The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-05-09


~ they rode on.
Tomas had no glasses, but his eyes,
following the vultures, made out the
human forms against the cliff. For
an instant he wavered between keep
ing on after the outlaws and return
Ing. Then swinging his horses head,
he galloped back to the cliff.
Shots from Tomas pistol that scat
tered the vultures reused Dick and
the others to renewed struggles, and
the Indian, connecting their predica-
ment with some new villainy Of Scar
face and his gang, FASTENED to scheme
out their release. He could not reach
them from above; his lariat was all
too short to reach them from below.
Snatching an ak from his saddle, he
cut four stout stakes and drove them
in the ground directly beneath Dicks
twisting form. To the stakes he tied
his stout blanket, fashioning life
net, as il were. Then bullet from
his rifle severed the rope scant inch
from Dicks head, and Van Brunt, fall
ing on the sloping ledge, slid of and
landed safely in the blanket. Tomas
cut his bonds and Dick, taking only
moment to battle his swollen wrists,
helped the Indian to place the net be-
meath Teel. In this way and in an in
credlbly short time all were saved but
Polly, who, unconscious OF what was
going on, hung limp in mfdair.
It was an anxious moment for Dick
as he gazed aloft at the suspended
girl and measured the distance she
must fall before she would be re-
ceived at the bottom by the net, and
he shuddered at the risk to which
they must subject her. But already
she was unconscious, and unless they
got her down and revived her very
soon she would undoubtedly perish
from the exposure to the blistering
heat and the squeezing Of the rope
which was around her.
Hurry up, Tomas and use extra
care in making that blanket fast to
the stakes" he commanded as they ,
bent to their task. Tomas nodded.
"You no be afraid Tomas will make
any mistake. He have squaw down |
here in a jiffy. He fix the blanket !
so she fall into 1t soft as feather
from the wing of bird"
Once more the blanket was spread |
and again the Indian raised his rife,
the rope parted and the girl fell prone
on the ledge. She rolled partly over
the edge but did not clear 1t. As
the group of rescuers looked at her in |
expectancy, cry of horror rose from
their lips as the head Of great noun
tain lion appeared right beside Polly
on top Of her.
Dick and the indian kept their
heads. The former snatched up
rife and as he fired the lion with a
snarl withdrew its head. Tomas as
quickly sent lariat to the cliff,
where 1t caught firmly about project
Ing rock.
did I get him" cried Dick, lower
Ing his rifle. AS II in answer. Polly's
body was drawn slowly back from the
edge Of the cliff. Pistol in hand, and
with knife between his teeth, Dick
sprang to the rope and was up the
side of the cliff in a fash those below
with rifles ready should the
lion again appear.
Snafling above the girls body stood
the lion as Dick gained the ledge. He
made one spring at Dick, but bullet
caught him in mdair. This gave Dick
lime to unsheath his knife. A blow
from the animals paw robbed him of
ts use, but not before he had forced
t over the cliff. AS II fell a dozen
bullets ended its career.
Dick tenderly picked up his wife,
mercifully unconscious but not even
scratched by the lions claws, and low
cred her to earth, following down the
ariat. She was quickly revived, and
while coffee was being prepared,
Tomas told Of how Scarface had
'obbed his fathers grave Of the sixth
piece Of flag, and when he learned of
Dicks connection with the flag, he