The Democratic advocate., 1919-07-25

craven dashed over to BertS van,
entered and ransacked Bert's strong
box, taking out of it Bert's papers,
etc. Meantime, Gracia had taken
| possession of a stray, unsaddled
horse, making the four the villains
now had.
Craven returned to the hiding place
and arrived just in time to assist
; Peaky in seizing Edith, who had
stepped out as the van stopped.
They gagged and bound her, put her
on Gracia's horse while the latter
rode bareback, and spurred away.
\ Arriving at secluded spot on the
railroad, Craven sent the men to one
side and then approached Edith.
! "Bert's dead-out of it for good"
he said to her. and I'm going to
claim the fortune. l love you.
] Marry me and 1 will make you
happy"
! The girl scorned him, whereupon
Craven ordered her bound and gag
ged and had her tied to the railroad
track. Then the three rode away.
ITS only a bluff" said Craven.
mo trains ever pass over that
track"
But he was mistaken Edith sud-
denly was startled to hear a locomo-
tive screech. She could feel the vi
bration Of the rails. She felt that
she must be ground to pieces. Crav-
en-, too, was Mortified as he heard
the train.
Good God, a special" he cried as
he led the way to the horses. He
and the two others mounted and
rode to the spot where Edith lay
struggling. The train was in sight.
Quickly they whipped out knives and
severed Edith's bonds, dragging her
from the rails as the train roared
past.
AT Gracia's suggestion Edith was
taken to an old mission and made a
prisoner, while Craven and Peaky
prepared to ride to Los Angeles and
claim the Beresford wealth, leaving
Gracia on guard.
/ The owner of the ranch where Bert
had been left to drown drove in pair
of horses to the watering trough and
turned on the flow of water. 1t ran
for a moment, then halted. He did
not know it, but Bert's handkerchief
had stopped the flow. The rancher
climbed up to the tank to investigate
and was startled to see Bert, struSgl-
ing against death, the water up to
his chin. Realizing he could not
rescue Bert alone, he called for help
and the response came from an un-
| expected quarter Jenkins, O'Doher-
ty and a posse, seeking Edith and
her kidnappers, rode onto the ranch
! Jenkins saw the rancher above,
waving with one arm and holding
Bert with the other. Quickly he and
couple of the posse climbed up the
| ladder carrying a lariat and it was
| only a few moments before Bert was
safely lowered to the ground. He
was carried into the house, given a
stiff drink of brandy and change
of clothing and within fifteen minutes.
was as we'll as ever.
The rancher, after hearing the
story of Craven's villainy saddled
a horse and gave it to Bert. Then
the party rode off to take up the
trail again. After short ride they
came to cross road, with three
forks. Bert rode up one, Jenkins
another and O'Doherty the third.
They were to scout for a distance
then summon the entire party by
firing three shots if trail were
found.
When he had ridden about three
hundred yards, Bert suddenly sighted
two men mounting in front of the
mission. 1t was Craven and Peaky.
Bert recognized their figures and
they his. He spurred his horse up
to the spot. Craven and Peaky
turned and rode away. AS they
turned bend in the road, they halt
ed, each taking to the bushes on either
i,side of the road. Peaky's lariat was
stretched on the ground.
Edith, peering from the window of
the mission, had seen the others
ride away and now saw Bert riding
into their trap.
Bert! Go back" she screamed,
| then Gracia, who had crept into the
room, seized her.
Bert, sensing danger, fired shot.
/ Craven and Peaky also fired. The
three shots were heard by jenkins
and the others and they started to
the scene.
Meantime Gracia, an evil glare in
his eyes, was overpowering Edith.
She fought him bravely, but she was
helpless against him
Using all her strength and wrestl-
i ing tricks, which stood her so we'll
when first attacked by the Red
Mask, Edith several times eluded
Gracia and gained the window
through which she sought to hurl
herself in her desperation to he with
Bert who, she knew, was in deadly
! peril. But each time, her assailant
coizod har i'm his p0ri11a-ljke arms
and dragged her back until at last,