The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-12-22
FOPBlDDEN VALLEY
81 Wllinss Bqron l1lo~e,u4

ftones; and that Jocku had acted
queerly when he came to make his
request. Now he saw through the
whole ruse. Their trips after q carl.
bou had been a scheme to secure
canoe and get away. Those two
had deserted!
He whirled the canoe around ana
started back to camp. swearing at
the evil luck that logged every step
he took. The treachery of those ma
tiyes was little short of disaster. He
had counted heavily on them TO take
Ralph back south: and now they had
sneaked away. the pair of towards,
and Nichols was left on his hands.
II he and Paul were encountered
with Ralph on their swift shadowy
trip. they would not stand a ghost
of a chance.
Before he had gone very far he.
heard a rife shot down stream. He
stopped short. listened. A mile
south. down where the river mar
rowed to bottle neck, a furry or
shots sounded. The dull thud OF the
guns was unmistakable-the heavy
bear Winchesters of Jocku and
FRANCOIS. Those two guides we're
in trouble; they'd run into an am
bush!
One of the Winchesters suddenly
stopped. The other shot four times
more. Then. family in the taut ST.
lence. a long-drawn yell waited up.
river. more a scream than any ar
ticulate word. Piercing. vibrant
with terror. itisent shivers through
Curt. 1t was mans death cry.
All his anger changed to heartfelt
pity. Poor devilsiY he said softly.
They got it. The Klosohees had
party at that narrows. to cut US OF
il we tried to break away"
LIE whipped on ashore. goaded by
H the memory Of that cry. Paul
had heard 1t too. and knew what It
meant. Working swiftly. they made
ready to leave. They left the tents
standing. abandoned most Of the
supplies and all the heavier thingss
took nothing but guns. blankets and
food for a few days.
Garry this stuff to the canoe"
Curt directed. "I'll go get Ralph"
AS he hurried up the island. he
tried to figure how he might salvage
something out OF the wTeckage of
his plans. Perhaps they could take
Ralph several miles up some tribu.
tary river where the Klosohees were
not likely to come. and secrete him
in some cave. with food and camp
necessities. to be picked up later
when they had finished with Karak.
han. It was possible.
Ralph Come along with me.
We're pitching away from this place
on the jump"
Ralph got up quickly. why,
what's the matter?"
"I'll tell you later. Let's get into
the canoe and put distance between
u.s."
where's Sonya?" Ralph Queried,
winding up his fish line.
Don't ask questions now. man,
for Lords sake! And let that line
| go. Come on. we're leaving here
He bit the sentence OF. Out upon
the lake to the west "merganser"
called. From north and south came
answers. Curt stared in the direction
Of that first call. For a moment he
saw nothing. Then his eyes picked
up ave blurred notifies. out at the
limit Of vision. He peered sharply
at them. Canoes: Five Klosohee
canoes!
He spun around with Ralph ana
ran down toward Paul. II only they
could get out upon the lake, they
might make running battle Of Il
and lose themselves in q maze OF
reedy islets half a mile east.
At the lower tip Of the island his
partners gun ripped the night 81
lence with sharp CRACK. When
he reached Paul. the latter was
kneeling down and clipping q fresh
magazine Into his smoking rife.
'Iookt" Paul grabbed his arm.
six OF theml Coming In at usi"
Curt looked where he pointed.
Three hundred yards offshors half
p dozen sinister shadows were loom
Ing ent.of the dusk. PauI's voIley had
checked their headlong dash. they
had scattered to make the target
harder: but they were coming
straight on. aiming for that lower
tip.
'Iord-they've got us!" Curt
gasped. Before they could possibly
get their canoe launched and ont Of
the shadows. those dancing shadows
would be upon them. By q margin
OF minutes. the precious minutes
lost in hunting for Jocku and Fran
eois. they had failed to get away.
Afew stray arrows. already swish
ing into the sand around them, en-
phasized the point.
Let's get back 70 our rocks" he
ordered. Nothing 10 do now bat
shoot II out"
They turned and ran for the shei-
ter.
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