Gunnison news-champion., 1921-02-25

eofne Gucn discovery let the woman,
cropping on her knees In the Deepen
Ing darkness gave no sign Of encour-
sgenent- Shelby could bear the strain
no IonSer In silence
There IL nothIng TO be foandY- he
asked an1iously. no appearance Of .
trapf-
She lifted her head. with face
turned toward him
-SothIng that ] seem able TO moye,-
abe answered i have found q block
which does not appear 20 fir as tightly
as the others. can get the knife
blade between. and II doesn't seem
70 touch any earth below. yet the
slab Is inmovable--
let me try my strength
He started back TO Join her. but al
that instant there came a sudden
burst Of rife Ere without. bullets
thujding into the cabin walls. the
sound punctusted by savage yeIls
Shelby whlried about Instantly and
dropped 10 his knees with eyes peer.
Ing out through the opening between
the logs Olga also deserted her
search. and climbed to her post Of de
fens. on the bench The bullets did
no damage, generally finding billie, In
the solid logs. although n few crashed
through the planking Of the door. To
Shelby the meaning was sufficiently
plain; the real danger lay. as he ex-
pected. al the rear: all this rioIse was
being carried on merely to attract
their attention He called across. un-
able to see his companion. but well
aware where she was
Don't waste any shot until you see
something within range. Those fel-
lows out there are just plugging away
blIndly. They'll never rush this side
Keep your eyes wide open. though.
I'm going back. and try to knock OF
board from that rear window. II
can get few shots out there Wen
block their little game You hearT"
Yes: think one or two are crawl
ing closer through those weeds"
Likely enough. young bucks who
can't hold. back; keep your eye on
them. an let them have II. as soon a.
you are sure. Call out II you need
me-"
He CROPPED his way as far as the in
ner door. helped by the almost conrIn-
uous fash Of the rifles outside; he had
even crossed the threshold. his heart
choking him ns he perceived n glare OF
red fiame. already visible here and
there through narrow chinks between
the logs. Perhaps he was already too
late-those devils had fired the cabin.
the licking flames even then beginning
to eat into the dry bark. He had no
time In which to act. or even think.
Before he might venture another step
forward, Olga fired twice rapidly, the
flare OF her revolver lighting up the
entire interior. What followed be
scarcely knew; there was sharp cry.
the crash of the overturned bench.
and TN. sound of body falling heavi-
ly on the floor. A revolver went spin
ming noisily across the room. and then
all was still, and black once more.
Shelby could see nothing; only the
blurred memory of that single instant
had scared Itself on his brain. She
had been shot--hls wife: this girl he
had learned TO love! Some stray shot
from an Indian rifle. fired blindly In
the dark. had found fatal passage
through that broken shutter and
struck her down. His first helpless
daze changed into rage of revenge.
mingled with wild yearning that he
might yet find her alive.
"olga r. he cried out. "olgar'
There was no answer. 20 movement.
All was black. soundless; even the
rifle fire without had ceased.
He dropped TO his knees and crep,
forward. feeling along the tloor with
outstretched hands. dread!ng each in
stant to touch her body. Suddenly his
searching fingers encountered an open
ing In the puncheon floor.
Shelby dared not move. except to
feel downward into this mysterious
opening. Yet he realized instantly
what must have occurred--the miracle
which had so swiftly disclosed this Sc
cret passage The girl, In falling. had
dislodSed the very block In the floor
she had been endeavoring so vainiy to
discover. II had suddenly swung
downward to the heavy blow of her
body. and she had fallen with II into
the unknown darkness below. But