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About The Yamhill County reporter. (McMinnville, Or.) 1886-1904 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1895)
E. McNEILL, Receiver. TO THE THE PEOPLE OF THE MIST By H. RIDES HAGGARD. erior eight solid pounds of gems, the fin est in the world. ” “Then give it me,” she said. “I have nothing else to carry. You may have to use both your hands presently." “True,” he answered and passed the string of the bag over her head. Then they went on up the smooth slop ing bed of tho stream, suffering little in convenience, except from the cold of the water that flowed about their ankles. "The stream has risen somewhat, baas, since I pasted it this morning. Doubtless this day's sun has melted some snow at its source. Tomorrow we might not have been able to travel this road.” ’ Very likely, ” answered Leonard. “I told you that our luck had turned at last. ” Twenty minutes moro and they reached the mouth of the tunnel, and passing be tween the blocks of ice found themselves upon the mountain side; but, as it chanced, the face of the moon was hidden by clouds, which is often the case in this country at the beginning of the spring season, for, whereas in winter the days are almost in variably misty and the nights clear, in spring and summer these atmospheric con ditions are frequently reversed. So gloomy was it indeed that it proved impossible to attempt the ascent of the mountain until the day broke, since to do so would be to run the risk of lo.JIng themselves and very possibly of breaking their necks among its numerous clefts and precipices. After a minute’s hasty discussion they set to work to fill up the mouth of the tunnel, or rather the cracks between the blocks of ice that already encumbered it, with such material as lay at hand—name ly, lumps of frozen snow, gravel and a few large stones which they were fortunate enough to find in the immediate vicinity, for the darkness rendered it impossible to search for these at a distance. While they were thus engaged they heard the voices of priests speaking on the farther side of their somewhat inefficient barrier and worked harder than ever, thinking that the moment of attack bad come. To their astonishment, however, the sound of voices died away. “Now where have they gone,” said Leonard—“to climb the cliff by another path and cut us off?" "I think not, deliverer,” answered Ol fan, “for I know of no such path. I think that they have gone to bring heavy beams by means of which they will batter down the ice wall.” “Still there is such a path, king,” said one of the captains, ‘ 'for I myself have of ten climbed it when I was young search ing for snow flowers to briDg to her whom I courted in those days.” “Can you find it now, friend?” asked Olfan eagerly. “I do not forget a road that I have trod,” said the captain, “but it is one not easy to follow.” “See now, Shepherdess,” said Olfan after thinking awhile, “shall we take this man for a guide and return down the cliff to the city, for there, unless fate is against us, we may find friends among the soldiers and fight out this battle with the priests." “No, no,” answered Juanna almost pas sionately. “I would rather die than go back to that dreadful city to be murdered at last. Do you go if you will, Olfan, and leave us to take our chance.” “That I cannot do, queen, for I am sworn to a certain service,” he said proud ly. “But hearken, my friend, follow this path of which you 6peak, if you can do so in the darkness, and find help. Then re turn swiftly to this spot, where I and your two comrades will hold the priests at bay. Perchance you will not find us living, but this I charge you—if we are dead give it out that the gods have left the land be cause they were so evilly dealt with and rouse up the people to fall upon the priests and make an end of them once and for ever, for thus only shall they win peace and safety.” Making no reply, the man shook Olfan and the other two captains by the hand, saluted Juanna and vanished into the darkness. Then they all sat down in front of the mouth of the tunnel to wait aud watch, and very glad were they of the goatskin cloaks which had belonged to the dead priests, for as the night drew toward dawn the oold became so bitter that they could scarcely bear it, but were obliged to rise and stamp to and fro to keep their wet feet from freezing. "Leonard,” said Juanna, “you do not know what passed after Nhm trapped you.” And she told him all that tale. When she had finished, he rose, and tak ing Olfan by the hand said: “King, I thank you. May fortune deal as well with you as you have dealt with me and mine.” “Say no more, deliverer,” answered Olfan hastily. "I have but done my duty and fulfilled my oath, though at times the path of duty is hard for a man to follow.” And he looked toward Juanna and sighed. Leonard sat down and was silent, but muny a time both then and in after days did he wonder at the nobleness of mind shown by this savage king, who, under , circumstances so cruel, conquered his own passion and was willing to lay down life j and throne together that he might carry tut his vow to protect a stranger who bad brought him so much pain and now left him forever with his successful rival. At length, looking at the mountain peak | above them, they saw its snows begin to 1 blush red with the coming of the dawn, and just then also they heard many voloes talking within the tunnel and caught (Copyright, 1803, by the Author.] To begin with, there are always some who would be glad to step in the shoes of a high priest; also Nani had blundered so extensively in the matter of the false gods GIVES THE CHOICE OF that the greater part of the fraternity, TWO TRANSCONTINENTAL whom he had involved in his mistakes, would not sorrow to see the last of him. These facts, which were perfectly well known to Olfan and guessed at by his companions, sharpened their sense of dan ger in which they had been placed by Soa’s readiness and cunning. Indeed their es cape was a matter of life and death to them and many hundreds of their adherents. If once they could reach the temple and pro ■ claim the rearisen gods to the people, ail would go well, for the army would suffice VIA VIA to keep the priests from using violence, but if they failed in this their death war rant was already signed, for none of them would ever be beard of again. No wonder, then, that they hurled AND AND themselves despairingly upon the stubborn doors. For an hour and more they labored, but all in vain. The massive timbers of hard wood, six inches or more in thick LOW RATES TO ALL ness, could scarcely be touched by their EASTERN CITIES knives and spears, nor might their united strength serve even to stir the stone bolts OCEAN STEAMERS and bars that held them fast, and they Leave Portland Every B Days bad nothing that could be used as a