The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-07-18

u6SGEJS Which, liz was S6lZ0u 1EOu1 de-
hind and covered with q pistol. Peaky
and Gracia, having disposed Of
O'DOherty had hurried back a. by
their agreement, arriving just in time
to save their outlaw leaders life.
Craven livid with rage rushed at
Bert now bound and helpless and
striking him brutality ordered his
captors to throw him over. the cliff.
This order they were executing with
evident glee when shout from Edith,
who had recovered consciousness and
realized what was going on, caused
them to pause. Standing on the very
edge of the brink, she called out:
If you throw him over, 7 follow"
Bert's executioners looked to GRAY
en- Enraged as he was at Bert, he
wanted Edith alive and with ill-con-
cealed reluctance, said:
1--we a better way of dealing with
him. No trace. Bind him, get on the
horses and come on.
O'DOherty, swept along by the cur
rent into which he had been hurled
when Peaky and Gracia tripped his
horse, managed finally to gain shore
where he was found by passing au-
tomobile party. Identifying himself
and telling his experience the party
took him in and drove away at full
speed.
Bert must have suspected hard
fate in store for him by the brutality
Of Craven who dragged him along,
stumbling and falling, at the end of a
lariat, while he kept his horse at
good speed. Nor was halt made
until the party reached the shores of
a lake formed i'm the crater of an ex-
tinct volcano. The water was we'll
below the precipitous shores, with
huge boulders and trees Astounding.
Dismounting, Craven ordered Peaky
to truss Bert up, hand and foot and
Gracia to tie Edith to a tree out of
sight of Bert. This the latter did,
leaving the girls hands free, although
her vast was securely bound about
the trunk of the tree.
And while Craven was preparing "a
terrible death for Bert, O'Doherty in
the automobile raced to the scene Of
the circus wreck and told Jenkins
what he knew of the fate of Bert and
Edith, adding he feared the worst for
both. By that time all the animals
had been rounded UP but one, a bear
called Bob, a pet of both Bert and
Edith, and realizing the circus would
have to stay where ii was for week
for repairs, Jenkins decided to go at
once with the detective to the rescue
of Bert and Edith.
Edith, although she could not see,
knew full we'll that Bert was being
prepared for his death. Taking a
bag containing $500 from her waist
she whispered to Gracia:
Give hundred dollars, here, for you
if you will free his hands and slip
him knife" indicating Bert.
Gracia eyed the money covetously.
He had no special reason for loyalty
to Craven and after a moments hest
tation swore he would free Bert and
arm him with knife. Craven call
ing him, Gracia hurried over to where
Bert lay bound and helpless, fifty
pound rock fastened In the end OF the
rope Craven and Peaky lifted Bert
and Gracia lifted the stone and they
started toward the shore of the lake,
Edith, in an agony of fear, strained
at her bounds, watching any move by
Gracia.
Craven and Peaky lifted their VIC
tim high and swinging him SO he
would fall we'll out into deep water
while Gracia stood close behind hold
ing the stone. Not move to save her
loved one did Edith see and with a
shudder she turned her face as at a
sharp command from Craven, man
and rock were cast out into the water
to sink quickly from view. Pulling
out his watch Craven watched full
five minutes and then as Bert did not
reappear he turned back, satisfied
that he had put out of the way at
last the only obstacle to the BereS-
ford millions and the girl he wanted
to marry.
Five minutes after Craven had eX-
.ultantly announced an end to the
"dashing Bert Forde," Bert raised his
face cautiously above the surface no:
fifty yards from where he had dis
appeared In his hand he held
knife and treading water he made his
way to the steep sides of the lake
seeking an avenue of escape from
the water He finally found an over
hanging ledge and beneath this rest
ed from his racking experience under
water, not the least of which was
cutting the rope about his legs.
Believing they were safe from pur-
suit, Craven halted at the foot OF a
precipitous cliff, two miles from the
lake, and made camp for the night
Edith i'm an agony of apprehension
searched Gracias face for an answer
as to whether he had kept his pact
and the latter, not daring to speak,
pointed to his knife scabbard which
was empty and the girls eyes Filed
with tears of gratitude.
Seated at the foot of the tree, Edith
little dreamed that rescuers were
close at hand, but Jenkins and
O'Doherty, after clever manipulating
of lariats had succeeded i'm crossing
the bridge through which Bert had
narrowly escaped being plunged to his
\ death. Continuing the trail, Jenkins
easily followed the outlaws to where
Bert had been thrown into the lake.
! 1t was dark then and Jenkins on .
chance that Bert might be in hiding
among the boulders called out his
name Imprisoned beneath the rock,
]. Bert recognized the voice and
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