The Washington times., 1929-12-20


Sunlight swept over the
plateau in great sparkling
waves. It beloved about one
like a shining, exhilarant sea.
From the stupendous archi-
lecture In the canyon walls,
Pat had marked one mighty
edifice that marched in the
lOvelieSt purple columns, story
upon story, to a tower Of be-
witching pink. Each day she
told Billy tales about these fan.
tastic castles.
Now she stood with the
little boy holding fast to her
hand, feeling not sunlight but
q bleakness and hurricane.
Last Monday morning just
about this time she'd driven
away with Dickie. How poetic
Laura had looked, waving her
hand.
els the tail fairy looking at
Ils2 Pat you're MEAN! You
don't listen at ALL"
Eyes, I listen" Pat an
GWered, staring into the little
boys dark eyes. His hands
rested so trusting in hers.
Very slender and soft. She
could crush 1t up like petals.
Today they were going to take
this child Of Barbara Bryce's-
this mere boy and deliver him
TO some mysterious third party.
Even q cold, u1iscrupulous fellow
like Slim called it murder.
There was nothing Pat could
do. Ace was gone now to make
sure Of the trail he'd found. In
five or six hours he'd return.
Wait through the stark, panic
filled day es helpless, gro
tesquely trapped.
Wait till they came and
Snatched the child from her
arms; till they sent her hurting
from the cliff.
Wild with resistance. Pat
flung from the incredible pros
peCt. np-hide dash any
thing but meek acceptance.
Her mind flew outward nadly.
Impossible that this could be
the end
She walked up to the ledge
where she was free to wander.
They called this section Of the
plateau Pats ''boudoir." It was
about 800 yards from the plane
and somewhat shut off by jut-
ting, irregular rock piles. There
were tall monuments resting
precariouS1y on slender sand
stone bases; there were cones
and turretS. Heads of giant
tigers and OF fantastic birds
were modelled magnificently In
the cliffs.
And here, reached by three
crude stone steps, was a great
overhanging rock. It shot out
boldly, q full Is feet from the
canyon wall. The wall cayed
back obliquely.
II could jump from here"
Pat thought, growing faint with
the mere image Of it. run out
there and leap before they could
come upon me before they
could even see me. Get 9 para
chute and leapH
She closed her eyes and went
through the dizzying performs
aiace. How often she had
strapped the parachute to her;
how often she had listened to
Guys instructions. Jlmpl Pull
the rip-cord no sensation of
falling.
And Indy describes it so
casually in that quiet book Of
his:
Then I stepped out on the
eowling: then / jumped"
All, yes even from q plane:
even into clear air, it took
nerYe-treraendous nerve. And
with 3 ctlild2 Holding . child
II her arms
ne would struggle: he would
Be insanely frightened: would
scream out and reveal it all
before she'd have q chance to
Get into the flying suit and
the parachute adjusted.
Pat grappled With this. Pres.
emily she sank down and took
the little boy In her lap:
Listen. Billy, I've got q new
game. This afternoon wen play
TIA new kind Of hide and seek.
Imake 3 sling for you and strap
you to r1e-the way q kangaroo
carries her babies : ever
see them In the parkp And you
don't say one word. You have
to be quiet as . mouse. Then /