The Washington times., 1929-12-31

anu W HAC' NAAC oOuAANi oAAN SONFS
I'll fire"
With his eyes on his prisoner
and his gun ready, Guy stepped
back to the cabin. He stuffed
sandwiches, q small thermoS Of
coffee, flask Of brandy and
two flashlights in his pockets.
He wound a coil of rope about
his waist.
God, in that cave since yes
terday morning! He was Shak-
ing from head to foot. He
could have wept. He could have
sent terrible, mad sobS flinging
through the canyons.
Was Pat yet living? Would
he reach her in time? Was 1t
the truth Montgomery told?
He'd promised Laura Dawn
to radio the moment he found
q clue. Any clue at all, good
or bad. But he dreaded keeping
his promise. Suppose he came
upon Pats dead body? Suppose
he never found her at all?
Laura would have to know.
Sometime and somehow the
mother must face IT. Quickly
tempering the message as much
as he dared, Guy sent the word.
At least, the report would help
other Searchers. 1t would bring
planes near when Pat should be
taken from her narrowing
prison; when she might, per-
hapS, most bitterly need aid.
Guy got out of the plane and
with leveled pistol went toward
his captive. The mans shout
: derS Slumped and his knees
gave in exhaustion. He was the
picture Of detected collapse.
But the hands raised above
his head merely wavered.
With the muzzle Of the gun
pressed to Aces back. Guy drew
; two pistols from the fellows
pockets, dropped them into his
own.
He asked cody: Has Par
fridge two gunS?"
He has none. One Of these
is his
walk in front Of me-to the
edge here. Point out to me the
direction down there Of the
cave. Where is it?"
Ace shot his arm out toward
that rift where the chasm
seemed to open and into which,
Pat in her terror had run. cts
there-just under that purple
cliff--the sheer one with the
white base and the rosecolored
ledge above it," =
rs this the shortest trail
DOWN."
my God Elliott, you're not
going to start down there now?"
Were going to take look
at Partridge first-mak sure
he's helpleSs-then we're going
down."
you'll dash us both to death.
It's after 4 My God we
were desperate Monday, but we
didn't start after her with these
shadows possessing the damn
place. 1t will be stone dark in
another hour. We can't make
it! We were three hours climb
ing up here"
with a dead weight, you
made 1t up in three hours
With a pistol at your back,
you'll make 1t down In one"
"Well never reach the floor
alive. Wait till dawn. I'll take
you there Elliott I'm dead. I've
not slept for two nights "
My feet WON'T 60 another step.
Good God, I'm staggering now!
You don't know what that trail
is. Parachute jump Is safer
But I know what sixteen
+. hours longer In q blind cave may
be for the girl and the kid
Buck up, Montgomery. Because
you're going-you leading me.
Start down. Step there till ]
greet Partrindge."
They started DOWN. Iney
heard Slim groaning. They got
within five feet Of him; Ace go.
ing ahead. Like a shield be-
fore Guy.
Then Slim sat up-drew
himself to his. elbow.
He presented a CHASTITY pic
ture, half wound as he was in
folds Of silk, and his face stick
ing out, greenish in its pallor.
Ace had cut these folds from
the parachute. Wherever this
/ easier trail widened, he had
dragged his companion upward
on the improviSed stretcher. A
dozen times they had narrowly
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