batter ing ram. • • FQ« • • “It is useless,” said Leonard at last, throwing down bis knife in despair. “This wood is like iron. It would take us a week to cut through it." “Why not try fire, baas?” suggested Ot For full details call on ter. C. A. WALLACE, McMinnville, Or. Accordingly they attempted to burn down the doors, with the result that they Or Adire» nearly stifled themselves in the smoke and W. H HlttLBt RT, made but little impression upon the wood Gen. Pass Agt. work. PORTLAND, OK. At length they gave up the experiment —it was a failure—and sat looking blank ly at each other as they listened to certain VIA Bounds which reached them from the pas sages without, telling them that their en emies were gathered there. “Has any one a suggestion to make?” OF THE i said Leonard at last. “If not, I think that this game is about played." “Baas,” answered Otter, "I have a word to say. We oan all go down through that bole by which I came up to you. The wa Express Trains Leave Portland Daily ter dweller Is dead. I slew him with my ■ vivir ' Airnrvir own band, so there is nothing to fear from Mtrilaud ’..... Ii:15 P M I San Francisco. . 10:45 A M him. Beneath the hole is a tunnel, and Bail Franctsco.7:00 P M 1 Portland............ 8.20 A M that tunnel leads to tho slope of themoun Above trains stop al all station* from Portland to tain above. At the top of the slope is an Albany tnciuslve. Also Tangent, Shedd*, Hal ice bridge by which men may reach a fair •ey, Harrisburg. Junction City, Irving. Eugene country if they have a mind to.” and all stations from Roseburg to Ashland Inclu “Then for heaven’s sake, let us cross sive. it,” put in Juanna. Roseburg Mail Dally. “I have seen that bridge,” said Olfan, LEAVE: ARRIVE: Portland. s:30 A 51 I Roseburg... 5.50 PM while the captains stared wonderingly at Roseburg 7:00 AM 1 Portland..........4.30 PM the man whose might had prevailed against the ancient snake, “but never yet DINING CARS ON OGDEN have I beard of the man who dared to set PUI-L7VVMN * BUFFET his foot upon it.” “It is dangerous, but it c3n be crossed," SLEEPERS replied Otter. “At the least, it is better AND to try it than to stay here to be murdered SECOND CLASS SLEEPING CARS, by the medicine men.” “I think that wo will go, Leonard,” Attached to all Through Train«. said Juanna. “If I am to die, I wish to .West Bide Di vision do so in tho open. Only what is to become BETWEEN PORTLAND AND CORVALLIS of Nam? And perhaps Olfan and the cap Mail Train Daily, (Except Sunday.) tains would prefer to stop here?” “Nam will go with us wherever we go,” 7 80 A M 1 Lv Ar 5:35 P 54 answered Leonard grimly. “We have a Portland 10:15 A M 1 Lv McMinnville Lv 3:01 P M long score to settle with that gentleman. 12:15 P M 1 Ar Corvallis Lv 1:00 P M As for Olfan and the captains, they must At Albany and Corvallis connect with please themselves.” trains of Oregon Pacific Railroad, "What will you do, Olfan?” asked Ju Express Train Daily, (Except Sunday.) anna, speaking to him for the first time since the scene in the other prison. i;40 P M Lv Port laud Ar H:2ô A M "It seems, queen,” he answered, with 715 P M Lv Lv 5:53 A M downcast eyes, “that I have sworn to de St. Joseptt 7 25 P M Ar McMinnville Lv 5 50 A M fend you to the last, and this I will do the Through Tickets to all point* in Eastern more readily because now my life is of lit State«, Canada and Europe can be obtained at tle value. As for my brethren here, I think lowest rates front G A Wilcox. Agent, McMinn that, like you, they will choose to die in ville. E. P ROGERS. the open air rather than wait to be mur Asat. G. F. & F A.. Portland, Or. dered by the priests. ’ ’ K. KOEHLER, Manager The three captains nodded an assent to his words, and then they set to work. First they took food and drink, of which there was an ample supply in the other oell, and hurriedly devouring some of it CHURCHES. B aptist —Services Sunday 11 a. m. and disposed the rest about their persons as 7 30 p. m ; Sunday school 9 50 a m. ; th. best they oould, for they foresaw that even young people’s society 6:15p tu Prayer if they eucceeded in escaping it was likely meeting Thursday 7 30 p. m. Covenant that they would go hungry for many days. meeting first Sat each month 2 00 p. tn. Then Leonard wrapped Juanna in a goat E. B. Pact, Pastor. skin cloak which he took from ono of the dead priests, placing the second cloak over M ethodist E piscopal —Services every Sabbath 11 00 a m. and 7 30 p.m. Sunday his own shoulders, for he knew that it school 9:30 a iu. Prayer meeting 7 00 p would be bitterly cold on the mountains. Lastly, they tied Nam's arms behind him m. Thursday. L ee T hompson , Pastor. and deprived him of his knife, so that the C umb . P resbyterian — Services every Sab old man might work none of them a sud bath 11 00 a m and 7:30 p. in. Sunday school 9 30 a. in. Y. P. C. E., Sunday 6 30 den injury in hie rage. All being prepared, Otter made his rope p m. Prayer meeting Thursday, 7:30 p. m. fast to the staff and descended rapidly to E E. T hompson , Pastor. C hristiax —Preaching at 11 a. m. an<l at the cave below As his feet touched the 7 30 p. m on the first and third Sundays; ground the priests began to batter upon on the second and fourth Sundays at 7:30 the doors of the cell with beams of wood, until further notice At Carlton on sec or some such heavy instruments ond and fourth Sundays at U a. m., and “SR “Quick, Juanna!” said Leonard Saturday evening before at 7.30. At No. 8 In this noose and hold the line. We will at 3 p. m on second and fourth Sundays. let you down. Hurry. Those doors can J ames C ampbell , V. D. M . Pastor not stand for long.” S t . J ames E piscopal C hurch —Lay-Ser Another minute, and she was beside Ot vices every Sunday at 11 o’clock a. m. ter, who stood beneath, a candle in his S t . J ambs C atholic —First st., between hand. Then Leonard came down G and H. Sunday school 2:30 p. m. Ves “By the way, Otter,” he said, “have 1 pers 7 ;30. Services once a month. you seen anything of the jewels that are T.' B riodt , Pastor. supposed to be here?” “There is a bag yonder by the water SECRET ORDERS K nowles C hapter N o , 12, O. E. 8.—Meets n dweller’s bed, baas,” answered the dwarf Masonic hall the brat and third Monday evening carelessly, “but I did not trouble to look in each month Visiting member«, cordially in Into it. What is the use of the red stones I vited. C. H. McKINNEY, Sec. to us now?” MRS. C. W, TALMAGE, W. M. “ None, but they may be of use after A. o- V. W.—Charity Lodge No. 7 meets first and third Friday* of each month, 7:30 p. m Lodge ward, if we get away.” room in Union block. “Yes, baas, if we get away,” answered H. C. BURNS, M. W. Otter, bethinking himself of the ice J. D BAKER, Becorder. 