head hung limp and he had tainted
through sheer terror at thought Of be-
Ing torn to pieces while alive. Cunning
though he and the Spider were. they
had failed to take into account the
fierce winged creatures who inhabit
the mountain tops, and the farce had
become 4 near tragedy.
Az his gaze ran down the lariat upon
which his cousins weight was suspend
ed, another thrill ran through the b0-
som Of Davis. Just below the edge Of
the cliff q sharp fragment Of rock jut-
ted, and against this the rope. sawed
hack and forth by the convulsive jerks
Of Horgan's body as he had tried to
escape his assailants, had become fray
ed 20 that but few thin strands still
remained intact. It took but q glance
to show that another convulsive move
ment Of the suspended one would cause
them to part, and seizing the lariat
flrmly juat below the abfaided portion,
John began to haul the other upward.