Show fl s a TUR TURNING nia NG POINT P U ARM ft N a M kif BV mary imlay taylor RELEASE THE STORY THUS FAR sherwin realized jordan might return to the cabin but be did not want to leave the country until he had evened the score with his bis cousin Sten stenhart bart lie ile recalled the way his uncle had died stabbed by a knife stenhart had sworn that he be had seen sherwin wield the knife perjury that brought prison and escape by a tunnel at the ranch stenhart urged jane to marry him at once but she rides away before breakfast without answering still weak stenhart rides after her ile he saw jane get off her horse and go up an old trail he followed when sherwin awoke he explored in the vicinity of the cabin and discovered an old cave and a rope CHAPTER VIII A man bound securely and hidden in that unknown cavern beyond reach of the sun beyond the sound of human voices might taste something of the misery of a prison and it if he stayed there long enough he would die it was a scheme so simple and so hideous that it appealed at once to his ferocious passion for revenge it would be easy too if only he could get stenhart by himself with au all his wily skill in shielding himself at the expense of others all al his bravado stenhart was at heart a coward ah how well sherwin knew that how the shifty eye had cringed away from his cousins when he took the oath in court and lied lied a young man into prison for life for what so that there might be no one to dispute that will the will that the old uncle meant to change chartae in Sh erwins favor to secure himself in that he had sworn to a lie sherwin came out of the little cabin with the rope in his hand he would not leave it there for chance to rob him of it he would hide it ready to his hand for he was sure that stenhart and he would come at last face to face he stood in the full glory of the morning the tar far off heights were shorn of their shadows and melted like peaks of gold into the golden sky by contrast the nearer hills were darkly wooded glancing with lights and shadows and far up an eagle soared something new and mighty swept into his soul he seemed to hear the voices of the wilderness crying to him vengeance is mine for a single instant his very soul was shaken then he turned and walked to the far edge of the little clearing there through a window in the foliage he glimpsed the lower road running like a white ribbon far beyond the ravine As he glanced down at it he saw a man riding slowly across his vista and he gasped for breath the uplifted moment plunged deep down into the chasm of his hate it was stenhart he did not question why he came thus instinctively he knew that the man was on an errand of betrayal but his own heart leaped fiercely he had seen him first he was alone holding the rope upon his arm he felt for the pistol in his shoulder should e r holster knew it to be loaded and ready with a kind of savage joy he turned and began to descend the dangerous path on the ledge of the ravine and its very danger thrilled him how easy to thrust a man over here in a struggle he glanced down at the boiling water far below and smiled grimly either way his weapons were ready to his hand he did not walk fast he took time to order hi his s thoughts the man should have his chance a chance he had never given him to fight tor for his life sherwin scorned to stab in the dark as the other did to kill with lies imprisonment for life and he was so young theril then lie he thought of the cavern its gloom its dripping walls and he laid a caressing hand on the coil of rope upon his arm torn with the evil forces of his passions sure that revenge was near he turned the corner of the ledge and saw a figure coming toward him not stenhart so sooil soon no a slighter younger figure a white face clear eyes jane they stood looking at each other the silence seemed interminable through the mans mind flashed the conviction that she had come with stenhart that she must be in league with himl him to think her treacherous was as bitter as death he flung down the coil of rope and stood waiting with folded arms it was certain that he could not kill stenhart before her but his purpose was unshaken he would do that when the opportunity came jane looking at his hardened face his grim lips wavered her courage which had been high went down in sheer terror of him he hated her suddenly she felt it then having come so tar far she would not be utterly dismayed she came on weakly catching at the trailing limbs of nearby trees 1 I guessed where mac had taken you ive come to ask you one question she faltered 1 I so she could not go on and he would not help her he stood there looking at her and she saw only his inexorable eyes at last she could not endure them she lifted her shaking hands and hid her face 1 I came to ask you to r hir her voice broke and then rose almost to a cry of pain to tell me that it true to what purpose he asked hoarsely you dont believe me ask stenhart I 1 know you see that hes with you with me she lifted her flushed face and looked at him amazed what can you mean im alone sherwin could not doubt her honesty she did not know that she was wag followed H hes es behind you he said gravely he dismounted on the lower road I 1 saw him just now she gasped casting a frightened look over her shoulder 1 I never thought he could ride so far hell she shivered hell betray youl sherwin laughed discordantly it be new he began that long ago with a lie she caught at that trembling it was a lie please tell me that tell me the truth I 1 want to believe woo so you can convince him sherwin mocked her he here I 1 tell you I 1 came alone the girl cried excitedly you came alone then come here and ill show you the horse he rode sherwin turned as he spoke walking back toward that vista through the trees the girl half dazed by his manner unbelieving that it could be true that stenhart was with her followed him they turned the shoulder of the cliff and saw the one clear vista of the lower road seen over the cedar that thrust itself out below them theres the horse said sherwin and there he is you see he followed you hes going back now he knows where I 1 am oh jane gave a little cry of horror he oh I 1 cant think hell tell the sheriff cant you Sh sherwinn erwins tone was bitter you led him here the girl recoiled at that not with the horror she had recoiled before but with a flush of pride her blue eyes shone 1 I did not lead him here she said coldly and turned away she was in a tumult how dared he accuse her of treachery bry she started rapidly retracing her steps once the she almost slipped on the narrow ledge but she did not look back though she heard his steps behind her now jane she would