The Holbrook news., 1921-06-24
CHAPTER x-continued


 Descending was far easier than the tOilsome climb through the darkness of the night before. There was noth- ing in sight so far as the mouth of the ravine where 1t opened into the main valley. Beyond that he could per ceive moving figures, and occasionally hear the sound of a distant voice. It was clearly evident to his mind that something unusual must have oc- curred-sOme news of disaster or ap- preaching danger-to arouse such ex- citement among the citizens of the Hole; and he also felt convinced that this more important thing had for the time being, at least, rendered his own escape a matter of small considera- tion. If any attempt had been 'ade to trail him, this effort had certainly already been abandoned. As he leaned forth from his hiding place he saw, scarcely a hundred yards away, the log walls of that hut, concealed among the trees which he had dimly noted from the crag above. This was prob ably where Olga had been confined. His heart beat rapidly as he studied the outlines Could she be there still7 Was Macklin with her? or had she been left there under guard of some of his Indian allies?
 If she was there, and not too se- curely guarded, it might be possible for him alone to effect her rescue. The Inspiration to make the attempt ap- pealed to him strongly. If he only could get her away unobserved as far as that cave, he believed it possible to follow the trail to the summit The project appeared simple enough, as he turned 1t thus over in his mind; at least it surely could do no harm for aim to determine definitely if the lady still remained imprisoned there. He would venture far enough to assure himself that this must be the fact.
 Shelby was sufficiently conscious of danger to use every precaution; the training of years came to his aid. The rocky banks of the stream were suf- f1ciently high to conceal his advance, and the creek curved about so as to approach the hut within a few yards. Assured that the water would thus conceal his trail, he crept across the marrow open space, and lowered him. self over the bank. crouching knee deep in the cold stream, safely under cover. Thus protected he waded slow ly downward. He saw no evidence of any guard, and became convinced the cabin also was deserted; that if this was actually the place where Olga had been confined on arrival, she had since been removed elsewhere.
 As he drew nearer the place appeared old, rather dilapidated and long desert ed, shack scarcely fit for human habi- tation any longer. The one window was boarded up, and the patched roof of the lean-to sagged dismally. This was certainly not the place; no one appar- ently had lived there for many year. Still, now he had ventured so much, it might be well to take a look inside Assuredly no harm could be done by his searching the rooms, and this would require only a moment or two.
 He drew himself up into the weeds, and wiggled his way forward until he obtained a full view of the door. It was tightly closed. but unguarded without. Indeed his search revealed no sign that the hut had been visited for months, until he came within a yard or two of the long step before the entrance; then he suddenly en- countered footprints in the softer ground, and was able to distinguish where some one-mOre than one, he thought-had pushed passage through the surrounding tangle of weeds. He studied these signs intent Iy, yet discerned nothing resembling a woman's shoe. The moccasin-shod feet, however, had passed over the ground again and again, and he even believed, one, and perhaps more. of the wearers had sat on the doorstep impatiently stamping their feet. To his judgment the place had indeed been under guard, and that recently the marks were comparatively fresh and cleancut, as though made within Ia few hours.
 Then. in all probability, this had been the prison where his wife was