Show t ft 1 I r tl 4 i a j apri s ff A xi 11 L A abul iivari E SMITH c CYRUS TOWNSEND brady 1 NOVELIZED FROM PHOTO PLAY loto hi Vl SYNOPSIS john dails and hak morgan execl tors ot the estate 0 john carr miner disagree over the disposition of the profits ot the mine morgan seeks the gold and the ethel carrs adopted daughter or and unsuspected by dails whom ethel really loves makes numerous sensational attempts upon the life 0 aels suspicion Is diverted to a mys alous hermit I 1 anally unmasked morgan and his gang make a last desperate effort 1 get rid ot dails EPISODE 15 FATES VERDICT imprisoned in the sliding house which they knew must in a moment more topple from the verge of the cliff and be smashed into matchwood on the locks at the bottom of the canyon adhn and clung to whatever abject was handiest the snick as momentarily checked at the brink y the stump and while the ras creeping forward to fasten the tope around the obstruction that it might be jerked away and the building permitted to fall the pair within seized the brief moment of respite to tear one of the loosely fastened planks from the floor As they made the opening they heard their names called from below and glanced down but a short distance below they saw the upturned face of the old hermit who was standing upon a narrow ledge just beneath the over lang of the cliff come down hurry 1 he called softly and the pair lost no time in obeying lowering themselves through taft opening made by the removed board they dropped to the ledge being caught as they fell by alie one who ethod below safe once more they crowded themselves against the face of the cliff to escape if possible being dashed into the by the structure just above their heads when it should come roaring down A moment later it swept by them brushing lr bodies in its descent from the up of the cliff the spider printed down into the depths at the wintered JInt ered remnants of what once had ren the shack thence turned to morgan how about the gold he demand ed the hawk laughed the gold Is safe enough we II 11 get it later we might as well be getting away from here As they got into their saddles preparatory to riding away morgan glancing over his men noticed the absence of the essayer not wishing the inmates of the home house alarmed AS yet he decided that they should go hack and look for him at once they wheeled their horses and started off on a lope their pursuit was fruitless the man of whom they were in search hav inac become suspicious of the gang through the inadvertent remark of morgan had taken advantage of their excitement la the battle about the house and mounting his horse scurried back in the direction 0 the main cabin ethel hearing him come galloping up ran to the door just na the approaching man leaped from the saddle greatly agitated he called to her got mr dails trapped in a house and are trying to shove it over the cliff with a cry of alarm the girl whirl ed and went running into the house A moment later she appeared with bridget the girl bearing a rifle and pistol the cook a double saw ed off shotgun calling to the man that they could make better time over the ridge on foot he turned his horse loose and fell in at their sides running as fast as they aoud aliey mounted the trail As the house went thundering down ludd spice jolin turned to the hermit and thrust out ats hand e have to thank you for our lives sir I 1 had thought that ou were the author of all this deviltry but it seems I 1 was grievously mistaken grimly the indian smiled na bilm good man morgan and spider they all doll keenly dails surveyed their rescuer up and down running his hand across his brow as he astrov e to freshen his memory 1 I seem to know you ho said slowly and yet your name A smile crossed the face of their savior I 1 think w e had best go back to the cabin and look after the woman folks he interrupted As for my name chere Is time enough for that thought of possible danger to ethel spurred dails into instant acquiescence As they emerged from the valley near the cabin a low exclamation from the hermit caused them to look back morgan and bis gang were already in sight and headed for them and at once they broke into a run dashing into the cabin john called loudly for ethel but no reply came and a quick revealed the emptiness of the house hastily barring the doors they made ready for the at tack which they knew would soon fol low morgan at sight of the assayers horse and the running three turned to the spider with a wicked oath curse them they have gotten away again it surely beats me and that fool assayer has joined them take half the men and ride back we may bag something the spider with a command to a number of the miners went riding away at their head while the hawk and ats party dismounted taking advantage of whatever shelter they could find they opened fire upon the house ethel and her party hearing the approach of the spider s gang ran from the trail and climbed to a little ledge over which a brow of the cliff drooped As the approaching party opened alre upon them they threw themselves flat upon the rock and returned it and the assailants seeing the impossibility of rushing the place scattered and took to shelter A careful scanning of the situation convincing