The daily Alaskan., 1920-07-31
Brennan scrambled to his feet.

lAllo SLl4AA1H
 Sure; didn't I just tell you so?
 Brennan wheeled about.
 Give him his gun, Jim, and the belt" he commanded briefly. "I don't send no man Into a fracaS like this un less he's heeled. Leave yer coats here, an take It slow. Both of yer rendy:'
 Not until his dying day will Westcott ever forget the moment he hung dan gllng over the edge of that pit, follow ing Moore who had disappeared, and felt glngerly in the darkness for the narrow rock ledge below.
 At best they could only creep. feel ing a way blindly from Crag to craG, cllnging desperately to every projec- ton. never venturinG even the slight est movement until either hand or foot found solid support. Moore led. his bovlsh reckleSsneSS and knowledge of the way giving him an advantage. Westcott followed. keeping as close as possible. endeayorlng to shape his own efforts In accordance with tho dimly outlined form below; while Brennan, ShOrt-lcgged and stout, probably had the hardest task of all in bringing up the rear.
 There was nothing but intense black ness down there-a hideouS ChaSm of death clutchIng at them; the houses, the men. the whole valley was com pletely swallowed in the night. Twice Wcstcott had to let go entirely, trust ing to ledge below to stop his fall; once he travelled yard, or more, dan gling on hls hands over the abyss, his feet feeling for the support beyond; and several times he paused to assist the shOrtrr-lecged marshal down to 8 lower level. Their progress was tho' of the snail, ye. every inch of the way they played with death.
 Fifty feet below, just as Moore rounded tho dead cedar th" guns be- gan again. the spitS of red flame light ing up the outlines of the cabin. ana the dark figures of men. It was aS though they looked down into the pit. watching the brewing of some sport of dprrOns-the movements below them wel.i rotesQue-rrudered horrible by those sudden glHrcs of light. This fir ing was all from without, and was Un- answered; no boom of shotgun replied. no untitled crack of revolver. Yet it must have been for a purpose. for the men crouching against the clir, their faces showing GhastIy In the flashes of powder. were able tO perceive d mass. ing of figures below. Then the shots ceased and the butt of the great log crashed against something with the force of a catapult, and a yell rolled up through the night.
 At last Moore stopped. and waited until Wrstcott was near enough for him to whisper Iu the others ear.
 "TEer~'> drop we're, hour ten OF twelve feet. I reckon; an then just a slope to ther bottom. Don't make no more nolSn then yer have t0, an give me chance ter git out of thcr way urore yer let go"
 Westcott passed tfa word back across his shoulder to Brennan, who was pantinc heavily, and watched, as best he could on hands and knees while Moore lowered himself at arms length over the narrow rock ledge. Tn" boy loOsened hIs grip, but landed al. most nOISeleSSIy. WeStCOtt, peering over, could see nothing; there was be. meath only impenetrable hlackneSS. Silently he also dropped and his feet struck earth, sIopne rapidly down, ward. Hardly had he advanced a yard when the little marshal struck the dirt. with a force that made him grunt au- Gihly. At the foot of this pile of debris. Moore waited for them. the night so dark down there in the depths. West cott's OutStretched hand touched the fellow before he was assured of his presence.
 The MexiCanS were still; whatever deviltry they were up to, it was being carried on now in silence; the only sOInd was a muf1led ScraDjnC. Brcn- nan yet struggled for breath, but was eager for action. He showed his head forward. listening.
 What do yer make O that noise? he asked. his words scarcely audible.
 "I heerd 1t afore yer come up," re turned Moore. "Tain't nuthln' regu- lar. l figure the Mex are goin' in through that winder they busted. That sounds their boots scaling the wall.
 Ever been inSide?"
 "Wunst, ter take some papers ter Lacy"
 Well, what's 1t like? For Gods sake speak up-there's goin' ter be h. to pay in a minute"
 "Thars two rooms, ther outside door an winder are In the front one, which Is the biggest. The other is whar Mendez sleeps, an thar's a door be- tween 'em."
 No windows in the rear room?"
 "None ever see"
 And just the one door; what sort O partiUiOn|
 "JISt plain log, I reckon"
 '"That's all right, Jim," and Westcott felt the smarSharS GnserS grasp his