10 Yamhill Lodge No. 10 D. of H. meets in Union bridge. “Well, we can pick it up as we go ball secund and fourth Friday evening* of each along.” j month. Just then Nam arrived, having been let C uster P ost No. 9—Meet* the second and fourth down by Olfan and the captains, and stood Saturday of each month in Union hall at 7.30 glaring round him, not without awe, for j £m. ou second Saturday and at 10:30 a. m. on neither he nor any of his brethren had h Saturday. All members of the order are ever dared to visit the home ot the snake ■ cordially Invited to attend our meetings. J. B. S tilwell , Commander. god. Then the captains descended, and B. F. ClURlHK, Adjt. last of all came Olfan. “We have little time to spare, deliver >V C. T. U.—Meets on every Fri day at 3 p. ni. in reading room, Union er,” said the king. “The door is falling," block C lara G. E sbon , Pres. and as he spoke they heard a great crash J rnnib G allentink , Sec’y above. Otter jerked furiously at the rope, till by good luck one end of the stake slid NOTICE OF EUCt'TBIXt SALE over the edge of the bole, and it fell among them. OF REAL PROPERTY. “No need to leave this line for them to follow by,” be said. “Besides It may be "VrOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to an useful. ” At that moment something ap AM order of the county court of Yamhill coun ty, Oregon, duly made and entered of rec peared looking through the hole. It was ord on the 3d day of April, 1895, the the head of one of the pursuing priests. undersigned, the duly appointed, qualified and Nam saw it and took his opportunity. acting executrix of the estate ot J. ti. Hibbs, “The false gods escape by the tunnel to deceased, will, from and after the4th day of May, 1896. proceed to sell at private sale for cash in the mountains, ’ he screamed, “and with band, the real property belonging to Mid estate and described as follows, to-wit them the false king! Follow and fear not. The west half of lot No. 2 and the east 28 feet of The water dweller is dead. Think not of lot No. 3 In block 8, of the City of McMinnville. me, Nam, but slay them.” Oregon. With an oath Otter struck him heavily Blocks Nos. 2 and 3 in Johns’ addition to the City of McMinnville, Oregon across the mouth,knocking him backward, A lot or parcel of land 80 feet wide running but the mischief was done, for a voice cried eatrt and west and adjoining the northern tier of lots on the south of block 21, of Johns' addition in answer to the City of McMinnville, Oregon “We hear you, father, and will find Commencing al a point on the east boundary line ot section 9, in township 4 south, of range 4 ropes and follow ’ ’ west of the Willamette meridian. Yamhill coun Then they started. One moment they ty Oregon, 38 64 chains south of the northeast paused to look at the huge bulk of the corner of said section, said point being the south east corner of land deeded by J. 3. H lbbs to J. dead crocodile. “This dwarf is a god in truth,” cried Fred Hibbs, recorded lu Vol. 28, page 243, records of deeds ot said county, and running thence one of the captains, “for no man could south 5276 chains: thence west 54.42 chains to the east line of J. G. Baker s donation land claim: have wrought such a deed.” “Forward,” said Leonard. “We have thence north 14.88 chains to the northeast corner of said D. L. C.; thence west 17.03 chains; thence no time to lose." uorth 11 25 chain* to the center of Baker creek: Now they were by the crocodile’s bed thence down said creek to a point due west of the place of beginning, aud thence east 61.96 and among the broken Dones of his vic chains to the place of beginning: also commenc tims. ing tn the center oftlie county road running from “The bag, Otter; where is the bag?" McMinnville to Carlton st southwest corner of a tract conveyed to G H . Hibbs in Vol. 24. page asked Leonard. 465, records of deeds for said Yamhill county, “Here, baas. ” answered the dwarf, drag •nd running thence north 69^ deg. east to center of Baker creek; thence southwesterly along said ging it from the moldering skeleton of the creek to center of said road, aud thence norther unlucky priest who, having offended the ly along said county road to the place ot begin- new found god, had been letdown through »ing. All th« above described real property lviug the hole to lay it in its hiding place and to •nd being in Yamhill countv. Oregon perish in the jaws of the water dweller. ELIZABETH HIBBS, Leonard took the bag, and opening its irvjne A coshow . E xecu , nx mouth, which was drawn tight with a run Atty s for Executrix ning strip of hide, peeped into it while Otter held down the candle that he might see From its depths came a glimmer cf The following general forms are alwavs In stock red aud blue light that glowed like the and for sale at the Reporter office : heart of some dull fire, Warranty Deeds "It is the treasure," he said in a low Real Estate Mortgage Quit-claim Deeds Chattel Mortgage tone of exultation. “At last the luck has Bond for Deed Satisfaction of Mort turned.” Farm Lease Notes and Receipt*. “How much does it weigh?” said Juan We carry a large stock of stationery and are na as they sped onward. prepared to do job printing ot every sort in tue “Some seven or eight pounds. I should best style cf the an aud st low figure. say^’ he answered, still exultantly. “Sev- ROUTES n SPOKANE Minneapolis DENVER OMAHA ST. PAUL KANSAS CY SAN FRANCISCO EAST AND SOUTH The Shasta Route ROUTE. LOCAL DIRECTORY LEGAL BLANKS. glimpses of lights flashing through the ripenings in their rude fortifications. The priests, who no doubt had been delayed by the procuring of the timbers which were to serve as battering rams and the labor necessary to drag them up the steep incline of the tunnel, had returned and in force. A few more minutes and a sucoes- sion of dull thuds on the farther side of tho ice wall told the little band of defend ers that their enemies were at work. “The light grows quickly, deliverer.” said Olfan quietly. “I think that now you may begin to ascend the mountain and take no harm.” “What shall we do with this man?” asked Leonard pointing to Nam. “Kill him,” said Otter. “No, not yet awhile,” answered Olfan. “Take this,” and he handed Leonard the spear of the third captain, who had left it when ho started down the mountain, fear ing that it might encumber him, “and drive him along with you at its point. Should we be overpowered, you may buy your lives as the price of his, but should we hold them back and you escape then do with him what you will.” “I know well what I would do,” mut tered Otter, glowering at the priest. “And now farewell,” ’ wont on Olían in the same calm voice. “ ‘ Bring more ice, comrades, or stone if yon ; can see any. Tho wall cracks.” Leonard and Otter wrung • the king’s hand in silence, but Juanna could not leave him thus, for her heart was meltod at the thought of all his goodness. “Forgive me,” she murmured, “that I have brought you grief, and as I fear death to follow