Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-07-10

and Joint guardians of his adopted daugh-
ter, Ethel. quarrel over the disposition OF
the profits OF the mine Morgan secretly
makes several unsuccessful attempts on
I the life OF Davis, in one OF which the lat
ter 10 rescued by q mysterious hermit
| Moran ummons q viIlainous accomplish
named Spider Bellas and they plot TO Kill
Davis.
John Davis, tricked into crossing
the log which had been nearly sawed
in two by the would-be murderer,
Hawk Morgan. made a wild sideways
leap as the trunk gave way beneath
his weight. Landing in the branches
Of a nearby tree he went crashing
through them until by good fortune
he managed TO hook one arm over q
slender bough and stay his descent.
From this he hung for 4 moment then
As he felt his strength come back he
reached up aud grasped the limb with
his other hand. Hawk. seeing that
his intended victim was about to save
himself. drew his weapon and fred.
The bullet half severed the limb which
gave away, and John again plunged
downward.
Had it not been that there were a
number of fir and cedar trees pro-
jecring from the side Of the steep in
cline, Davis certainly must have ended
IN a dead man. AS it was, e
their tops through which he fell while
not rugged enough 10 tear him limo
from limb checked his fall Greatly.
plunging at last into a great mass OF
snow which had svaldnched down from
the ridge. Here he lay motionlesS. al
NEST completely buried n arm thrust
above the surface.
From the brink Of the canyon side,
Morgan. the arch couspirator. reered
rs the other man went crashing down
in his long fall. a wolf-iike Sn.le
spread the watchers face
Hes gene to glory his time. all
right. ana the girl and mine will even
tually all belong TO me-"
On tie ether side of the gap from
which Spider Bel!as had been hurled
BY JOHN vhen the former triet 10 kill
him. the SPIDER arose from the htt"
ledge upon which he had fallen, little
the worse for the battle ne had been
engaged in. Linping slightly and ours
Ing beneath his breath he started to
cross the ravine lower down. The
noise Of Davis telling body made him
trn his head. and for an instant he
saw the other in mad flight. From
where he stood he was unable to see
the termination Of the fall. hut urcn
the opposite side Of the brink he 81"
the figure of his confederate, the
Hawk. and waved him a salltation of
triumph over the success Of their plan.
This done the Spider resumed his
wey, his intention being 10 join the
Hawk Upon the other.side.
Morgan. seeing his victim end up a
motionless body at the bottom OF the
canyon. set about obliterating all
traces of the fact that he had been
tampering with the fallen trunk OF the
pine, w%hereupon he began TO retrace
the trail leading to the cabin. Ethel,
seeing him approach, opened the dooi
and came forth TO greet him. Hastily
the Hawk told her of the accident Il
John. the breaking Of the tree beneath
him and his fall TO death. White OF
face the girl paused only long enough
to throw on a heavy wrap, and closet,
followed By Rainface they retracec
their steps 10 the scene Of the tragedy
The Indian, following with ropes anc
blankets, met the Spider and was tolC
who he was. ~whereupon that rasca
reiterated the story of Morgan and Tbs
four fastened on to their grewsome
task Of rescuing the body.
While this had been happening the
Hermit Of the Mountain, fur dressed
and on a hunting trip, CHANGING TO pas:
along the bottom Of the canyon, saw 6
gun and cap lying upon the snow. In
stantly his keen eyes swept the sid
of the descent, noting the broken tree
tops through which John had crashed
Realizing that someone had fallei
through them he began casting about
Q moment later discovering he out
standing arm Of the s~now-buried one
Bending over him and finding hin
senseless. the old Hermit quickly ex
smined the body for signs of life
Finding them. be Strengthened up an
looked around.
Above him some twenty feet was
ledge Of rock from which a bowlde
projected, and unwinding his iaria
from his body he made a cast that sci
~InA tha nnngl arntBnd rho hnNllpI
Then fastening the loose end Of tn
rope about the senseless form, he a.
cended the lasso hand over hand unit
he stood upon the ledge. This done,
was but the work of q couple Of mil
ptes for him to hoist the recumber
fgure to his perch. Next be raise
the form Of Davis TO his shoulder an
bore him away, having left no 'ir
behind him on the snow as to how
had vanished with the ~unconsciOl
man he had found.
The rescue party finding the plac
where Davis had fallen saw the mari
in the snow where someone had al
preached him, but no trail leadir
away from the spot. So far as tbs
could discover both the dead man ar
the finder Of the body had vanish'
into thin air. There was nothing lie
TO do but retrace their steps, Eth
with a heavy heart and Morgan with
much.puzzled brain.
Walking with heavy steps benea
his burden the Hermit continued
way until he reached . cave at I
foot Of the ravine, the mouth Of t
place being well screened by a gro"
OF shrubs. Into this opening he CT
ried his burden and lighting q iante
again examined him. Finding