the spider that an attack from above the ledge might be successful he dispatched two men to make a detour and get above it while he and the rest kept up their fire one of their bullets glancing from a rock pierced the assayers arm nd ills weapon dropped in an instant the irish woman had dropped her formidable gun seized the wound af j ia J boxes of explosives were piled up between john and the tunnel t al 11 WV ed man and dragged him into a recess where she began bandaging it the girl her ammunition exhausted turned into the niche where her companions were in order to secure in other weapon As she did so one of the men whom the spider had corn for the attack from above dropped upon the shelf before them before he could regain his pole bridget with a wild celtic war cry was upon him locking her mighty arms about bis waist ehe hurled him bodily over the edge watching him as he ant crashing down when he was no longer to be sen she faced about and saw her sawed off gun where she had dropped it when the assayer had been hit slowly she picked it up beradt I 1 clane forgot it she muttered but her moment of triumph was short lived P en as she spoke a second form dropped heavily upon her head and dihe fell stunned upon the ledge and before the girl could reload her weapon the outlaw had disarmed her covering the wounded man their captor uttered a triumphant and at that signal the spider and his followers came swarming over the ledge quickly the three prisoners were bound after which they were marched lack along the ridge at the muzzles of their captors weapons brought before morgan the cap thes were ordered to halt the hawk turned to the girl its open war from now on I 1 you will join my side marry you after I 1 get rid of that cursed if not his further remarks were cut bhart by a volley from above I 1 rom ahe sawmill where aliey had been inspecting the the tw 0 biad h ai d the shots and rushed out A glaab at the group below enlightened tt cm as to the real situation and without lies fullon aliey alre upon the gang pack out of range darted the div k dragging ethel after him ills voice arose in a sharp command to the mine everybody we have pot the an 1 they will hav e to como to our terms As they started away blickle approached him and la hj ear and with a gesture of assent morgan the spider bei ore them all right lie returned but don t involve the woman I 1 can use her As the party started toward the mine brackle BI ackle who had lagged behind turned his bach upon them and broke into a wild run toward the cabin waving his handkerchief on high as he leaped from rock to rock and morgan and the spider sending their bullets about him as cloady as they dand without danger of doing alip harm the party within the cabin seeing this kiy and believing that the man was endeavoring to escape threw open the door and ad him into their midst breathlessly the new arrival sink upon a chair they are going into the mine with the boman I 1 wont stand for that rough stun 1 you will have me after what I 1 have done help yoa clean out that gang I 1 m a sinner all right but no murder in mine scarcely had they assured him eliat A f j his kielp would be accepted than the two engineers joined them and a coun ell of war was at once called john spoke of course the first thing to do Is to get ethel and bridget out of their clutches I 1 have barricades barricaded barrica ded the mine entrance through the tunnel yonder and as they have left the assayer behind and he seems to be able to use one band he can watch it you two engineers can cover the vine screened entrance and blackie and I 1 will enter by the hole in the cliff and the hermit interposed do not assign any part to the indian and nie go ahead with your plan for it Is a good one I 1 think I 1 can help in my own way As all agreed they started off leaving the hermit and the assayer who was now slowly approaching behind john and blackie reached the top of the rock overlooking the ledge which gave entrance to the mine making a rope fast they began the descent dails first the other man following him As the latter landed the spiders face unseen by john appeared at the entrance but disappeared as suddenly as it had come at a gesture from his confederate arrived upon the ledge they pursued their way along it blackie now in advance they peered around a projecting rock and caught sight of the villains busily at work at the far end of the cave inside very quietly they arrived at the spot where ethel lay hound and cutting her fetters john lifted her in his arms and likic her into the tunnel there embracing her he spoke boatly walt for me I 1 am going hick after bridget A moment later and he had reached the irish woman she whispered to him be alev aliey re up to some dirty ruck john at thit instant the gun butt of the treacherous blackie falling upon the head of the bonding man he dropped heavill to the floor in an instant he was upon his feet his revolver in his hand the traitor was already in the net of delivering a second blow when the weapon of dails flashed III get vou anyway sou traitor he cried as he sent a bullet through the would be assassins bodi but before he could repeat the shot the gang was upon him the desperate battle which followed raged from wall