The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-08-01
CAST OF CHARACTERS

Mkkl JEROME, sroi G;
blond. popular, is engaged to ak
foot, black.haired
STEVE MALLORY. hero; who
is accompanying her on trip to
Nikki's aunt and uncle on Wyo-
ming dude ranch. Nikkis father
PETER JEROME is a wealthy,
New York jewel merchant.
Yesterday: Steve and Nikki arc
nearly caught in dangerous
landslide. Then a rock hits N'kki.
She kncels in pain.
CHAPTER y
O. Steve lifted Nikki to her feet
you go on. she Gaspcd.
"Im a littIC-a little bit slow.
Her words were spaced and la
bored. "Go on. I'll make it,
The rain had slackencd a ut
tie. High up on the cliff way
eriug, iabbed cut appeared and
widened slowly as tons Of earth
slipped foot by foot from their
mooringS OF centuries.
Steve stopped and in one swift
movement tossed Nikki on his
shoulder and stumbled forward m
heavy, heart-breaking strides.
The mud dragged at his feet and
a shower of rocks fell in vicious.
bruising hail. The rumble be-
hind him became a laundering
roar. He threw himself and Mix
XII around the bend as huge sec
ton of the mountain slid slowly.
irresistibly forward. celebrating
a quarter Of mile Of the trail as
completely as though it had never
existed.
They lay flat for several min
utes. spent. too out of breath to
speak. Finally Steve said:
"rm going back to New York
and find something eaSy-like
crossing Times Square at SIX
o'clock" He grinned. Somehow
these trails don't seem safe to
me-"
Nikki got 10 her feet and felt
carefully of her side where the
rock had struck. wondering If a
rib wa sbroken. She was aware
of her own emotion subSiding and
was grateful for Steve's light
ness.
care you all intact. honey" he
asked.
Feels like a mule had kicked
me-" she said. But it seems to
be only bruised. I'll live"
They stood staring back for a
moment at the shattered noun
tain where the trail had been.
The side had accumulated the
steepncSS. Five minutes before
they had been walking along a
narrow, but solid enough path.
Where that path had been there
now was precipitOus, gashed
earth. hOpeleSsly impossible.
woody made it back all right,
didn't he?" asked Nikki, little
Of her own fearful reaction
creeping into her voice.
Pm sure he did," said Steve
Faithfully. He didn't have as far
to 20 as we did and he wasn't
wasting any time when | saw him
last. We can't signal. Our guns
are somewhere down there" He
motiOned toward that slide that
was settling far below in a haze
of dust, despite the rain. NikSi
shuddered.
al suppose Woody lost his gun
too" he continued. III guess we'd
better follow this trail on and try
TO circle back to camp. We GER
taiuly can't go back the way we
came"
The rain had stopped as sud
denly as it began. They were
soaked. Mud was caked no their
clothes. They mopped off soiled
hands and faces with wet grass.
"Thc sun will dry us out in a
few minutes, said Steve, and 1t
did. They walked along the tra,:
and followed it's course around
the. curve of the mountain, but
when it continued on. obviously
away from camp, Steve suggest
cd they try a cutback along a
tiny canyon. SO they changed
courses and walked until they be-
lievcd they should he somewhere
near the camp. Without guns
they could only call. Their shouts