The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-05-22

EuftNi 1NVtN'fft cuBc W too
Mary Freyes. and TO prove 10
she has set of alone on the
steamer China" from San
Francisco 10 trupei around the
globe.
-~-~~~~~-~~--~-~-~->--
knife"
lie gave ~ 10 her. and abe SO,
down upon her knees on the floor.
anxiously testing the openings be.
tween the blocks with tho broken
blade. Shelby turned his head occa.
sionally. barely able 20 distinguish
her movements. yet felt little conf
dence In the success OF the effort
SIN he realized this was their last
and only hope The cabin was un.
doubleday surrounded. and would be
made an object OF direct attack 20
soon as IL became dark enough TO
permit the savage nA9ailants 20 creep
up closer unseen. Any attempt a,
escape thru the ono door would b.
suicidal. an all probability. In spite Of
tho silence. and seeming loneliness
OF the scene without. dozen rifles
were even then trained on ting en-
trance. ready TO shoot them down
the instant either appeared. And
there was no other way out. unless
u might be thru some secret pas.
sage existing underground Mackiin
had certainly disappeared some.
where. tho vanishing OF his body was
no miracle; and this theory OF how "
might have been accomplished alone
appeared reasonable In spite OF his
doubts. the man held 90 n Measure
of hop-. nothing ris-s than this re.
manned which he could cling TO. their
only chance lay in some such tiiscov.
cry. Yet the woman. cropping on her
huleesln the deepening darkness CAV.
no nlgn Of encouragement shelby
could bear the strain no longer in
silence.
There r. nothing 10 be found7" he
asked anxiousiy. mo appcaranoe OF a
trap7"
She lifted her head. with face
turned toward him.
Nothing that seem able 20
move Nhc answered. II have found
block which docs not appear TO III
as lightly as the Others: can get tho
knife blade between. and IL doesn't
seem 20 touch any earth below. yet
the slab In iumovabie" 4.
Let mo try my strength
He started back 10 Join herr hu, nj
that instant there came n sudden
burst Of rifle fire without. bullets
thuddIng into the cabin wallis, the
! sound punctuatsd by savage yclis.
shelby whirled about instantly. and
dropped TO his knees with eyes peer.
Ing out thru the opening between the
logs. Olga also deserted her search.
and climbed to her post OF defense
on the bench. The surrounding dark.
ness enabled them TO perceive little
only the flashes OF flame oleaying
the night. and occasionally the
fitting OF a dark form in the momcn.
tary glare. The firing was contln.
uous. and rather heavy. yet the
sound OF the guns did not seem 10
Indicate advance. Tho markEmen
evidently still remained concealed be
Meath the protecting bank Of the
stream. or else skulked In the shadow
Of the woods. The bullets did no
damage. generally finding billet In
the solid logs. altho n few crashed
thru the planking Of the door. To
Selby the meaning was sufficiently
plain: the real danger lay. as he ex.
pected. at the rear: all this noise was
being carried on merely TO attract
their attention. lie called across. uu.
able TO sec his companion, but well
aware where she was
Don't waste any shot until Won
see something within range. Those
fellows out there are Just plugging
away blindly They'll never rush
this sides Keep your eyes wide open
tho. I'm going back. and try 10
knock off board from that rear win.
dow. II ] can get a few shots out
there wen block their little game.
You hear7"
Yes; / think one or two arc
crawling closer thru those weeds"
Likely enough. young bucks who
can't hold back. keep your eye on
them, an let them have It. ms soon
as you are sure. Call out II YOU
need me-"
He CROPPED his way ms far as the
'''N' N'V's hftHtu Ny inc almost con.
unuous flash OF the rifles outside: he
had even crossed the threshold his
heart choking him as he perceived n
glare OF red flame. already visible
here and there thru narrow chinks
between the logs. Perhaps he was
already too late--those devils had
Tired the cabin. the licking flames
even then beginning TO eat into the
dry bark. lie had no time In which |
TO act or even think. Before he
might venture another step forward.
Olga fired twice rapidly. the flare
OF her revolver lighting up the en-. |
TIRE interior. What followed he
scarcely knew; there was a sharp
cry. the crash OF the overturned |
bench, and the sound OF body fall. |
ing heavily on the floor. A revolver
went spinning noisily across the
room, and then all was sull. and
black once more.
Shelby could see nothing; only tho |
blurred memory OF that single n. |
slant had scared itself on his brain.
She had been shot-his wife: this girl
he had learned to love! Some stray
ahot from nm Indian rifle ft..., ~, /