The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-12-04
Smashing Barriers"
9th EPISODE
''The Living Grave"


The hollow log witk Dick inside
rolls TO the edge. of the abyss and
drops over. Just as it is doing so,
Dick manages tG loop his laliat over
A tree stump on the edge Of the chif
and clings to the rope as the log
drops and is smashed to pieces at the
bottom. Bullhead and the others,
not seeing him and chuckling oyer
what they think is the end of the
.neddler, ride away. Dick climbs
back to safety, finds his horse and
rides away
Bullhead's gang go to the shelf o.
rock on which Bella has been hiding
and with great show, rescue hel.
Y She is very grateful to Virgins and
IS more friendly with him than ever.
Dick, on his way back to camp, APP
pears on the scene and Bella is lc3
20 believe that he is one of the
lumber thieves. She CURLY orders him
away.
Astonished, Dick leaves and goes
to a neighboling city, where he
meets an old college chum. He re-
ceives some money from this friend
n repayment of loan Dick made
him in college. He also learns tn i
the elder Daring is hot after some
oil prospects discovered on a rancn
nearby.
Virgins and Bella are thrown to-
sether by subsequent circumstances
and the old fraud proposes marriage.
Bella mistakes her gratitude for a
more tender feeling and thinks
lbout accepting him. Bullhead and
Squinty in the meantime, have
also learned of the oil discovery.
They hurry to the ranch to try for
IN option. Dick beats them-obtains
l five days option on the property
with renewal privilege that threat
ems to take all of his available sup
ply of cash. He starts in to hunt
more.
Virgins demands that Bella
marry him and sends for a minister
She resents the forced attentions and
emand and sends Long Tom with q
1essage to Dick. Tom delivers the
message and Dick starts for the lum-
Der camp. He leaves Tom with the
money and power of attorney with
which to renew the option. Bullhcad
and Squinty learn of this and steal
he money from Long Tom. Tom
meets the ranchman next day and to
prevent his dealing with anyone else,
lie kidnaps him and hides him away.
Bullhead and Squinty arc thus foiled
md at message from Virgins start
back for the camp.
Dick hurries back in reply TO Bel
las message and arrives just in time
20 prevent the marriage. Bullhcad,
forseeing a chance to accomplish the
end in another way, also expresses
mock indignation for Wiggin's act
and pretends to be Dicks friend.
Dick is surprised at this but wary.
Bulihead sets trap for the follow
ing morning. a fake message is sent
~ t'Sii" d 1oHllilS from nef IuLncl,
Who says he is held in lonely shack
near camp. Bella and he start out to
tescue the elder Manners. They
must cross an unusually wide chasm
TO reach the shack. The lumberjacks,
directed by Bullhead, start to help
Dick cross the chasm on log lifted
by chains and tackle. Bella Joins
him on the log. One end of it, pre-
viously tempered with by Bullhead,
gives way and Dick and Bella are al
most sent to their death. By main
strength they cling to the chains and
land on the other side of the chasm
in safety. They follow the directions
Of the letter and find the lonely
shack. When they enter it they are
imprisoned by trick. Her father
is not there. The shack stands on
props above deep pit. The gang
knock the props out from under and
drop it into the pit.
Before Dick and Bella are aware
Of what has happened they hear the
clods of earth hitting the top of the
roof and realize that the gang is