grief.” “The grief you could not help, queen, and be sure I shall welcome death if he should choose me. Go now, and happiness go with you. May you escape in safety with the bright pebbles which you desire, and may you and your husband, the deliv erer, be blessed for many years in each other’s love, and when you grow old to gether from time to time talk kindly of that wild man who worshiped you when you were young and laid down bls life to save you.” Juanna listened, and the tears sprang to her eyes. Then of a sudden she seized the great man’s hand and kissed It. “I am repaid, queen," he said, “and perchance your husband will not be jeal ous. Now go, and swiftly. ” As he spoke a small portion of the wall fell outward, and the fierce face of a priest appeared at the opening. With a shout Olfan lifted his broad spear and thrust. The priest fell backward, and just then his companions arrived with stones and stop ped the hole. Then the three turned and fled up the mountain side, Otter driving Nam before him with blows and curses, till at length the old man fell and lay groaning on his face. Nor could the dwarf’s blows, which were not of the softest, force him to rise. “Get up, you treacherous dog,” said Leonard savagely, pricking him with the spear. “Then you must loose ray arms, deliv erer,” answered the priest. “I am very weak, and I cannot travel up the moun tain with my hands bound behind me. Surely you have nothing to fesr from one aged and unarmed man." “Not much at present, I suppose,” mut tered Leonard, "though we have had enough to fear from you in the past, ” and taking his knife he out loose the lashings. While ho did so Juanna turned and looked behind her. Far below them she could see tho form of Olfan and his com panion« standing shoulder to shoulder, and even catch the gleams of light reflect ing upon their spears, for now the sun was rising. Beneath them again she saw the grass grown roofs of that earthly hell, the city of the People of the Mist, and tho endless plain beyond through which the river wandered like a silver serpent. There also was tho farther portion of the huge wall of tho templo built by unknown bands in long forgotten years, and rising above the edge of that gap in the cliff through which she was looking appeared a black mass that she knew to be the bead and shoulders of the hideous colossus, on whose dizzy brow she had sat in that strango hour when the shouting thousands thundered a welcome to her as their god dess, and whence her most beloved friend, Francisco, had been hurled to his cruel death. “Oh, what I have suffered in that place!" she thought to herself. “How have I lived through it, I wonder? And yet I have won something,” and she glanced at Leonard, who was driving Nam toward her, “and if only we survive and I am the means of enabling him to fulfill his vow and buy back bis home with these jewels I shall not regret all that I have en dured to win them. Yoe, even when he is no longer so very much in love, he must always be grateful to me, for few women will have done as much for their hus bands. ” Then Nam staggered past her, hissing curses, while the untiring Otter rained blows upon his back, and losing sight of Olfan and his companions they went on in safety till they reached the neck and saw tho ice bridge glittering before them and the wide fields of snow beyond. CHAPTER XXIX. “Which way are we to go now?” said Juanna. “Must we climb down this great gulf?” “No, Shepherdess,” answered Otter. “See before you is a bridge." And he pointed to the baDd of ice and rock which traversed the wide ravine. “A bridge?” gasped Juanna. “Why, it is slippery as a slide and steep as the side of the house. A fly could not keep its footing on it.” “Look here, Otter,” put in Leonard, “either you are joking, or you are mad. How can we cross that place? We should be dashed to pieces before we had gone ten yards.” r “Thus, baas, we must sit each of us on one of the flat stones that lie round here; then the stone will take us across of Itself. ■ I know, for I have tried it.” “Do you mean to tell me that you have been over there on a rock?” “No, baas, but I have sent three stones over. Two crossed safely. I watched them go tho whole way, and one vanished in | the middle. I think that there is a hole there, but we must risk that. If the stone Is heavy enough, it will jump it; if not, then we shall go down the hole and be no more troubled. ” “Great heavens!” said Leonard, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, “This is practical tobogganing with a vengeance. Is there no other way?” “I can see none, baas, except for the birds, and I think we had better stop talk ing apd make ready, for the priests are still behind us. If you will watch on the neck here so that we are not surprised, I will seek stones to carry us. ” “How about this man?” said Leonard, pointing to Nam, who lay face downward on the snow, apparently in a dead faint. “Oh, we must keep him awhile, baas. He may be useful if those priests come. If not, I will talk with him before we start He is asleep and cannot run away.” Then Leonard went to the top of the neck, which was distant some 20 yards, and Otter began to search for stones suit able for his purpose. As for Juanna, she turned her back to tho ico bridge, at which she scarcely dared to look, and sat herself upon a rock. In doing so the jewels in the bag struck against her knee and jingled, and the thought oame into her mind that she would examine them while she waited, partly because she desired to distract her thoughts from the vision of the terrible or deal which lay before her, and partly to gratify a not unnatural curiosity. Open ing the mouth of the bag, she thrust her fingers into it, and one by one drew out the biggest gems which were jumbled to gether there, placing them on the rock be side her. In less than a minute she was feasting tier eyes upon such a collection of priceless jewels as bad never before glad dened the sight of any white woman, even In her wildest dreams. Indeed till now Juanna had not thought it possible that stones so splendid could exist on the hith er side of the walls of heaven. First there were great sapphires roughly squared and two enormous round star rubles. These had formed the eyes of the colossus, which were removed on the mor row of their arrival, the star rubies repre senting the blood red pupils. Then there was a heart shaped ruby of perfect color and without flaw, almost as large as a jackdaw’s egg, which, on the days of sac rifice, had adorned the breasts of the chief priest« of the People of the Mist for many generations. Next came the greatest won ders of this treasure — two marvelous stones, one a sapphire and one a ruby— fashioned respectively into models of the statue of the dwarf and of the hideous shape of the water dweller. Then there were others, dozens of them, some rudely cut and some as they came from tho tuines, but every one of them singled out for its remarkable size, ¡lawlessness or its perfect fire and beauty. Juanna arranged them in rows and stared at them with eostasy—and where is the woman who would not have done so?