Montgomery County sentinel., 1935-04-11
CHAPTER IX-Continued

Following him up the dangerous path
which at times measured its width by
inches above the ebony water. Here
and there fallen tree sent the foam
high where the impetuous current
broke against its bulk.
Poor children" he thought, and
then; IF there had been time to get
a message to her would have for
hidden this. Dangerous-much too
dangerous"
But he plodded on, thinking fire.
quently that he heard the swapping of
twigs behind him. 1--WE can't talk
longl Wen have to be out Of this
place by four o'clock" he thought, "or
Wen not see our way back"
He slipped on a bit Of ice and
caught himself just in time to save him
from going over the bank into the
welter Of hurrying water. His anxiety
was very great. Berenice must never
venture such thing again.
The path had become a mere thread
at the bottom of a precipice. The
great fall hung just ahead of him. At
Its foot the vortex was In full swing.
The whirl was dancing mad defiance
OF winter; even zero cold could not
harness it.
He did not care to gaze at 1t too
long. "What a placel She must
never, never come here again."
Turning too quickly, he slipped, but
Instantly regained his balance by a vio-
lent lurch backward. In the same mo-
ment he felt the heavy impact of some
thing against his shoulder glancing
| blOw-and wheeled around to find his
hands violently and instinctively clutch
ing the square green base that he
knew very well indeed; the base to
which was attached the old tree.
At the other end of the tree was
Balder's dark and angry face, watch
full, keen and sly. Wilton had cinema
fash Of events converging to and d.
verging from this encounter. Moving
across this screen were figures both
familiar and strange-Berenice in her
patient beauty; Haskell roaming the
old academy like some werewolf; the
immobile waxen children. That glanc.
ing blow on his shoulder-was it an
accident? He would soon know-and
along the avenues of his mind ap-
preached another figure-himself, trag-
ically shared.
"See here, Balder," he tried to speak
with friendly Indifference. "Be little
more careful when you're throwing
rubbish into the whirL You might
hurt somebody"
"What are you in the way for?"
The words conveyed more than their
obvious meaning, and were accom-
panied by a sound, half laugh, half
snarl. Nature in framing Balder on
great scale had perhaps for the
warning of others presented him with
out disguise of the inner man. Over
his broad, blank countenance some
thing passed like cloud, obliterating
even his purpose; but Wilton instinc-
lively felt that he was In greater dan
ger than he had ever been in his life.
Lifel it might be measured only In
moments now.
Then terrible fear. Had this man
been sent to kill them both-had he
already killed Berenice?
He tried to think calmly and to de-
cipher the black shadows on that huge
face.
Balder said: "Let go that end. I'll
give it another throw"
"You let go your end. am nearest
the stream"
For answer Balder's hand gripped
the tree trunk tighter. Wilton no.
ticed the bits of tinsel still wound
about one dry stump of limb.
TITS time that Christmas tree Is
thrown away" he said. realizing in the
same instant that such comments could
not hut make his situation worse.
ats my business, not yours. Turn
around now."
"What for?" Wilton asked, trying to
speak carelessly.
do as you're told" Balder roared.
Witon's thoughts raced on. To
make a sudden dart for liberty was i'm
| OOSSlDlc. uc NOAAN SAS0Oo
him with three swings OF his great
legs; only strategy availed now.
Balder seated himself on a fallen
limb. and, in this position, so steep
was the cliff. he seemed almost hang
ing above Wilton's head. The latter
thought best to drop the base; and ne
LET 1t down gently SO as not to Jerk
the trunk out of Balder's hand.
"Pleasant spot" Wilton remarked.
rhough 1t must have looked different
the day the Bracebridge children were
drowned"
A grunting voice came from above.
"This amt an easy place to leave"
81 mean to leave it"
"You do-do your"
"Certainly. l must get back before
ark"
suppose you never went backT
"What do you meant"
suppose you stayed herel"
~ have no intention Of staying