Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-07-24
Cspysh H RNIL Msod snA Csmpana fs

dllcN uSk " lSSl
you are plucky," he once said to
her.
Il am afraid l could not be so plucky
If you were not so strong" she sighed.
and he loved the tired, whimsical little
twist she put into her reply.
To his dismay they came abruptly
upon a region Astounding in huge rocks.
This was new territory TO him. His
heart sank.
by Jove, II believe we are farther
away from the road than when we
started. We must have been going up
the slope instead Of down."
in any case, Mr.. Barnes" she muir
INJURED, 1--WE have found something TO
sit down upon
He chuckled. IF you car be as
cheerful as all that, we sha'n't miss
the cushions" he said, and, for the first
time, risked a Hash of the electric
torch. The survey was brief. He led
her forward a few PAGES to a fiat boul-
der, and there they seated themselves.
II wonder where we are" she said.
II am inclined to suspect that we
are above Green Fancy, but a long
way off to the right of it. Admitting
that to be the case. l am afraid to re-
trace our steps. The Lord only knows
what we might blunder into"
II think the only sensible thing to
| do, MI. Barnes, Is to make ourselves
as snug and comfortable as we can
and wait for the first signs Of day
break"
He sc%owled-and was glad that it
was too dark for her to see his face.
He wondered if she fully appreciated
what would happen to him if the pur-
| suers came upon him in this forbid
ding spot. He could almost picture his
own body lying there among the rocks
and rotting. while she-well, she
! would merely go back to Green
Fancy.
II fear you do not realize the ex-
IRENE gravity of the situation. We
must get out of these woods if l have
to carry you in my arms"
81 shall try to keep going" she said
quickly. "Forgive me if l seemed to
falter a little. liam ready to go
on when you say the word"
"You poor girl! Hang it all, per-
haps you are right Inc not I. Sit still
and l will reconnoiter a bit. If l can
find a place where we can hide among
| these rocks, we'll stay here till the sky
begins to tighten. Sit"
| "No! l shall not let you leave me
for a second. Where you go, l 60"
! She struggled to her feet, suppressing
a groan, and thrust a determined arm
through his,
That's worth remembering" said
he, and whether it was a muscular
necessity or an emotional eXaction
that caused his arm to tighten on hers,
none save he would ever know.
After a few minutes proving among
the rocks they came TO the face OF
what subsequently proved to be q
sheer wall of stone. He flashed the
light, and, with an exclamation, start
ed back. Not six feet ahead of them
the earth seemed to end; a yawning
black gulf lay beyond. Apparently
they were on the very edge of a Cliff,
Good Lord, that was a close call"
he gasped. He explained in a few
words and then, commanding her to
stand perfectly still, dropped 10 the
ground and carefully felt his way for
-... rof. Io aochn1 Tho LIGHT In
an instant he understood. They were
on the brink of a shallow quarry.
Lying there, he made swift c~alcula-
lions. The quarry, no longer of use to
the builder, was reasonably sure to be
abandoned. In all probability some
sort Of a stone-cutter's shed would be
found nearby. 1t would provide shelter
from the fine rain that was falling and
from the chill night air. He remem'
bered that O'Dowd, In discussing the
erection Of Green Fancy the night be-
fore, had said that the stone came
from a Dit two miles away, where a
fine quality of granite had been found.
Two miles, according to Barnes quick
calculations, would bring the pit close
to the northern boundary Of the Curtis
property and almost directly on a line
with the point where he and Sprouse
entered the meadow at the beginning
of their advance upon Green Fancy
That being the case, they were now
quite close to the stake and rider fence
separating the Curtis land from that
of the farmer on the north.
"Good," he said, more TO himself
than to her. II begin to see light. Are
you afraid to remain here while ! 60
down there for a look around? /
sha'n't be gone more than a couple OF
minutes"
"The way I feel at present." she
said, jerkily, II shall never, never from
this instant till the hour In which
die, let go Of your coat-tails, Mr.
Barnes" Sultlng the action to the
word, her fingers resolutely fastened
not upon the tail Of his coat but upor
his sturdy arm. II wouldn't stay here
alone for anything in the world"
"Heaven bless you" he exclaimed
suddenly exalted. "And, since you pnl
1t that way, I shall always contrive Il
be within arms length"
And go, together, they ventureC
along the edge of the pit until they
reached the wagon road at the bottom
As he had expected, there was a ram
shackle shed hard by. 1t was no
much Of a place, but 1t was deserted
and q safe shelter for the moment.
A workman'a bench Inv ON It's HidP Ii