The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-07-25

4 you told the truth" answers
Sheila.
, "What do you mean7 Suppose tel
you 1t wasn't the TRUTH
/ but 1t was the TRUTH" cried Sheila
for have always felt it. Blood tells
and mine has called out to me that
was white, white. ever since 1 was 8
, child in the village. 1 chung to thai
belief In spite of everything"
well. 1t was the truth" said De
Witt grudgingly. Then his tone sof-
tened. "SheiJa, I've got you now,
and, by Heavens, 1 won't let you go u
he said.
There was a struggle in the cave.
The girl uttered cry. And at that
moment Winton bounded forward
The second cry that came from
Shella's lips was drowned in the roll
of the reverberating thunder that fol.
lowed vivid lightning fash. In that In
slant Winton saw De Witt standing,
one arm grasping Sheila to him, while
his eyes dilated as he recognized her
rescuer confronting him, revolver In
hand.
The darkness and the echoes of the
thunder seemed interminable. Sheila
broke from De Witt with & cry and
ran to Winton. He felt her arms
about him, but he thrust her gently
aside.
II have you covered" he called to
De Witt. IF l hear you stir, or II
you cry out, fire."
No answer came. Winton waited,
tense, his revolver aimed at the spot
where he imagined De Witt to be-
The next flash showed the outlaw
standing with his back against the
wall of the cave, a dozen feet distant
most simultaneous.
Winton saw a chip fly from the rocky
wall beside him. He sprang for De
Witt touched him, lost him, and stood |
painting for the next flash.
1t came, and the two shots rang out |
together, though the sound of the dis
charge was lost in the rolling thunder
and the pattering rain. Both missed.
Winton fired again and missed again.
He realized that his last bullet was
gone. He must catch De Witt at the
next flash and overcome him before
he could fire. But he could hear
and he lost his bearings In
the complete darkness.
In the light of the next flash Winton
saw that De Witt had disappeared.
He glared furiously about him. Then
a bullet whipped his cheek, he heard
a faint crack from one side Of him,
nd lf,~At !
De Wits hand emerge apparently
from behind the solid wall at the back
Of the cave.
A series of flashes Illuminated the
entire interior. Now Winton could
zee narrow opening In the wall at
he back of the recess. De Witt did
lot 1re-perhaps he thought that Win
on had him covered. Winton leaped
Onward. found the opening, and
topped. Some instinct Of caution held |
lin rooted to the spot. s
The thunder peals were deafening |
The rain was driving into the cave, [
Which was ankle-deep in water Sud I
emily Winton realized that the rivulet I
[ his feet was feeding a waterfall.
md then he understood his situation t
lie was standing upon the brink OF a b
eep crevice. A single forward step S
'ould have hurled him to destruction. |,
The same warning instinct that had I
topped him at the edge taught him p
, spring back behind the ledge Of the "
rotruding rocks. He had just re a
aimed this refuge when another flash IL
1owed De Witt standing on the op-
osite brink, less than six feet dis q
mt, aiming at where Winton had o.
zen. g
With horror Winton saw that Sheila 81
God in the line. of fire. She was u
anding motiosiess, staring after
linton, horror and anguish on her {
&c. The sight of her peril electrified
linton. He leaped into the darkness
He heard the shot ring out. but his
Iset had DETECTED his enemy's aim. az
nd this time he had De Witt In his ez
ms, pinioning the hand that held the ca
volver In
On the brink Of the abyss the two ia
ught for their lives Ia
(TO BE CONTINUED, ST,