The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-05-08
Comrades of Peril
---BY-
RANDALL PARRISH
Copyright, A. C. McClurg & CO., 1919
copyrighted In Great BRITAIN

taking his captive 10 this SPOT Tor
safe hiding Iie and His Indian ao-
rcanorlcs had ridden on. anxious 10
reach this security with as little de
lay aa possible. But would Shelby
dare 10 follow, To DO sure. except
To the Kid. he was unknown. which
might max. him welcome. Yet the
danger OF detection was great lie
was widely acquainted on the iron
tier. and he might confront someone
who know him, even there, at any
moment. Then In community IKE
that II would require constant viEi
lance to avoid encountefing Manklin.
IL tho latter remained In camp.
Yet. apparently. there was no other
feasible way In which he could hope
10 serve Olga lie was hot on the
trail. ho knew the purpose and plan
OF her abduction: even II n was pos
zible for him 10 return to fonca and
organize = raiding party. the time
lost would he considerable. and the
chance OF success fully ~ problem
aticai IL would require . hundred
armed men 20 go in there openly.
and such a foro. could not be raised
In q brief tina Far more prospect
Of success rested on Immediate Ind
yldaai artlop--on his own nerve and
Ewiftno.s lie weighed this. with no
conscious thought OF himself. ooidiy
and deliberately counting tho
chances. and decided 10 make the At
tefnpt alone.
Hor. were the facts. standing out
clear In his mind lie had married
Olga cariy-u. partially In vague sym.
patty for ue girl. but more out OF
sudden anger inspired BY the ,aun,s
% others In spite Of this, she had
already won his Interest and rerpect
He had no means Of knowing What
love was. but no ala realize that h.
wanted her. that she had already be
como something definite In his life.
He had married the Elri blindiy. not
even knowing her name. nupposinE
her 10 be Old Dad caikins' daughter.
Ana now 3, seemed that she had
known but little more. Ito had
doubted her story a bit at first. but
now the proof wns before him that
she had told the truth. She was the
unconscious center OF battle for
wealth. reaching back thru two zen
.ra,ionr. How much was Involved
shelby did not know. nor care. He
never gav. u a second thought Tho
ono fact which stood out distinctly 20
his mind was IN. immediate personal
danger in which ,hi. involved her.
man named Churchill. prominent.
rich. hla whole fortune apparently
hanging In tho balance. after des
pernteiy searching for her. az last
had her completely In his power. n
this Maotrn was . Churohin also.
then be would be her cousin. as deep.
~ Involved In this fortune plot as
was his father How truly desperate
th~y both were was eieayiy evidenced
by this fo-eible abduction. bis own
supposed murder. ana this taking
refuge IN Wolves Hole from any pos
sfhle pursuit. She was In tho hands
Of no common criminals, and she
pc~~sned no means OF defense. In.
de~d. she had no way Of ase~rtaining
why this outrage had occurred. ex.
cspt A. they might choos. 20 explain.
Beyond doubt they would lie. and &c
ceive. in order 10 obtain their ends:
and. n he would really s~rv. her, he
must get 20 her first. before IN. elder
churehiii succeeded in obtaining con.
troll Whatever The risk there was
bu, one passage op~n--the trail lead.
Ing into wolvss iioIs.
Convinced as 10 hl. duty. and
urged 10 u by the perronai ln,ere.,
he felt IN the girl. shelby cast all
h.aiisncy aside, lie would max. tire
attempt. fortune had surely favored
him thus far. and might again lie
wa1 forcwarned now. he understood
whom he was pitted against. be might
sven he able In some manner 10 play
Hank and Haniey off axzins, the two
Churrhilis. He had an insight into
both plans, and clash between
those two sets Of Villains might ssrv.
tho very purpose he had in mind.
He had xrssped the character OF the
last two--ordinRry Westerwp ,oughs.
eager 20 get their hands into the
spells. but With no particular brains
10 gJide th~sr. HRnley had stun.
bled onto the facts during some
drunken dehsuch. and. in watching
Mackiin. was now merely following
the natural instlcts OF a criminal Of
low intelligence. hoping som. crumbs
might fall his way. stu he might
use the man as a shield for his own
purpose. Both ffanley and Hank
were OF the brute variety, EASILY
aroused to feelings OF revenge; they
could bc roadei into q fighting
spirit II was worth bearing In mind.
These were but passing thoughts
20 be seriously reckonef with later.
Now he must act. He went back to
where the bucksl,ln waited. mounted
the animal. quiet enough by this
time. rode down to tho edge OF the
stream. and sat silently in the saddle
while the beast drank. II was
dark. clear night. the stars overhead
like lamps in the sky. tho air cool
and fresh. He turned the pony up
the valley. making no effort TO hurry
the animal. derirous only AT present
Of keeping well In the roar OF the
two horscmen ahead. He knew the
course they would take. must take.
up the valley Of the Dragon ms far
az the great bend. and then across
the plateau until they reached the
Cottonwood. lie would simply follow
cautiously until daylight. then search
for the trail to make sure. and en-
deavor. from some elevation. 10 nick
them up with his field glasses.
The grass in the valley was thick.
but not long II presented no OBJ
stacie to travel. but the horses hoofs
made no noise. Finding the rider
undemonstrativc. the buchskin low.
cred his head and moved forward