New Britain herald., 1922-12-27
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Only too we'll he knew that this was the test. Affairs were at their crisis at last.
 If one of you dares to lay a hand on Beatrice. I'll kill him where he stands"
 Even as he spoke his thought went to his rife, leaning against a dead log ten feet away. The jealousy and rivalry and hatred between himself and Ray had reached the crisis. | Ray leered, his muscles punching. And say to you you're a dirty traitor too," he answered. Nelson leaped forward with all his power and if his blow had gone home, Ray would have been shattered be- heath 1t like tree in the lightning blast. But Rays arms were incred- ibly swift, an hdis rife leaped in his hands.
 The barrel gleamed. The roar re- echoed in the silence. Neison's head bowed strangely; and for a moment he stood swaying, then pitched for ward in the dew-wet grass. Beatrice's last defense had fallen, seriously wounded; and Rays arm seized her as, screaming, she tried to flee.
 The shot that wounded Jeffrey Nelson carried far enough through the forest aisles. It came clear as a voice to the cavern where Ben lay.
 The men started violenely in his cot His entire nervous system seemed to react.
 The truth was that the sound acted much as a powerful stimulant to his retarded nervous forces. His mind gave great leap and remembered its familiar world.
 The only possible explanation for fired by some invader in their valley in all probability Nelson or one of his men.
 He looked out of the door of the cavern. trying to get some idea of the lateness of the hour. The very quail ity of the darkness indicated that the night was far advanced.
 Instantly his keen eyes saw the far off gleam of the camp fire on the dis tant margin of the lake. His strain ing ear caught the faintest, almost inn perceptible vibration in the air-but Ben recognized it in a flash. In the sullen light of that distant camp fire, Beatrice had screamed for aid.
 Swiftly he started down the glade toward her.
 Yet in moment he knew that un- less he conserved his strength he could not hope to make a fourth of the distance At the first steps he 1,c -ko
 Likely he would come too late to change the girls fate. Yet even now he knew he must not turn back. If the penalty were death. there must be no hesitancy in him; he must not withhold one step.
 He fell again and again as he tried to make headway in the marsh. Only too plain he saw that the time was even now upon him when he could | no longer keep his feet at all
 But at that instant he remembered the canoe He plunged down into 1 the tall jules. Yes, the boat was still in place.
 It took all the strength of his 1 weakened body to push it out from the reeds.
 The canoe was strongly but lightly made, so that it could be portrayed with greatest possible ease; and his strokes, though feeble, propelled 1t slowly through the water.
 CHAPTER XVII.
 The Wolf Pack
 For a strange, still moment Rays face seemed devoid of all expression. It was flat and lifeless as dark clay. Then Beatrice felt the insult of his quickening gaze.
 Put a rope around her wrists, Chan" he said. We don't want to take chances on her, getting away
 She wore Ben's knife at her belt, and her hand sped toward it.. But the motion, fast as it was, came too late. Chan saw it; and leaping