Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-01-13


sat up. conscious % stiffness in every
joint. set reinvigorated by several
hours Of rest He faced a day Of In
activity. a hard demand upon a man
Of his temperament. and he was as
slow as possible over a measeT break
fast. his eyes continually wandering
towa.u the narrow opening, as his
mind again reviewed the occurrences
of the day before.
Finally. unable 10 resist the tempta-
ton longer. he ventured TO thrust his
head through the entrance 10 learn
something more definite as 10 his sur
roundings. All he could perceive was
the shelf Of rock, with considerable
coming about its outer edge. together
with a few feet of the descending
trail. On the other hand a new cleft
appeared i'm the front of the cliff over
shadowing him. and he suspicioned
that the path he had followed the
night previous continued upward
was. perhaps. that secret paSsageway
which Pamela had said led finally to
the top of the gorge, and along which
she planned to guide their future es-
cape Beyond the outer edge of the
shelf there was nothing but sky visi-
BILE, and believing the coping would
conceal his movements from Observa-
ton below. Shelby pushed his way out
through the opening, and crept on
hands and knees to where he cautious
ly could gaze over.
He was higher up on the cliff than
he had previously realized, although
its PERCEPTIONS front yet lowered men,
acingly above. The view below was
like that of a distant picture, its de-
tails indistinct He felt no longer any
special fear of being observed, how
ever, and leaned far enough forward
TO see clearly up and down the broad
valley. His position lay somewhat re-
moved, around the angle of a side
ravine, so that he could not trace the
entire course of the Cottonwood, or
even discern the waterfall beneath
which he had entered the Hole. Yet
he had a glimpse of the main stream
could pick out what he believed to be
the log house from which he had es-
capped, while, within a grove so as to
be scarcely distinguishable, appeared
the roof of another, smaller building.
He would not have noticed this, but
for thin spiral of smoke arising from
the chimney. Pamela had said the
place where Olga was confined was
visible from this spot. Could this be
it? He stared down long while, but
without reward.
+ Yet there seemed to be much pass
ing and repassing along the main val
lev: black, ill-defined figures of men
on horseback almost constantly visible.
He was surprised at the number,
never having supposed that this colony
of outlaws was so numerous. An
other thing, while he could not clear
" distinguish such small objects at
that distance, the majority of these
riders had the appearance of being In
dams. Could they be Sioux warriors
gathered here in preparation for some
raid on the exposed settlements? or
was it possible that the troops had al
ready struck, and driven the rem
nants of scattered war parties into
this Hole for refuge? In either case
their presence in such numbers rem
dered his own position so much more
precarious, and increased the danger
surrounding Olga. He felt that, in
spite of his pledge to the Mexican girl,
he could not remain in his hiding
place quietly, without endeavOring to
learn more of what had actually oc-
Cured during the night.
Indeed he could perceive no reason
why he should remain entirely mac
tive. At the very best she could ac-
complish nothing before night, and
had held out very little hope for even
then. There were no signs that he
was being sought after down below. 1t
might be that in the excitement or
other happenings, his escape had been
considered as of minor Importance !;
that Indian Joe, convinced that he
could never get out of the Hole unob-
served, took no immediate interest in
trailing him. What was the use. when
he must eventually surrender? 1t
would he simple matter to steal eau
tiously down through that deep cleft
in the rocks, as far, at least, as the
stream below. He would be concealed
all the way, and once there, hidden
securely among those thick bushes, he
might then learn what was actually
occurring. 1t would be far better fo'
him TO know. Besides, this would be
no disloyalty to Pancha; even II she
sought him he would still be in the
path she must follow, and, so long as
he remained undiscovered, just where
he was concealed could make no pos
sibIe difference. The argument salts
fed his mind, because he felt he must
act; must make some effort of his
own.