The Holbrook news., 1921-07-22
cHAPTER xIII-contlnued.

-14
 The burden grew perceptibly heav- Ter as they toiled upward, and several times they put Macklin down, while they flung themselves on the rocks to regain breath for a fresh effort. The altitude began to affect Olga, her heart beating rapidly from exertion, but she struggled on, determined not to yield. Shelby, noting the whiteness of her face, insisted on frequent periods of rest, so that they must have been more than an hour in attaining the rock platform abutting on the cave. Get ting Macklin's helpless body over that last high stone rampant proved to be the most difficult task of all, and was only accomplished by sheer strength. Shelby, hanging downward, with limbs braced against the rock, and slowly cles of his arms, assisted to some ex- tent by the efforts of the girl beneath. Once safely behind the cover of the stone parapet, they lay panting with exhaustion.
 However this was a bodily weari- ness soon ministered unto. Shelby, refusing to let Olga attempt any more, drew the wounded man back into the greater security of the cave, and made hifn as comfortable as possible. Then, although still breathing heavily him. self, he hastily gathered together what food remained from his store of the day before, and took this out to share with her. They sat in the open just outside the narrow entrance to the cave, where, by lifting their heads, they could look over the parapet into the deep chasm of the valley. It had begun to snow, in large, swirling flakes, thickly enough to blot out com pletely the scene beneath, leaving them perched high above it's vortex, as though they lived in another world. The white curtain gave them a sense of isolation, of security, which helped 1mmeasurably to restore their courage. They were beyond all probability of pursuit, free from immediate peril; shut off from discovery. All that re- mained was to wait patiently the re- turn of Pancha with help. The wind kept the platform free from snow, hurIing 1t down into the deep gorge, powdering the trail they had just trav- eled, and thus completely obliterating any signs of their passage. Yet the gray gloom weighed heavily on the girl.
 "How long will it take herr" she asked
 "Pancha? Oh, she can hardly get back before late tonight. It is hard ride. even If she meet3 with no acci- dent"
 'You do not think she will attempt to return alone7"
 "NOt if she brings the doctor. said nothing, for I did not believe 1t necessary. He will never venture into this Hole without an escort, and a reasonably strong one. I am hoping she encounters some party out scout ing which will make a trip to Ger Iasche unnecessary. Since the fight out wonder, troops must be searching the Bad Lands for renegade Indians. They would only be too glad to dis cover some guide who would lead them here"
 "But surely they know of this placer
 "They know of it; yes, in (. way They possess full information as to it's existence. But to get in here is quite another matter Without a competent guide they might hunt for weeks and if they did discover the trail through some accident, the game would be gone. Only a sudden dash will ever round that outfit up; they will have to be hit front and rear, and with no small force
 He looked out into the cloud of snow. seeking vainly to penetrate the curtain.
 "The Lord only knows how many savage devils there are down there now" he said soberly. 1T don't think there was much of bunch when first came in-mostly white outlaws, cattle thieves and scum of that kind; but since the fight Indians have been coming. slew of 'em, young bucks who got away. They'll be desperate and crazed. What was that? That nOise?"
 "It came from the cave. Perhaps it was Macklin.'
 They were both upon their feet, startled by the strange sound. Shelby beat down and crept in through the entrance.