The Nevada County picayune., 1923-02-22

reached the lower end Of the fever ledge Cafes poignant doubt became a certainty. Rojas had seen MercedeS' It was incredible, yet Gale believed u. Then. his heart clamped as in an Icy wise Gale threw forward the Remihg- ton. and sinking on one knee, began to shoot. He emptled the magazine. Puffs of dust near Roias did not even make him turn
 Gale wheeled. rigid now sTeeliHg himself 10 one last forlou hope-that Mercedes could defend herself. She had a gun He doubted not at all that she would use it. But. remembering her terror If this savage he feared for her. Ratas reached the level nj the ledge He halted. He crouohed. Tt was the net Of panther. Mani festly he saw Mercedes within the cave. Then faint shots patted the air. broke in quick elho Roias went down as if struck by q heavy blow. He was hit. But even as Gale yelled in sheer madness the bandit Iealed erect. He seemed too quick. too sup ple to be badly wounded. slight, dark figure flashed out of the cave. Mercedes She backed against the wall Gale saw a puff of white heard a report. But the bandit lunged at her Mercedes ran. not 10 try to pass him, but straight for the preciplce. Her intention was plain. But Roias outstripped her even as she reached the verge. Then a pierc- ing scream pealed across the crater a scream of despair
 Gale closed his eyes. He could not bear to see more.
 Thorne echoed Mercedes scream. Gale looked round just in time To leap and catch the cavalryman as he stag cered. apparently for the steep slope. And then. as Gale dragged him back, both fell. Gale saved his friend. but he plunged into a choya. He drew his hands away full of the great glis- tening cones of thorns
 For Gods sake, Gale. shoot Shoot, Kill her, XIII her, ou-see-Rojas-'
 Thorne fainted.
 Gale. stunned for the instant. stood with upllfted hands, and gazed from Thorne across the crater. Rojas had not killed Mercedes He was over towering her. His actions seemed slow. wearing. purposeful Hers were violent Lake trapped she-wolf. Mercedes was fighting She tore struggled. flung herself
 Roias intention was terribly plain
 In agony now, both mental and physical. cold and sick and weak, Gale grippea his rife and aimed at the struggling forms on the ledge He pulled the trigger The bullet struck up a cloud of red dust close to the struggling couple. Again Gale fired. hoping to hit Roias, praying to kill Mercedes. The bullet struck high. A third-fourth-ffth time the RemIng- ton spokp-in vain The rifle fell from Gales racked hands.
 How horribly plain that fiend's in- tention Gale tried to close his eyes. but could not He prayed wildly for sudden blindness-to faint as Thorne had tainted. But he was transfiXed to the spot with eyes that pierced the red light
 Mercedes was growing weaker, seemed about to collapse
 "Oh, Jim Lash. are you dead?" cried Gale. "Oh, Laddy =. Oh, YaQuil"
 Suddenly a dark form literally fell down the wall behind the ledge where Rojas fought the girl. It sank in a heap, then bounded erect
 "Yaquii" screamed Gale, and he waived his bleeding hands till the blood bespattered his face. Then he choked. Utterance became impossible.
 The Indian bent over Rojas and flung him against the wall. Mercedes, sinking back lay still When Rojas got up the Indian stood between him and escape from the ledge Rojas backed the other way along the nar- rowing shelf of lava His manner was abject. stupefed. Slowly he stepped backward.
 It was then that Gale caught the white gleam of a knife in Yaquis hand. Rojas turned and ran. Yaqui followed slowly. His figure was dark and menacing, But he was not in a hurry. When he passed off the ledge Rojas was edging farther and farther along the wall. He was clinging now to the lava, creeping inch by inch. Perhaps he had thought to work around the tuttress or climb over 1t. Evidently he went as far as possible, and there he clung, an unscalable wall above, the abyss beneath.
 The approach of the Yaqui was like