— till in contemplating them she forget the present terrors of her position, forgot ev erything except the gorgeous loveliness and infinite value of the wealth of gem* which she had been the means of winning for Leonard. Among other things that passed from her mind at this moment was the presence of Nam, who, overcome by rage and ex haustion, lay in a seeming faint upon the *now within 12 paces of her. She never saw him lift his head and look at her with an expression as cold and cruel as that which Otter had seen in the eyes of the water dweller when he lifted bls bead from its bed of rock. She never saw him roll slowly over and over across the snow to ward her, pausing a little while between each turn of his body, for now sbe was oc- oupied in replacing the jewels one by one Into their bag of leather. At last all were in, and with a sigh, for It was painful to lose sight of objects so beautiful, Juanna drew the mouth of the bag tight and prepared to place it around her neck. At this moment it was that a hand, withered and lean with age. passed be neath her eyesand swiftly as the snatch of an eagle’s talon seized the bag and rent it front her grasp. She sprang up, with a cry □f dismay, and well might she bo dismay ed, for there, running from her with in credible speed, was Nam, the jewels In his hand. Otter and Leonard heard her cry, and thinking that the priest was escaping sped to cut him off. But he had no idea of escape—at least not of such escape as j they expected. Some 40 yards from where Juanna had been sitting a little promon tory of rock jutted out over the unclimba- ble gulf below them, and toward this spot Nam directed his steps. Running along the ridge, be halted at its end. Indeed he must do so unless he would fall 1,000 feet or more to the bottom of the ravine be- □eath. Then be turned and faced his pur suers, who by now bad reached the edge of the cliff. | “Come one step nearer, ” he cried, “and i I let this bag fall whence you never shall recover it, for no foot can tread these walls of rock, and there is water at the bottom | of the gulf.” Leonard and Otter stopped, trembling . for the fate of the jewels. “Listen, deliverer,” cried Nam. “You came to this land to seek these trinkets, is it not so? And now you have found them and would be gone with them? But before you go you would kill me for vengeance’s sake becatBe I haye_shown_ you to be cheats and have sought to offer you up to those gods whom you have blasphemed, but the red stones you desire are in my hands, and if I unclasp my fingers they will be lost to you and all the world for ever. Say, now, if I bring them back to you in safety, will you swear to give me ray life and suffer me to go my ways in peace?” “Yes, we will swear it,” answered Leonard, who oould not conceal the an guish of his anxiety. “Come back, Nam, and you shall depart, unharmed, but if you let the stones fall then you shall fol low them.” “You swear it?” said the priest eon- tomptuously. “ You are come to this, that you will sacrifice your revenge to satisfy your greed. O white man, with a noble heart! Now I will o’crmatch you, for I, who am not noble, will sacrifice my life to disappoint you of your desires. What! Shall the ancient holy treasure of the Peo ple of the Mist be stolen by two white thieves and their black hound? Never! I would have killed you all had time been granted to me, but in that I failed, and I am glad that I have failed, for now I will deal you a bitterer blow than any death. May the curse of Jal and Aca cleave to you, you dogs without a kennel! May you live outcasts aud die in the dirt, and may your fathers and your mothers and your children spit upon your bones as I do! Farewell!” and shaking his disen gaged hand at them he spat toward them, then, with a sudden motion, hurled him self backward off the point of rock and vanished into space, bearing the treasure with him. For awliilo the three stood aghast and stared at each other and the point of rock which had been occupied by the venerablo form of the late high priest. Then Juanna sank upon the snow, sobbing. “It Is iny fault,” she wailed, “all my fault. Just now I was boasting to myself that 1 had won wealth for you, and I have lost everything. And we have suffered for nothing, and, Leonard, you are a beggar. Oh, it is too much, too much!” “Go out there, Otter,” said Leonard in hoarse voice, pointing to the place whence Nam had hurled himself, “and see wheth er there is any chance of our being able to «limb down into the gulf. ” The dwarf obeyed and presently re turned, shaking his head. “It is impossi ble, baas,” he said. “The wails of rock are sheer as though they had been cut with a knife. Moreover, there is water at the bottom of them, as the old wizard said, “Hold fast," said Leonard through his set teeth as disengaging his right hand from about Juanna’s waist he seized the handle of the spear and pressed its broad blade against a knob of rock behind them. Now the stone, that was balanced on the very verge of the declivity, trembled be neath them, and now slowly and majes tically, aS a ship starting from her slips when the launching cord is severed, it be gan to move down the icy way. l'or the first second it scarcely seemed to stir; then the motion grew’ palpable, and Leonard heard a sound behind him and felt his left foot clasped by a human hand. There was a jerk that nearly drag ged them off their sledge, but lie held fast to the front edge of the stone, and though he could still feel the hand upon his ankle the strain became almost imperceptible. CHAPTER XXX. Lifting his head cautiously, Leonard looked over his shoulder, and the mystery was explained. In her madness and the fury of her love for tho mistress whom she had outraged and betrayed, Soa had striv en to throw herself upon the stone with them so soon as she saw it commence to move, but too late, for feeling herself slip ping forward she had grasped despairingly at the first thing that came to her hand, which chanced to be Leonard's ankle. Now she must accompany them upon their awesome journey, only, while they rode upon the stone, she was dragged after them upon her breast. A flash of pity passed through Leonard's brain as be realized her fearful plight. Then for awhile he forgot all about her, since his attention was amply occupied with his own and Juanna’s peril. Now they were rashing down the long slope with an ever increasing velocity, and now they breasted the first rise, during the last ten yards of which, as in the case of Otter, the pace of the stone slowed down so much in proportion to the