San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-09

thrown as soused in it by Chatter
toms words, and the abruptly
cynical change in his manner.
Chatterton kicked the fire to 6
flame. He looked over hi'
shoulder.
"Do as she bids, Buckenham,
he said ironically.
Judy stumbled to the cave
mouth. Tony caught her as she
passed out into the darkness that
was like a black wall.
STEADY, little GIRL" he said.
The rain had gone. A warm
steamy quiet reigned, heavy with
the scent of orange and almond
Not a star was visible. Earth and
sky were merged in black pail
Buckenham steered Judy through
the dripping grass until the stones
of the road crunched beneath their
feet. But almost Immediately
they were astray again. The roar
of a swollen torrent came warn
ingly. They slowed aside, and
were knee-deep in an unseen, icy
pool.
1--WE can't go far like this"
Buckenham said through his teeth.
"He knew better than US"
He touched something with his
hand and drew back.
That's the rail of the preci-
pice," he said, "about five hum
bred feet fall"
Judy clenched her chattering
teeth.
eve might find another cave.
The hillside is this way"
She broke from Tony, and felt
sharp terror at her isolation in
the pitch dark. They had to re-
discover each other by means of
their voices. Then, each holding
tightly to the other, they began to
move away from the precipice. To
Judy it was a nightmare, stark
and simple. What she had thought
the hillside was a coppice of
myrtle, black and cadaverous.
And suddenly the ground beneath
their feet began to quake and
murmur.
"My God" said Buckenham
sharply. 81.
Judy could hear him founder
ing wildly in some quagmire that
gave off a warm, earthly stencil.
Someway, she braced her body and
helped to haul him free, her own
feet sinking deep at the edge of
the morass.
"It's all bog" Buckenham
painted. 'It's nothing more or
less than madness to go on. We've
got to get back, Judy"
She made no sound of acqui-
or dissent. A weary dumb
ness had fallen upon her, and her
eyes ached as they gazed through
the darkness to where the mouth
of the cave they had left shone
ruddily behind them.
Ten minutes later they trailed
together into the freight of the
cave. John Chatterton, sitting by
the blaze, in a haze of tobacco
smoke, rose to his feet at their
entrance. His look was impassive.
"Your beds in the corner there,
Judy. / laid it down while you
were away" he said. cts good,
soft moss. You'd better take off
your shoes and stockings. The
fire will dry them while you sleep.
Buckenham and l will keep watch
by turns" -
Judy crept on to the soft moss.
Within ten minutes she was
asleep.
The sunlight was hot in the
cave entrance when she awoke
next morning.
ChattertOn was waiting for her,
his shadow half-filling the OPEN
ing. On the road below a country
galera stood, with a piebald pony
in its shafts. She saw Tony Buck
enham by its side, and the sight
brought an odd memory-picture of
Smoker, the white horse, and the
red-and-blue caravan.
He touched Judy's hand as she
reached him. His brown eyes
searched her own.
DON'T" she said, in low swift
tones. 81 know | am still your
prisoner. l know Tony did not
rescue me last night. Is that not
enough"
Tony did not meet her look
as she greeted him. He was gent
ling the piebald pony, with a dark
flush on his face that was like
that of a sullen boy.
eve shall be in San MARITIME in
less than an hour" Chatterton re-
"Buckenham got the car
riage from a vine-dresser's cot
tage."
"The place looks en- fete," Tony
said, speaking for the
first time.
1t was true. As the hoOfs of
the pony clattered into the first
street, bunting and
colored decorations were visible,
strung from house to house. An
atmosphere of festal was visible.
What people were abroad were in
holiday attire. Suddenly, as the
reached the harbOr, a
group of girls, gaily decked with
flowers and glass jewels gave a
cry of delight at the sight of its
occupants.
whats that they're calling?"
John Chatterton asked the gues.