The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-06-23
CHAPTER X.-Continued.


Descending was far easier than the
L1ilsome climb through the darkness
@f the night before. There was moth
ing In sight so far as the mouth Of the
ravine where II opened into the main
valley. Beyond that he could per-
eeive moving figures, and occasionally
hear the sound of a distant voice. 1t
something unusual must have &C.
curred-some news OF disaster or APP
Droaching danger-to arouse such ex-
element among the citizens of the
uole; 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-
ton. II any attempt had been made
20 trail him. this effort had certainly
already been abandoned. AS he leaned
forth from his hiding place he saw,
scarcely q 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.
the outlines. Could she be there still?
Was MacklIn with her? or had she
been left there under guard of some Of
his Indian allies?
II she was there, and not too Sc
curely guarded, II might be possible
for him alone to effect her rescue. The
inspiration to make the attempt APP
l. hA AVIx
could get her away unobserved as far
an that cave, he believed 1t possible to
follow the trail to the summit. The
project appeared simple enough, as he
turned IL thus over In his mind; at
least it surely could do no harm for
him to determine definitely II 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-
fciently high to conceal his advance,
and the creek curved about so as to
approach the hut within 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
ay downward. He saw no evidence OF
any guard, and became convinced the
cabin also was deserted; that IL this
wes 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
t1he lean-to sagged dismally. This was
certainly not the place; no one appar-
emily had lived there for many year.
Still, now he had ventured so much, IL
might be well to take 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 full view of the door. 1t
was tightly closed, but unguarded
without. Indeed his search revealed
no sign that the hut had been visited
for months, until he came within
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
wesas. He studied these signs intent
~. yst diseerned nothing resembling