progressive exhaus tion of its momentum that Leonard thought they were coming to a standstill. Then it was that he kicked out viciously, striving to free himself from the weight of Soa, which threatened to bring them to a common ruin, but she clung to him like an ivy to a tree, and he desisted from his efforts lest he should cause their sledge to alter its course. On the very top of the rise the motion of the stone decreased almost to nothing ness, then little by little increased ones more as they traversed a short, sharp dip, the same in which they had lost sight of Otter, to be succeeded by a gentle rise. So far, though exciting and novel, their jour ney had been comparatively safe, for the path was broad and the ice perfectly smooth. Its terrors were to come. Look ing forward, Leonard saw that they were at the commencement of a decline so steep that, even had it offered a good foothold, human beings could scarcely have stood upon it, and measuring 400 or 500 yards in length. As yet tho tongue of ice was 50 paces or moro in width, but it narrowed rapidly as it fell till at length near the opposite shore of the ravine it fined away to a point like that of a great white needle and then seemed to break off altogether. Now they were well under way, and now they sped down the steep green ice a* a pace that can hardy be Imagined, though perhaps it is sometimes equaled by an eagle falling on its prey from somo vast height of air. Indeed it is possible that the sensations of an eaglo making his headlong descent and those of Leonard may have been very similar, with the im portant exception that the bird feels no fear, whereas absolute terror are the only words wherewith to describe the mental state of the man. So smooth was the ice and so precipitous its pitch that he felt as though he were falling through space, un supported by anything, for traveling at that speed the friction of the stone was imperceptible. Only the air shrieked as they clove it, and Juanna’s long tresses, torn by it from their fastenings, streamed out behind her like a veil. Down they went, still down, half—two- thirds of the distance was covered; then he looked again and saw the horror that lay before them. Already the bridge was narrow, barely the width of a small room. A hundred yards farther on It tapered to so fine a point that the stone would almost cover its breadth, and beneath It, on either side, was that unmeasured gulf wherein Nam was lost with the jewels. Nor was this all, for at its narrowest it was broken away for a space of 10 or 12 feet, to con tinue on the farther side of the gap, for a few yards at a somewhat lower level, and then run upward at a steep incline to the breast of snow where Otter eat in safety. On they whizzed, ice beneath them and before them, and ica in Leonard’s heart, for he was frozen with fear. His breath had left him because of the rush of their ! progress, but his senses remained painfully acute. Involuntarily he glanced over the edge of the stono, saw the sheer depths be low him and found himself wondering what was the law that kept their sledge upon this ribbon of ico when it seemed so I easy for it to whirl off into space. Now the gap was immediately in front of them. "God help us!” he murmured, or rather thought, for there was no time for words, and they had left the road of ice and were flying through the air as though the stone which carried them wcro a living thing that, seeing the peril, had gathered up its energies and sprung for- I ward for its life. What happened? Leonard never knew for certain, and Otter swore that his heart ' came and stood before hie eyes so that he could not see. Before they touched the farther point of ice—while they were in the air indeed—they, or rather Leonard, heard a hideous scream and felt a jerk so violent that his hold of the stone was loos ened, and it passed from beneath them. Then came a shock, less violent than might have been expected, and, lo! they were spinning onward down the polished surface of the ice, while the stone that had borne them sped on in front like a horse that has thrown its rider. Leonard felt the rubbing of the ice burn him like hot iron. He felt that his ankle was freed from the band that had held it; then for some minutes he felt no more, for his senses left him. When they re turned, it was to hear the voice of Otter crying: “Lie still, baas: do not stir for your life. I come.” Instantly he was wide awake, and mov ing his head ever so little saw their situa tion. Then he wished that he had re mained asleep, for it was this: The impetus of tlieir rush had carried them almost to the line where tho ice stop ped and tho rock and snow began, within some 15 feet of it indeed. But those 15 feet were of the smoothest ice and very sheer, so smooth and sheer that no man could hope to climb them. Below them the slope continued for some 18 or 14 yards till It met the corresponding incline that led to the gap in the bridge. On this surface of ice they were lying spread eagled. For a moment Leonard wondered bow it was that they did not slide back to the bottom of the slope, there to remain till they perished, for without ropes aDd prop er implements no human being could scale it. Then he saw that a chance had befallen them which In after days he was wont to attribute to the direct Intervention of Providence. It will be remembered that when they started Loonard had pushed the rock off with a spear which Olfan had given them. This spear he drew In again as they began to move, placing it between his chest and the stono, for be thought that it might be of service to him should they succeed in crossing the gulf. When they were jerked from the stone and left to travel along the ice on the farther side of the gap In obedi ence to the impetus given to them by the frightful speed at which they were travel - | ing, the spear, obeying the same laws of motion, acoompanied them, but being of a leas specific gravity lagged behind in the race, just as the stone, which was heaviest, i outstripped them. As It happened, near the top of the rise there was a fissure in the ioe, and in this fissure the weapon had become fixed, its weighted blade causing it to assume au upright position. When the sense'ess for I can bear the sound of it. Ob, baas, baas, why did you not kill him at first or let me kill him afterward? Surely I told you that he would bring evil on us. Wall, they are gone, and we can never find them again, so let us save our lives if we may, for, after all, theso are more to us than the bright stones. Come now and help me, baas, for I have found two flat rocks that will serve our turu, a big one for you and the Shepherdess, since doubtless she will fear to make this journey alone, and a smaller one for myself.” Leonard followed him without a word. He was too heartbroken to speak, while Juanna rose and returned to