The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1919-08-14
Copyright 1879. BY Ni4grssa


piece of mortar dropped it into the
smoldering fire below. Awakened BY
the noise and flying ashes Rainface
bent forward to see whence the dis
/ turbance had come. AS his head and
] shoulders appeared within the range of
vision of the downpeering one on the
/ roof, Morgan swiftly dropped the loop
! of his RATA about the others form
and drew it taut. Rainface, jerked
upward so that his toes barely touched
the floor, was fairly caught, but COM
pretending the meaning of 1t all he
squirmed until he managed to draw
forth the plan that he had hidden in
his bosom. With q last effort he
dropped it upon the Goals and the pa
per, old and dry, burst into blaze.
With twist of the rope about the
chimney, Morgan leaving his victim Sc.
curely trussed up, came clambering
down and entering the cabin swiftly
J searched the Indians clothes. Find
ing nothing and FLIED with rage he
stepped back just as Rainface with a
conclusive kick upset the table, splitting
| It's contents Gathering upon the fOor.
! Quick as the dart Of q weasel the
prowler left the room.
Attracted by the noise Of the falling
| objects Ethel and John rushed into the
room. The suspended body Of Rain
| face needed no explanation, and whip
ping a knife from his pocket John
| slashed the imprisoned one free. Rain
face, sinking to chair quickly told
them all.
me not know who he was. Him
have a handkerchief across his face,
but wear old coat of master. Anyway
me burn the map" Silently he pointed
at the few flaky ashes upon the Goals.
"Some prowling thief that was pass
ing this way" said John lightly. "He
won't come again. All we can do is go
back to sleep, little girl" For the first
time realizing that she as clothed
only as she slept the girl turned and
fled from the room.
The door of the harness room again
opened and once more Hawk Morgan
entered. His face was dark with anger
+, and disappointment that all his eff
forts proved unavailing in that no plan
! had been found, and clenohing his fist
he shook it in the direction Of the
cabin.
'I'll get you yet, Davis and then the
fortune and the girl will. be mine"
His glance fell upon a heavy bowie
knife that hung in its sheath on the
wall, and taking it down he tested its
edge. Then with fash Of his teeth he
! picked up a hay rake from the floor
and severed it just behind the wooden
prongs. Then with a leather strap ne
bound the handle of the knife fast to 1t
and crept out into the night, his dead
ly lance firmly gripped. Catlike he
crept toward the cabin.
Within the lean-to John, who had
been reading by the light of lamp
upon the shelf, had fallen asleep with
| the glow still falling over him. His
bunk was against the lowest side OF
| the lean-to, and in order that he might
mysterious prowler return had removed
i only his coat, vest and boots. A blan-
ket was thrown partly over him and
his revolver lay upon the table at his
side.
Carrying wooden horse to the side
of the lean-to and carefully placing it
| in position, Morgan again mounted to
the roof. With Ratchet he pried up
the weather strip and looked through
the crack between the shrunken boards
and gazing down upon the exposed
breast of the sleeping man. Cautious
| ly he pointed the lance down through
the opening.
Slowly, silently the murderous wea-
pom descended, inch by inch drawing
nearer to the heart of the sleeping one.
A moment more and it would have
been buried in the recumbent form,
but at that moment the guardian angel,
which so often watches over US in our
helpless moments, interviewed to save
life Through the crack above great
snowflake sitting down fell upon the
cheek of the sleeper, and at its cold
impact. John opened his eyes. Ard
though the thrust of Morgan was as
quick as the strike of a serpent, the
movements of John were even quicker.
One upward sweep of his hand and he
had grasped the lance just above the
murderous knife.
Now ensued silent struggle be-
tween the would-be assassin upon the
roof and the one who was fighting for
his life below Taken at a terrible
disadvantage, PROSTATE upon his back
and with nothing but his naked hands
with which to ward off death, John
Davis struggled for his life. Three
times the terrible weapon, halt
wrenchel from his grasp, plunged itself
into the bunk, but each time by a des
perate twist of his arms and body he
diverted it so that the keen point
pierced nothing but the blanket. Yet
it did not seem that he could much
longer avoid a fatal thrust. At any
moment the blade might be twisted
through his fingers, half severing them,
and should that happen the next In
slant the cold steel would pierce his
vitals. And realizing his advantage and
the helplessness of the one below,
Hawk Morgan put all his strength
into final desperate downward thrust
fENTj OF FIRST EpsSonEs
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