The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-10-03

surely, and In no duel-perhaps he had
fallen to where ne lay while climbing
| That narrow passage above. But the
wound? There was none visible-noi
even a bruise on the face. AS a WON.
an, Deborah shrank from touching the
body, but her training as q nurse in.
stantly conquered. She must learn the
truth, disagreeable as the task might
be. On her knees, exerting all her
strength, she partially turned the body
the man had been shot In the back
She seemed to comprehend 1t all in
a flash, visioning the scene as she rose
quickly to her feet. He must have
done the deed-that older man with
the Notwithstanding treacherously
from behind. 1t had been deliberate
murder. But the purpose was not so
clear. To all appearances the assassin
had never even approached his victim
after he fell. Confident Of the deadly
accuracy Of his aim, he had left the
inert body lying where 1t struck, I'M
touched, not even the dead mans gun
being removed from Its holster, or the
folded bit Of paper released from those
gripping fingers.
The unspeakable, treacherous horror
of the act appalled, Deborah. There
must be some reason behind 1t all.
1t was too cold, cruel, deliberative not
to have definite cause. No speculation
now could solve the mystery, but the
rrfa ctfn ho o1x
yonder In the darkness she had just
left. He would no more spare her
than he had shown mercy to this other
victim. If he still slept she must take
advantage Of the moment for escape
the one chance up that long passage
toward the CLEAN Of light at the top.
She stepped across the dead body,
grasping her skirts tightly In one
hand; then hesitated for an instant,
obsessed by new thought. Perhaps
that paper might explain all, might
prove the very key to all this mystery.
She bent, and wrested 1t from out the
stiffened fingers. hastily endeavoring
to learn what 1t contained. 1t was a
thick, tough sheet, the folds showing
yellow and dirty as though 1t had been
carried a long while, and there was
writing inside, In fine penmanshlp, but
so indistinct her eyes were unable to
decipher a single word in that dim
light. She thrust it into the bosom
of her blouse, her eyes anxiously
searching the only possible way out.
1t scarcely promised even that, as
revealed by that single ray barely illu-
minating the passage. Apparently an
irregular sized hole, worn between
layers of solid rock by the action of
water, it led upward at a sharp angle,
and, while wide enough at the lower
extremity to permit the entrance of
full-grown man, seemed to contract at
the upper opening so as to make it
very doubtful If an ordinary body
could squeeze through into the open
air beyond. Yet Deborah felt that she
had no choice but to accept this single
chance of deliverance. She could not
remain there with the dead man, nor
retrace her steps backward to where
lllt lDuluClCl lCludlACQ dSlCOP VII
guard. Her belt was still about her
waist, but its holster was empty. Be-
fore beginning to climb, she drew the
dead mans gun from its scabbard, and
stuck 1t into her own. AS she did so
the light from above glimmered on
a pearl-studded handle. and barrel
Of blue steel.
At first the climbing was not diff
cult, the slope gradual with the walls
sufficiently wide apart to afford COM
easy passage. Drawing
herself forward by her hands, with
feet cropping in the darkness below
FOR any projection against which they |
could rest, she won her way upward,
almost inch by inch, soon creeping |
,ver a narrow shelf, able, finally, to |
ut upright within shallow niche at |
)ne side, where the stone had been |
followed out for a few inches. She |
vas breathless from the hard climb,
Ter heart beating rapidly. She could
zee nothing, hear nothing, yet her mind
pictured again the dead face of that
10Y staring up at her-she could not
70 back to that! Nor to that other
living horror beyondI She must go
n; better to die there, caught help
essly In that rocky hole, than ever
O fall again into the power Of that
east. She listened intently, hearing
othing; then lifted her hands to feel
pward. She lifted one foot, seeking
fragment of rock to rest upon. Then
flare Of red lit the inferno, a dull,
luff1ed report echoed along the i'm
risoning walls, and a bullet brushed
er hair, flattening itself on the rock
eyond.
She shrank back into the little niche,
carcely certain of her escape, and
ested there on her knees, not ventur-
lg to move. The shot had come from
Glow; Of that there could be no doubt,
ut there was no other report, no
ovement to reveal any presence
eborah had no question as to who
ad fired-it must be the man she
i'd fled from in the outer cave. He
ust have seen her outlined against
at round opening above. 1t was q
iracle she had escaped; but to have
en her thp fellow must have stood |