the spot where Nam had roblied her. Looking up presently, her eyes still blurred with tears, she saw Leonard and the dwarf laboriously pushing two heavy stones across the snow toward her. "Now, deliverer,” he said, “when I am safe across, all that you must do is to lie flat upon the stone, both of you, and to push a little with the spear. Then before you know it you will be by my side.” "All right,” said Leonard doubtfully. “Well, I suppose that you had better start. Waiting won’t make the matter any easier.” “Yes, baas, I will go now. Ah, little did I think that I should ever be called on to take such a ride as this. Well, it will be something to make songs about after ward.” And Otter laid himself face downward on the stone with a little laugh, though Leonard noticed that, however brave his spirit might be, he could not prevent bis flesh from revealing its natural weakness, for it quivered pitifully. “Now, baas,” he said, gripping the edges of the stone with his large hands, "when I give the word to you, push gently, and then you will 6ee how a black bird can fly. Put your head lower, baas.” Leonard obeyed, and the dwarf whisper ed in his ear: “I only want to say, baas, in case we should not meet again, for accidents will happen even on the safest roads, that I am sorry that I made such a pig of myself yonder. It was so dull down there in that hale of a palace, and the tog made me sea all things wrong. Moreover, drink and a wife have corrupted mauy a better man. Don’t answer, baas, but push, for I um growing afraid.” Placing his hand at the back of the stone, Leonard gave it a gentle shove, It began to move, very slowly at first, then more fast and faster yet, till it was rush ing over the smooth ice pathway with a whirring sound like that produced by the flight of a bird. Presently it had reached the bottom of the first long slope and was climbing the gentle rise opposite so slowly that for awhile Leonard thought that it was going to stop. It crossed its brow, however, and vanished for a few seconds into a dip, where the watchers could not see it; then it appeared again at the head of the second and longest slope, of which the angle was very steep. Down this it rushed like an arrow from a bow till it reached the narrow waist of the bridge, of which the general conformation bore some resemblance to that of a dead wasp lying on its back. Indeed, from where Leonard and Juanna stood, the span of ice at this point seemed to be no thicker than a sil ver thread, while Otter and stone might have been a fly upon the thread. Now of a sudden Leonard distinctly saw the rock sledge and its living burden, which just then was traveling its swiftest, move up ward as though it had leaped into the air, and then continue its course up the rising plane, which represented the throat of the wasp, till at length it stopped. Leonard looked at his watch. The time occupied by the transit was just 52 sec onds, and the distance could not have been much less than half a mile. “See,” he cried to Juanna, who all this while had sat with her hand before her eyes to shut out the vision of the dwarf’s dreadful progress, "he has crossed safely!” and he pointed to a figure that appeared to be dancing with glee upon the breast of the snow slope. As he spoke a faint sound reached their ears, for in those immense silences sound can travel far. It was Otter shouting, aDd his words seemed to be, “Come on, baas; it is easy!” “I am glad he is safe,” said Juanna faintly, “but now we must follow him. Take ray handkerchief, Leonard, and tie I it over ray eyes, please, for I cannot bear to look. Ob, the idol’s head was nothing to this!” Leonard obeyed her, bidding her not to be afraid. As they came to the stone Leonard heard a sound behind him of footsteps muffled by the snow, and glancing round saw Soa rushing toward them, almost naked, a spaar wound in her side and the light of madness shining in her eyes. “Get back,” he said sternly, “or”— And he lifted the great spear. “O Shepherdess,” she wailed, “take me with you, Shepherdess, for I cannot live without you.” “Tell her to go away,” said Juanna, recognizing the voice. “1 never want to see her any more.” “Then you can die, Soa,” answered Leonard. “Stay. How is it gone yonder? Speak truly, or there is an end.” “I know not, deliverer. When I left, Olfan and his brother still held the mouth of the tunnel and were still unhurt, but the captain was dead. I slipped past them and got this as I went.” And she pointed I to the gash in her side. “If he can hold out a little longer, help may reach him,” muttered Leonard. Then, without more words, he laid him self and Juanna face downward on the broad stone. “Now, Juanna, ” he said, “we are going to start. Grip fast with your right band bodies of Leonard and J uanna bad slid as and see that you do not let go of the far up the slope as the unexpended energy edge of the stone, or we shall both slip off of their impetus would allow, naturally it” enough they began to move back again In “Oh, take me with you, Shepherdess, accordance with the laws of gravity. Then take me with you, and I will be wicked it was, as luck would have it, that the no more, but 6erve you as of old!” shrilled spear, fixed in the crevice of the ioe, saved the voice of Soa I d so despairing a cry that them from destruction, for it chanced that tbejpcXs.rapg. the descent of their two forms passing on either side of it was checked by the handle of the spear, which caught tjte hide rope whereby they were bound together. All of this Leonard took in by degrees; also he discovered that Juanna was either dead or senseless, at the time he could not tell which. “What are you going to do?” he asked of Otter, who by now was ou the vergo of the ice some 15 feet above them. "Cut steps and pull you up, baas,” au swered the dwarf cheerfully. "It will not be easy," said Leonard, glancing over his shoulder at the long slope beneath, “and if we slip or the rope breaks”— “Do not talk of slipping, baas,” re plied Otter as he began to back at the ice with the priest’s heavy knife, "and as tor the rope, if it was strong enough for the water dweller to drag me rouud the pool by, it is strong enough to hold you two, although it has seen some wear. I only wish 1 had such another, for then this matter would be simple.” Then, working furiously, Otter hacked at the hard surface of the ice. The first two steps he hollowed from the top of the slope, lying on his stomach. After this difficulties presented themselves which seemed insuperable, for he could not hack at the ice when he had nothing by which to support himself. “What is to be done now?” said Leon ard. “Keep cool, baas, and give me time to think.” And for a moment Otter squatted down and was silent. "I have it,” he said presently, and ris ing he took off his goatskin cloak and cut It into strips, each strip