The Winslow mail., 1924-07-25
The Passing of De Witt.
CHAPTER XVI

Eyes, am in your power, but do you
think he will not avenge the wrong
you would do me?' she asked
"Sheila, listen to reason We've
both fought for you, and I've won.
You'll never see him again. He can't
find the way here, and even If he knew
where you are he couldn't cross the
desert. You're in my power-and I'm
offering to marry you. Can I be
fairer?"
"To your own wife?" asked Sheila
scornfully.
"That happened years ago. Maybe
she's dead. 1 haven't heard of her
In five years, and nobody will know
about it where I'll take you. You shall
have your fling in johannesburg and
live with the best people. Sheila,
love you"
eff you loved me, Mr.. De Witt, you
would scorn to threaten me-"
'T'm talking plain sense. You're
in my power-absolutely. If you'll say
the one word you shall be set free,
and we'll strike across country to-
gether II you wont-well, you
know"
mo. That's my answer. You've
had it before. No."
You're mighty proud of that white
blood Of yours, I suppose" sneered
De Witt. Suppose I was lying in
court to get even with the old judge
Suppose you're half-nigger still. How
about Garrett, then"
"You told the TRUTH" answered
Sheila.
"What do you mean? Suppose tell
you it wasn't the truth?''
"But it was the truth" cried Sheila,
"for 1 have always felt it. Blood tells,
and mine has called out to me that
was white, white, ever since I was a
child in the village. 1 clung to that
belief in spite of everything"
well, it was the TRUTH" said De
Witt grudgingly. Then his tone sof-
tened. "Sheila, I've got you now,
and, by Heavens, won't let you got"
he said.
There was a struggle in the cave.
The girl uttered a cry. And at that
moment Winton bounded forward.
The second cry that came from
Sheila's lips was drowned in the roll
of the reverberating thunder that fol-
lowed vivid lightning flash. 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 a cry and
ran to Winton. He felt her arms
about him, but he thrust her gently
aside.
Il have you covered" he called to
De Witt. "If 1 hear you stir, or If
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.
The flash and De Wits shot were al.
most simultaneous.
Winton saw 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
he could fire. But he could hear
nothing, 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,
and he saw, before the light vanished,
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
see a narrow opening in the wall at
the back of the recess. De Witt did
not fre-perhaps he thought that Win
ton had him covered WintOn leaped
forward, found the opening, and
stopped. Some instinct of caution held
him rooted to the spot.
The thunder peals were deafening.
The rain was driving into the cave,
which was ankle-deep in water. Sud
denly Winton realized that the rivulet
at his feet was feeding waterfall.
And then he understood his situation.
He was standing uDtn the brink of a
deep creyice. A single forward step
would have hurled him go destruction.
The same warning instinct that had
stopped him st the edge taught him