not turn she stumbled fed on but he overtook her speak to me he said brokenly forgive me I 1 thought I 1 was strong but im weak im a beggar for a word of kindness you came here tell me jane you knew it true of me she stood still looking down pale and shaken you answer 0 gently almost reverently he took her in his arms me tell me that youre innocent 2 she lifted her eyes to his ten tell me and ill believe you he at her strangely he was still iron in his will to kill the perjurer 1 I am innocent of that crime he said she leaned back against the cliff behind her panting her face flushed and her lips trembled do you believe me jane he as asked ed hoarsely had I 1 been guilty of that I 1 would never have told you that I 1 loved you she looked up and their eyes held each other 1 I believe you john she said simply for one long moment they looked at each other thus and a strange c change ange swept over the man he felt it without knowing it without recognizing this hidden thing that took possession of him but suddenly eniy the world seemed flooded with light and in it he saw only the face of the girl gently almost reverently he took her in his arms jim keller ready for breakfast found no one about he shouted to ah ling get me some coffee I 1 wonder where in mischief jane is he added to himself testily then his mind went back to yesterday and he remembered her face she had said little but he knew her well con found it he thought soberly ashes got a fancy for that tallow 1 my fault too id no business to have a stranger about a man without credentials denti als he drank his coffee hastily and ate little fanny sewell had spoken the day before of going away stenhart she said was well jim did not mean to let her go but she was hesitating he wanted her to marry him but she wanted to work two more years ridiculous ideal idea jim growled 1 I need you more than these sick people she had not yet appeared and it angered him to feel that perhaps she did not want a tete a tete just now he rose from the table thrusting his hands into his pockets and walked to and fro in the hall he began to be more and more puzzled by his sisters absence she went on horseback long while ago teresa told him jim thought of the rustlers wheres mac he shot the question at jose who had come in from the stables with a message gone down to th corrals keller did you see miss jane go si senor jose relapsed into his native tongue you saddled for her I 1 suppose you sense enough to tell mac jordans somewhere about Sten har go after her jim stared that stenhart was able to ride at all surprised him but it was a relief to have him with jane lately jim had felt that the girl was playing fast and loose with his friend she would never marry max he thought but thi this s news was reassuring it if jane a daredevil rider would slow her pace to suit a half sick man she must be glad of his company jim walked out on the veranda and looked towards the bridge they might be coming home by now the sunshine was wonderful it dazzled him for a moment then he saw stenhart coming across the bridge urging his horse he was alone jim went half way down the slope to meet him hello max he shouted anxiously wheres jane stenhart made no reply he swung himself down from the saddle looking haggard come into the house he said thickly too many men about out here jim whitened he had a strange foreboding without a word he turned with stenhart toward the house and once he had to steady the man on his feet he was so exhausted they entered the dim old hall and stenhart flung himself into a chair gasping jim stood in front of him with a set face for gods sake speak out max he exclaimed up wheres my sister stenhart getting his breath answered with cold fury boshes up the mountainside with sherwin jim drew a hard breath he was furious but he controlled himself sat down on the edge of his desk and looked attentively at stenhart it occurred to him that the man might be in a fever from undue exertion and not responsible will you kindly explain yourself he said gravely youre speaking of my sister im telling you nothing but the truth stenhart replied stubbornly she and I 1 had a quarrel this morning she left me to go out on horseback I 1 followed 4 I 1 had it in mind to overtake her to try to make it up you understand he stopped biting his lips and jim made an impatient gesture of assent go on he exclaimed stenhart did not look at him film HOA stared at the bright rectangle 0 of the thep S lf open door anahis and his fingers drummed on the arms of his chair she was a long way ahead riding fast I 1 followed she know it presently she turned into a mountain trail and dismounted I 1 could see her through the trees I 1 got down off my horse and followed I 1 thought to overtake her on foot more easily the trail is difficult it ascends sharply I 1 found it hard clun climbing bing and she got far ahead half way up I 1 heard voices and stood still I 1 an intentional eavesdropper he drew a hard breath 1 I saw them sherwin had met herl her jim stiffened you mean that my sister going out alone as she often does chanced to meet this y this convict 0 3 stenhart lifted a gray face there was no doubt now of the misery in his eyes She loves him jim jim struck his open hand on the desk an intolerable thing for even an old friend to say max max met his eyes steadily its the truth jim and then he added chokingly 1 I know the sheer passion of that cry its defeat its bitterness carried conviction vic tion for an instant jim usually so even tempered stared at him then he swore softly and seized the telephone re receiver beiver f stenhart snatched at his arm what are you going to do jim shook him off get the sheriff after him I 1 know about where cutler is hello yes he began to talk into the receiver stenhart who felt really ill turned and poured a glass of water he had drained it when jim finished telephoning cutler left mannings two hours ago headed this way hell be here soon I 1 max what are you going to do stenhart was at the door jim saw that he walked stiffly come back he exclaimed youre ill but stenhart was climbing the saddle again as he mounted h he turned a white face toward jim im going to meet the sheriff he get away this time max I 1 say jim wanted to direct this thing himself even in his rage he remembered sherwin saving him that first night but stenhart was off at a gallop swaying in the saddle the thing was done jim turned back thinking grimly of jane if she really cared he wondered what they would do with an escaped convict in rhode island As his rage cooled he thought of jane he must get her before the posse arrived he heard Sten harts horse gallop across the bridge ilia TO BE CONTINUED J fr z |