The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1923-10-18
CHAPTER xIv-contlnued.

up into the dark. He had won: h
was not seriously hurt. yet for the mo
ment could not even realize his vic
tory. Yet gradually he knew; tn
knife he had wielded-the knife-h
had killed the man. Whoever he wa
he had killed him; he lay there nov
beside him In the dark-dead. Tn,
very horror OF II started anew tn
blood In his veins. that dead man lynn
there. motionless, becoming cold. viii
open eyes staring up at the tunne
roof. And he had killed hlm-killes
him with the knife Yet II had beer
fair fight. man TO man. and one o.
them had TO die. He could breath.
better now. and he sat up. trembling
and shrinking back from contact with
the dead body. He could not see II
but he knew IL was there.
Ke'leen struck match, which gave
forth ar first a dim. spectral light be
tween his trembling fingers. Their
glowed into sudden flame He
thrust II forward over the body of the
dead man. and stared down at the up
turned face. For q moment not a
muscle relaxed. his form that OF a
statue. as his eyes searched those
CHASTITY features. Where had he seen
the man before7 that hairy facet
those long. misshapen armsi Dead
OF course he was dead-but who was
he7 Somewhere In his memory. dim.
indistinct. chung recollection which
would not become wholly clear. Then
the vision came. his lips uttering q
startled exclamation.
by Cd | know row; It's Man
uel Gomez It's the ape-man"
Manuel Gomez-the murderer. the
outlaw. the dread scourge Of northern
Mexico. that bloodthirsty wretch
whose crimes had made him an object
Of detestation on both sides OF the line
for years. Manuel Gomez, the killer
of women and children. the destroyer
Of towns. raider. thief. bandit and In
surrecto-the ape-manl Kelleen had
never seen him before. but he knew /:
there could be no other like that. and
every story he previously had heard
OF the fellow came troOping back to
his mind In vivid memory-cruel. re
morseless. without mercy. hunted like
a wild beast, yet ever escaping the
tolls, he had left a trail of blood over
all that land Well. he was dead now
Yet how came he TO be there7 Was
this HIS hiding placer or was the man
there for some new crimef II So
what1 And Bob Meagerf Juan San
cheer Were they also sharers in bis
villainy7 Could they be members OF
this fend's gang7 Was II from here
he led his helIhounds over the desert
and plaln7
The recurrence OF these names in
stantly brought back TO Kelleen
of his own peril. Gomez
was dead. killed by his hand. Unwit-
tingIy. unknowingly. there in the dark.
In desperate combat, he had avenged
a hundred murders by the thrust Of a
knife. But these others-they were
still alive; they would surely come
There could be no doubt Of that. All
that Deborah had told flashed across
his mlnd-her encounter with this
same Mexican ruflian-why. she had
even described the fellows long. ape
Ike arms. but he never once bad
thought Of Gomez-of her creeping on
ward along the tunnel; the sudden
.hange in its direction. md her STUN
bling over a dead body In the dark
lie recalled the story OF her escape.
.reeping Up that narrow passage.
through which she could barely
squeeze her slender body: the firing
lfter her from below. and her aim
ess shot sent 10 return: then the des-
'erafe struggle which ended on the
lesert above And what them Mea-
.er. Bob Mear ger. going straight 10 that
anne hole and calling down for Man
Iel-using his very name.
Well. there was no Manuel now on
uard there. but he could not face
hese other two alone. and they would
urely be ths,e BIZ dawn at least. He |
rose TO his feet. still dazed and con
used. hardly able 10 tell directions.
ut driven 10y Wild impulse 10 escape.
o get safety out Of that silent black
ess. that grave. 10 which he felt /
mothered and imprisoned. HIS crop
NJ fingers discovered a crevice In the
tone. as though the solid rock had
cen rent asunder. = deep. irregular
ash yawning the length Of his arm
lie even advanced a step into the
TRANCE assure. wondering al its exist
nee. tempted 20 explore its secret.
hen they camel He heard them
ressing aside the vines and climber
IL 10 the top Of the rock which helped
,nceai the entrance. They did this ap-
arenfiy without fear. with 10 impend-
Il sense q danger. and then cropped
the floor Of the tunnel. There were
70 q them: he could tell that By the
,und-MesEer and Sanchez. nu;
here. then. was Deborah Meredith