Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-12-27
fContinned from our Last Issuel

CONTINUED from Our Last Issue)
The night was chill. she longed
for the comfort of the fire. The
Rctuai labor of building it might take
her mind from her fears for a while.
Besides, it might be a beacon light
for Ben. She turned at once to the
pile Of kindling Ben had prepared.
But before she could build a really
satisfactory fire, n hat would en-
dure the rain, she must cut fuel
from some of the logs Ben had hewn
down and dragged to the cave. She
lighted a short piece of pitchy wood
Intending to locate the heavy camp
axe. Then, putting on her heavy
coat-the same garment of lustrous
FUR which Ben had sent her bach for
the day of her abduction-she ven
kured into the storm.
The rain splashed in vain at her
korch. The pitch burned with a fierce
hame. But her eyes sought IL vain
TOR the axe.
Ben had taken it, he had plainly
gone forth after fuel. Trees stood
all about the little glade; he couldn't
have gone far.
Holding her torch high she went
10 the edge of the glade and called
INTO the gloom.
She turned at once to the cave,
and piling up her kindling, built a
fire just at the mouth of the cave.
This fire would serve to keep her d.
rection and lead her back to the
ravern.
Then she hunted for pine knots
taken from the scrub pines that
grew in scattering clumps among
the spruce, and which were laden
with pitch.
One of these knots she put in the
IRON pan they used for frying, then
lighted 1t. Then she pushed into the
Timber.
Holding e light high she began
TO encircle the glade clear to the
barrier of the cliffs.
With courage and strength such
as she had not dreamed she pos
sessed, she launched forward. But
fatigue was breaking her now. The
the branches clutched at her as she
passed. 1t was hard to tell what
territory she had searched, or how
tar she had gone.
The Pickering light revealed a
tree, freshly cut, its naked stump
cleaning and its tall form lying
prone. Yet beneath 1t the shadows
we're OF strange, unearthly shape
and something showed stark white
through the green foliage. Great
branches stretched over it, like bars
over a prison window.
Her strength wilted and for an
instant she could only stand and
gaze with fixed, unbelieving eyes.
But almost at once the unquench-
able fires of her spirit blazed up
anew.
Instantly she was beside the form
Of her comrade and enemy, strug-
Cling with the cruel limbs that
pinned him to the earth.
CHAPTER XIV
The Conspirators Disagree
The pine knots f1ickered feebly;
and by their light she looked
shout for Ben's axe. Her eyes
on the broken gun first: then
she saw the blade. shining in the
rain, ~protruding from beneath a
broken bough. She drew it out and
swung 1t down.
How and by what might she did
not know, but almost at once the
body was free except for the
rec trunk that wedged him against
/ dead log toward which he had
for shelter.
Seeing that she could not move
he tree itself, she thrust with all
ner power against the dead log be-
side which Ben lay. In a moment
had rolled it aside.
One Of his arms was broken; its
indicated that. Some Of his
ibis were crushed too-what inter-
1a1 injuries he had that might end
lin before the morning she did not
She worked her shoulder un.
Ter his body.
wrenching with all her fine, young
strength she lifted him upon her
shoulder; then, kneeling in the
vines, she struggled for breath.
Then thrusting with her arm she got
IN her feet.
At the end OF a hundred yards she
stopped to rest, leaning against 8
tree and still holding the beloved
weight upon her shoulder. She
plunged on, down toward the beacon
light.
She lunged on and laid her burden
her bed.
Then she relaxed at his feet,
breathing in sobbing gasps.
But far distant though Ben was
and deep as he slept-just outside
he dark portals OF death itself