Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-09-04

Davis seized II and began hauling
himself upward hand over hand. red
tongues Of flame caressing his limbs
as he mounted foot by foot. C%rouching
above him upon the limb like a pam
Their above his victim, the traitor Nor
gan glued his eyes upon the slowly as
cending figure.
Weakened by the terrible heat and
his hands hot and dry, 1t required
every ounce of Davis strength to raise
his body from out the roaring mass.
Yet little BY little he fought his way
upward until his head and shoulders
appeared above the opening. Upon the
ground below Ethel was standing with
Outstretched arms. and ut his appear
aHce II glad cry burst from her lips.
Morgan, eyes still fastened upon
him and hoping every second to see
him succumb to the heat and 60 tuln-
bling back to his Heath, uttered a saw
age curse beneath his breath as he saw
that the other, despite his terrible
handicap, vas about to gain the limb.
Already the climbing one was but two
yards beneath the bOugh and In a mo-
ment more would reach safety. Were
the Hawk to- send him back into that
roaring hell he must act both quickly
and skillfully, and with a cry Of en-
enlargement to the man he hated he
extended his arm down the rope as
though to lend a helping hand. And as
John with II look Of gratitude raised
n arm to grasp the prOffered palm
Morgan pressed the edge of the keen
blade to the rope. With a cry Of des-
puir the betrayed one plunged straight
down into the heart of the furnace.
Paralyzed by horror at the sight,
Ethel covered her lace with her hands
and stood swaying but unable to move.
Released from the weight of Johns
body by his fall, The limb containing
the Spider and Morgan whipped itself
sharply upward. The Spider was
thrown headlOng to the ground and
Morgan, also dislodged, only saved him
self from following his victim into the
fire by a fortunate clutch of the limb.
The knife in it's release twisted in his
hand, cutting u cash in his palm; then
disappeared into the flames below.
Regainlng the branch by n desperate
effort, Morgan crav'led its length with
his limbs trembling beneath him until
he reached the trunk, from which he
dropped to the ground. At the same
time the rafters gave way before the
gnawing of the fire and fell into the
seething pit below with Il crash that
sent the sparks flying upward In u
spout of flame.
Morning found the girl still pros
trated and the red man sitting beside
her with n face as impressive as
though carved from stone. The Hawk
got upon his feet and thrust n hand
into his coat pocket.
Hes gone and we can do nothing
more. We must get Ethel away from
here as quickly as possible. Rainface
and ! will take her back to the hotel.
Bellas. you stay around until the fire
is out and see that nothing else
catches. Keep the Indians horse until
everything is safe, then come and re-
port what you find"
"All right" returned the Spider, and
Rainface %acquiescing by II nod they en-
dcavOrrd to lead the girl away. Strug-
Cling and protesting that she would
never leave the place until her lovers
body had been recovered, she at last
broke down and permitted herself to
De supported to the van.
When John was cut loose by the
villainOus Hawk he dropped like Il
plummet, striking n corner Of the big
center stone Of the altar. Instructive
ly throwing out his hand he clutched
one arm of the figure. and at that
wrench the idol, which was pivoted In
the middle, swung on Its balancing
point, thus revealing Il hole into which
the body Of the man dropped. In his
fall he dragged after him the image
of silva. which burst into pieces, some
of the fragments wedging the pivoted
stone so that 1t could not spring back
and close the opening.
John, stunned for the moment by the
fall, presently aroused himself. In
spectiOn showed that he was in a rude
cellar, the roof of which was upheld by
big columns formed Of logs. Boxes
were scattered about and an ordinary
lantern hung from a peg. This he
took down, lighted and began an ex-
ploratiOn Of the place. A few mo-
ments' search revealed a rough,
puncheon door at q fur corner, and
raising Its latch he held his lantern
high and gazed ahead. An earthen
tunnel, slipping down, lay before him.
$50, this Is how the fakirs got away
with the valuable offerings given silva
by the gods dupes," he murmured.
Closing the door behind him he stepped
into the passageway. A short distance
farther on the tunnel b%rUadened into
a shallow cave, with broken walls and
boulders scattered about. Here John
halted. Seeing nothing suspicious and
becoming aware that u subdued light
was entering the place from the op-
posite side, he ngain stepped forward.
Before him was an entrance well
screened by vines, and parting these
he peered out. At that instant from
behind him four Hlndus, rising from
their places uf cOncealment where they
had dropped as they saw his light com.
Ing down the passageway. threw them
selves upon him. Hearing their swift
ly approaching steps he whlrled to
meet this new danger, but was an In
stant too late. A club In the hand Of
IL herculean oriental fell upon his head
with IL crash and he fell senseless upon
the ground.