to wall of the cave but th lono roan down bound and laid next to bildat Bil det by morgans direction alio men be acin boxes of explosives di cartridges and tny with long fuses tiny piled up between john and the tunnel through which he had come next they ran three lines of fuse to the pile one along the ground another along the wall about waist high and the third as high as they could reach of the three fuses would ignite and explode the mass of death which aliey had piled about morgan addressed them boys that entrance Is blocked the d will keep him away from that one the fuses and well beat it this way which leads to the cabin and safety after it Is all over well come back for the treasure one by one the three death fuses were fired the hawk and others pausing for a moment at the tunnel mouth to watch the sparks creep on jeered the two bound victims whom they were leaving behind to be blown to atoms with a final curse upon them morgan led his companions through the tunnel toward alie house AS they started john rolling over and held his wrists to the streak of lire that was creeping along the floor on its way to the dynamite and regardless gard less of burnt flesh pressed his bonds upon it As the retreating gang was about to pass around a bend in the tunnel which would afford them safety from the forthcoming blast a door in the root fiew open and throwing their eyes upward they saw themselves covered by four laavy revolvers two in the hands each of the hermit and with death from the blace muzzled staring them in the face and the rapidly burning fuses at their backs they threw up their hands with wild cries for mercy gamly the hermit called to john who with his bonds burned through now sprang to his feet pass up that woman quick raising bridget in his arms dails shoved her through the trap an instant later following her and slamming the door shut with their only hope lying in extinguishing the racing fuses the outlaws rushed madly back stamping tearing at the walls impeding each others efforts fighting savagely among themselves ethel having regained the ledge heard the wild yells of the imprisoned outlaws and paused in wonderment As she did so there was a roar that shook the mountain to its foundation a blinding flash and a stream of anre and smoke that shot from the opening and far out across the valley in its midst she saw the body of the spider spinning in the air and with a shudder watched it as it made its flight to the jagged rocks far below the next instant some object fell at her feet and with a little cry of fright she sprang back it was a rope blown there by the blast and with a quick glance about which took in her surroundings she picked it up out of the mine shaft john the hermit bridget and emerged to be greeted by the assayer and the engineers dails rushed eagerly forward where Is athel he demanded As none answered be pushed them aside and went hurrying away then she must be where I 1 left her on the ledge running to the spot he found the rope which he and biad used still hanging there and descended followed by who had closely pursued him there they tried the entrance but it was blocked forever by the huge masses of rock loosened by the explosion and they turned their eyes down into the valley far below upon the rocks they made out the broken remains of what once had been the spider plunged into the depths of despair the pair slowly pursued their home ward way they entered the cabin to be greet ed by the others who around them eagerly inquired for neva of the missing girt too to speak daan indicated by a gesture of hopelessness that she was lost then seating himself in a chair he closed his eyes as his chin fell hear ill upon his breast horrified and also deeply sympathetic the others drew silently away from the suffering one the door of ethel s room opened and she came silently forth a grave smile upon her face touching her lips with a finger to command the sl lence of the astonished party she crept noiselessly up behind the silent ly suffering one and covered hla eyes with her hands and beneath that well known touch johns heart first topped then leaped like a bounded rubber ball athel 1 be cried springing up he folded her in alg arms the girl presently lifting her head from his shoulder saw the hermit stared at him then uttered a glad cry daddy 1 its daddy carrl breaking away from her lover she threw herself into the old mans arms and all this while we thought you dead the ex hermit beamed down upon her alle as a matter of fact I 1 have been very much alive through all these things that have happened I 1 put john and hawk to the test and the right one Is here alive and safe the other with his crimes Is burled for ever beneath the mountain john wrung carrs hand until tears of pain streamed down the old miners cheeks SQ it was yon who was helping us nil the time I 1 managing to release his half crushed fingers the prospector laid them fondly upon the young roans shoulder yes my boy and now well work the mine as planned the poor shall benefit there 13 treasure enough for all and as for you john rf turning quickly front him slipped bis ana around the waist ot the girl here Is my treasure he said smilingly ane END J there was a roar that shook the mountain j ai |