measuring about 2 inches in width by 2 feet 6 inches in length. These strips he knotted together firmly, making a serviceable rope of them long enough to reach to where Leonard and Juanna were suspended on the fragile handle of the spear. Then ha took the stake which had always done him such good service, and sharpening its point fixed it as deeply as he could into the snow and earth on the border of the Ice belt and tied the skin rope to it. “Now, baas,” he said, “all is well, for I can begin from the bottom.” And without further words ho let him self down till he hung beside them. “Is the Shepherdess dead, baas," he asked, glancing at Juanna’s pale face and closed eyes, “or does she only sleep?” “I think that she is in a swoon,” an swered Leonard. "But for heaven’s sake be quick, Otter, for I am being frozen on this ice. What is your plaD now!” “This, baas—to tie the end of the rope that I have made from the cloak about your middle, then to undo the cord that binds you and the Shepherdess together and return to the top of the slope. Once there, I can pull her up by the hide cord, for it is strong, and she will slip easily over the ice, and you can follow.” “Good,” said Leonard. Then, hanging by ono hand, the dwarf managed, with such assistance as Leonard could give him, to knot the end of the line which he had constructed from the skin garment beneath Leonard's arms. Next he set to work to untie the hide cord, thereby freeing him from Juanna. And now came the most difficult and dangerous part, for Leonard, suspended from the frail shaft of the spear with one hand, must support Juanna’s senseless form with the other, while Otter made shift to drag himself to the summit of the ice, bolding the bide lino in bis teeth. The spear bent dreadfully, and Leonard did not dare to put any extTa strain upon the roughly fastened cord of goatskin by which the dwarf was hauling himself up the ice, for if it gave they must all be precipitated to the dip below, there to perish misera bly, since, without proper ropes and an Ico ax, its ascent would be impossible. Faint and frozen as he was, it seemed hours to him before Otter reached the top and called to him to let go of Juanna. He obeyed, and seating himself on the snow, his feet supported by the edge of the ice, the dwarf put out his strength and began to pull her up. Strong as he was, it proved as much as he was able to do. Indeed, bad she lain on any other material than ice, he could not have done it at all, but in the end he succeeded, and with a gasp of gratitude Leonard saw her laid safe upon the snow. Now Otter, hastily undoing the cord from Juanua’s waist, made it into a run ning noose, which he threw down to Leon ard, who placed it over his shoulders, and having lifted the spear from the cleft iu which it stood commenced his ascent. His first movement cost him a pang of agony, and do wonder, for the blood from wounds that had been caused by the fric tion of his fiesh as he was hurled along the surface of the slide had congealed, freezing his limbs to the ice, whence they could nut easily be loosened. The pain, sharp as it was, did him good, for it aroused his benumbed energies and en abled him to drag on the goatskin cord with all bis strength, while Otter tugged at that which was beneath his arms. Well for him was it that the dwarf had taken the precaution of throwing down this second line, for presently Otter’s stake, which had no firm hold on the icy earth, came out and slid away, striking Leonard as it passed and bearingtheknotted lengths of the cloak with it. The dwarf cried aloud and bent forward as though he were about to fall. By a fearful effort he re covered himself and held fast to the rope in bis hand, while Leonard, suspended to it, swung to and fro like a pendulum on the surfaoe of the ice. Then followed the most terrible mo ments of all their struggles against the difficulties of this merciless place. The dwarf held fast above, and Leonard, ceas ing to swing, lay with hands and leg* out stretched on the face of the ioe. “Now, baas,” said Otter, “be brave, and when I pull do you wriggle forward ” He tugged till the thin bide rope stretch ed, while Leonard clawed and kicked at the ice with his toes, kneesand diaengaged hand. Alas! it gave no hold. He might as well have tried to climb a dome of plate glass at an angle of 60 degrees. “Best awhile, baas,” said the dwarf, whose breath was coming in great soba, “then make a little nick in the ice with the blade of the spear, and when next I pull try to set some of your weight upon it.” Leonard did as he was bid without speaking. “Now,” said the dwarf, and with a push and a struggle he was two feet higher up the Incline. Again the process was re peated, and this time he got his left hand into the lowest of the two steps that Otter had hacked with the knife, and once more they paused for breath. A third effort, the fiercest of them all, a clasping of bands, and he was lying trembling like a fright ened child above the glacier s lip. The ordeal was over, that danger was done with, but at what a coat! Leonard's nerves were completely shattered. He could not stand, his face was bleeding; his nails were broken, aDd the bone of one knee was exposed by the friction of the ice, to say nothing of the shock to the sys tem and the bruises which be had received when he was hurled from the stone. Ot ter’s condition was a little better, but bls hands were cut by the rope, and he was utterly exhausted with toil and the strain of suspense. Indeed, of the three, Juanna had come off by far the best, for she had swooned at the very beginning of the pas sage of the bridge, and when they were jerked from the stone, being lighter than Leonard, had fallen upon him. Moreover, the thick goatskin cloak which was wrap ped about her protected her from all hurt beyond a few trifling cut* and bruises. Of their horrible position, when they were hanging to the spear and the rest of their adventure, including the death of Soa. she knew nothing, and it was well fcr her reason that this was so. “Otter, ” murmured Leonard in a shak ing voice, “have yqn lost that gourd of spirit?” “No, baas; it is safe." “Thank heaven!” he said. “Hold it to my lips if you can. ” The dwarf lifted it with a trembling hand, and Leonard gulped down some of the fiery spirit. To be Continued. La grippe is here again with all of its old time vigor. One Minute Cough Cure is a reliable remedy. It cures and cures quickly. Rogers Bros. This extra ordinary lie JuVenator is the most wonderful discovery of the age. It has been en dorsed by the leading scien tific men of Europe and America. Hud,an la purely vase table. Hudyan stops trema turenecs of the dis charge iu JO days. Cures Constipation, Dizziness, Falling Sen sations, Nerv ous twitching of the eyes and other parts. 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