The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-10-21

TO strike her like a blow. For a mo-
ment she stood staring at the bare
wall, her lips parted, her limbs trem-
bling from the reaction Of excitement;
then she stepped forward, and felt
along the smooth surface Of rock.
The door fitted so closely she could
not even determine It's exact outlines.
Bafled. her glance wandered about
the cell, seeking vainly for any sign
OF weakness, and then, giving way ut
terly to her despair, the girl flung her
self on the bench, covering her eyes
to shut out those hideous surroundings,
What should she do2 What could she
do? What possibility of hope lay in
her own endeavors? From what
source could she expect any outside
help7
After those first moments Of COM
plete despair, there came greater calm.
ness, in which her mind began to Crap
pie with the situation. These outlaws
would never dare TO take her life,
There was DO occasion for them to re.
sort to so desperate a deed. And
why should Lacy desire to take her
lifep Most assuredly he did not, or
the act would have been already accom-
plished. The very fact of her hav.
ing been transported such a distance
was sufficient evidence Of his purpose.
The conspirators merely suspected her
mission In Haskell they were afraid
she knew more Of their plans than she
Miss La Rue, had convinced the lead
ers that she might prove dangerous II
left at large, and they determined to
hold her helpless until their scheme
had been worked out and they were
safely beyond pursuit. That was I'M
doubtedly the one,object of her capture.
Lacy had no knowledge that Mendez's
band was at the rendezvous; he sup
posed them to be on q cattle raid to
the south, with only a man or two OF
his own left as guard over Cavendish.
Cavendishl Her mind grasped clear
ly now the fact that the man was not
dead. 1t had not been his body found
In the Waldron apartments, but that
of some other man substituted for
purposes Of crime. Cavendish himself
had been lured westward, waylaid In
some manner and made prisoner, as
she and Westcott had suspected.
Through the cooperation Of lacy
he had been brought to this desert
den, where he could be held indefinite
ly, with no chance of discovery-killed
II Necessary. She had heard of such
places as this, read of them, yet never
before had she realized the possibility
Of their real existence. 1t all seemed
more like a dellrium of fever than
an actual fact. She rubbed her eyes
gazing about on the rock walls scare
ly sure she was actually awake. Why,
one might ride across the desert, and
pass by within a hundred yards of Its
rim, and never even be aware of the
existence of this sunken valley. Yet
these men must have made use of II
for years, as d place to hide stolen
cattle, and into which to retreat when
EVER pursuit became dangerous.
Those huts without were not new
ly built, and this underground cavern
had been extended and changed by nc
small labor. What deeds Of violence
must have happened here; what
scenes Of unbrldled debauchery this
desert rendezvous must have wit
messed. She shuddered at the thought
comprehending that these cells had
never been chiselled without q pur'
pose, and that she was utterly help
less In the hands Of q band Of thieves