The daily Alaskan., 1920-11-20

SOP SSISI Db IT AAS
 The strata gaped apart half the height of a man, leaving a wlde-open scar in the face of the cliff. It was per haps ten feet deep. and scented to be closed at the back by the dipping to- gether of the two strata.
 Rolling back as far within the open Ing as the COnverging strata would comfortably allow. he dropped his bat tered head upon his arm to sleep the rest of the night away.
 The Pearlhunter walked with the woods. Ills limbs and breast and shoulders were so sore that he was half glad for the snug place to lie in, like, a fox in his burrow, while the hounds beat up the woods at fault
 Lack of water was the greatest drawback. Thirst was already begin ming to annoy him. He took out his sandwiches and ate two more of them, saving the other two until later in the day. The salty bacon made the wa ter more tempting still. He drew back s little space from the brink of the ledge out of sight of it. The sound of It still tempted him.
 Voices reached him suddenly, break ing upon the silence from around sharp turn Of the gorge down stream. He drew his face back from the brink Of the ledge and lay listening. It was far too risky to look. His ears made out three of them-three tongues, all going at top speed, a sure sign that eyes and ears were not as busy as they might have been. Opposite the cliff where the fugitive lay, the steps stopped.
 "What's that hole Up there|
 It was a Gruff and heavy voice that asked. thick stln with the flare of tcm- per that had not yet cooled.
 Wolf den. morc'n likely" answered one of the others.
 If we wus up tn blufr cross there furninSt the hole we could see in," suggested q voice.
 The other voices grunted; and the Pearlhuntrr heard them hopping back across the stream. heard them clawing their way through the tangled under brush up the opposite bluff. The scar in which he lay dipped slightly to- warn the rear. He rolled back as far as possible. so as 10 have the Nro'ec- ton afforded by the slightly higher edge: stretched himself on his right side: and waited for them to come into view
 Fortunately the sun hlf their side of the gorge. and the Pearihuntcr could see rhnm Well. while heinz on +hp shady side. and hack in the dark ness of the scar. they could not sec him at all. The three of them drew together in consultation. The Pearl hunter cuuld not make ont their words, hut the marucr In which they handled their rifles. which they had managed to drag up with them, indicated only too plainly .Hr general drift of what was heinz said.
 With a final nod al around, they faced the nnrker. anI one of them raised his rifle. Tine bullet struck tho roof of the scar H,~t in front ot him. >howering him win lust and bits of shu!e. Tho second fred. The bullet passed close to hIS feet and lost It. self far back ln tIc r-evicc where the two strata "r NnaIr ronycrGod.
 Ii was ru~ rl.. third ones turn. There cnmp The bot spit of smoke; the vicious slap of the report. But even before he saw the one or heard the other. he felt something like a red coal sting his side just under the armpit
 His side, A thousand flames had got at t. Something warm and sticky an down under his tattered ShiH and made It muSSy. The flames reached his face and twisted 1t. The air seemed to forsake the pocket. He crawled to the front of the scar.
 He couldn't take his eyes away from the water glanclng along at the foo! of the cliff. The flames had scOrChed him dry. If he could only have one SUD Of the water to mOisten his lips so that the breath could get through. He crawled a little nearer the open ing; held his face out over the ledge.
 The ledge seemed to be rocking up and down: the trees were dipping and going around in a queer whIrl that made him dizzy. He had never known trees to act like that The tops of the gorge were bending together. The gorge came together-slOwly-Shut out the air-shut out the sky.