The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-04-27
CHAPTER XVIII
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sworing. The other horse called
again. nearer this time. The hoy
did not walt lie wheeled and gal-
loped back over tho path he had just
come from, when he had rctraced
his way some two miles. he turned
TO scan the lake far below him. Its
pulse jumped as he caught sight o.
The flaming LOGS: now so near the
dam that from whore he watched y
seemed they must strike any minute,
What had Eono wrong What had
set them anrcg Had his companions
been caught by the Double A men ?
kstcban moved higher up 20 walt
for the explosion. In the confusion
resulting from u he intended to make
another dash FOR Webster creek. No
matter where Romero and iodine
were, they must bc counting the sec-
onds even az he.
And while ho waited the Double 4
men, from Disaster Peak 10 the
null'a Head. kept their watch. un-
aware OF the danger that was sweep
ing down upon them. Kildare alone.
OF all Ackiin's ridrrA moved nervous
ly about. Blaxr had not forgotten the
talk that morning with Mercedes.
EHtchan's mysterious trip. coupled
with MorroN'a belief that trouble was
brewing. psemed % argue more than
mere coincidence.
He Vas within a quarter Of a mile
or the water when he caught the
frat dim reflection OF the burning
raft. From where he stood tho firr
seemed 70 be on the other side OF the
canyon. lie could not SEQ the lake
Itself. but the faint red ,iuge IN the
slSy moved. ly that he knew that
something Was burning on the water.
There wasn't timber Of any sort east
OF the dam. lie Hont sly Man into
a galiop.
In kaleidoscope fashion he saw the
mine; the pe,nned Kiri shielding her
face from tho flames: the dam 20
yards away. He euppcd his hands
and called 70 her
he did not stop 10 ask how She
came there. He only saw the leap
ms flames, and guessed the intent %
the black thing tina, buiksd on the
surface OF the raft
Nothing could savc tho dam. II
was doomed A minute or two. and
I, would be- all over. Jumping 10 her
rescue would not help. II he ran
out on the dam both Of them would
be killed or swept away and drowned.
lie called 10 Mercedes: but sha
barely moved her head. nlaze called
again. That volcei Il seemed 10
come from leagues away. u phantom
voice.
Kildare saw tina, she did not move.
lie cried out again. This wind
whipped the sound OF u behind hirn.
But the girl looked up. She saw him
and raised her hands. Blaze jcrked
his rsata from his aaddie-h aud
ran 10 the very edge Of thoshank
Take OFF your skirt" he cried.
-and wet IL and wrap II around you.
Catch my ropn when II drops"
Mercedes nodded her head.
Scconds--thsy are hourHa some
tines--were droning by as his rope
circicsi lower and lower. There
would never be tims for another
trial. He had to make IT now! There
was no room for a miss
An instaus--hrief. life seemed 10
stop. Kildare biinkcd his cyes 10
clear them Of the film that blinded
him. Seconds were moving nj ex-
pree-train speed. yet even 30. mean
inElssz, irrelevant thoughts present.
cd themselves in their entirety. Moth
ing seemed hurried. He had thrown
his rope. In quito les accustomed
way. IL leapcd out. tio watched II
now II was dropping. The girls
hands were still appraised Tho rope
was falling over them. 1t was nj her
waist. He was pulling then. II was
subcouscious effort
A scream rose from Mercedes; she
shot away from the raft. He could
look down and see the water cascad-
ing over her as he dragged her
thru IL.
He heard the raft bump tho dam.
Some ono was calling: Chct or
Melody, no doubt A second In which
to brace his feet: and hand over
hand he began paying in his reata.
lifting her to safety. She was half
way to the top OF the ragged wall
when Kildare felt rather than heard
a snap. His hands tingled He had
fts varfV
ledge. using the rock for leverage.
One OF the strands OF the finely WOW
en- reata had given way---cut In two
by the jagged quartz
His arms trembled. There was
nothing 10 do but risk the chance
that the unrnyellnR reata would hold.
He leaned out over the water until
Mercedes was dead weight on him.
and pulled Another strand broke.
but he had raised her 70 the top.
His hands caught her arms: a last
lift, and she was beside him.
Then II came, without warning-a
trembling OF the earth. Thunder
rolled in his ears The dam was
gone They were down. knocked
flat! My Man went 20 his knees.
Pieces Of rock, from the size OF
pea to big, Jagged fragments Of
granite that would havo killed had
they struck. rained about them.
Water splashed down In sheets.
Mercedes did not move. Kildare
rolled her over and over. The girls
body was cold; her pulse seemed to
have stopped. Blaze slapped her.
and beat her with the flat OF his
hands. He continually raised her
arms to expand her lungs.
Continued Tomorrow