LITMIR.BIZ

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resolved to make an effort to save the unfortunate girl—to rescue her from the clutch of Black Harry.

      Having determined on such an attempt, he lost no time in catching her up and dashing into the hut with her in his arms.

      Dropping her upon her feet, he whirled, slammed the door shut, found the wooden bar with which old Cade had made it fast, dropped the bar into its socket, and cried:

      "Hurrah for us! This is the first step to freedom!"

      Turning, he found the girl was leaning against the wall, staring at him in a wondering way, but without fear being expressed on her handsome face.

      "I trust you are quite unharmed, Miss Dawson?" he said, swiftly. "My unsavory double has——"

      "He has not harmed me," she broke in, swiftly, "but I feel that I have done you a harm I can never repair."

      "Nonsense! How have you harmed me?"

      "By declaring that you were the one who shot my father."

      "You believed it when you said so, and that——"

      "Yes, I believed it, but that is nothing that will lessen the injury I did you. And to think of the terrible peril in which I placed you! Then, when it was reported that father was dead, they were determined to lynch you."

      "And your father is not dead?"

      "He was not when I last saw him, and the doctor said he might come out all right."

      "That is indeed fortunate."

      "I heard them crying that he was dead, I saw them preparing to make an assault on the jail, and I left father's side to stop them if I could."

      "Brave girl!"

      "Then it was that I fell into the hands of this wretch who brought me here—the real Black Harry. He was waiting for an opportunity to capture me—he told me so. He told me how I had imperiled the life of one who was innocent, and he laughed at my horror and remorse. He is a heartless creature!"

      "He seems to be all of that."

      "And you have placed your life in greater peril for me—you did so after what I did to you! Why should you do such a thing?"

      "Why, Miss Dawson, you were not to blame for thinking me Black Harry. The fellow is my double, and I ought not to have a double. Do you suppose I would think of leaving you in his power if there was any possible way for me to save you?"

      "You are a noble fellow! But you cannot save me—you cannot escape yourself! They will soon break in here, and then——"

      Frank was listening at the door, and he heard Black Harry complete his explanation to his Braves, heard their wild cries, and knew they were going to charge on the door.

      "It will not stand before them!"

      He looked around and saw the stairs.

      "Up!" he cried to the girl. "Don't lose a moment!"

      He motioned toward the stairs, and she ran toward them, hearing the roar that came from the outlaws as they made the rush for the cabin.

      "Come!" she panted, looking over her shoulder, and seeing Frank with a revolver in either hand. "Don't stay there! They will kill you!"

      "Up!" he shouted again. "I will follow!"

      She sprang up the stairs, which creaked and swayed beneath her.

      There was a great shock, and the cabin seemed to totter on the brink of the chasm. Then the door fell, and the ruffians swarmed into the cabin.

      Frank Merriwell was right behind the girl, and he seemed to lift her and fling her into the loft.

      "There they go!" rang the voice of the real Black Harry. "Up the stairs!"

      "This is no time for talk!" cried Frank, as he crouched at the head of the flight, his teeth set, and the light of desperation in his eyes.

      The braves came rushing up the stairs, and the boy above thrust out both hands, each of which held a revolver.

      Frank fired four shots, and the smoke shut out the faces of the fierce rascals on the stairs. He heard cries of pain and the sound of falling bodies.

      "I didn't waste my bullets," came grimly from his lips.

      But what could he do now? He had repulsed them for the time, but they were in the cabin, and it would not be for long that he could keep them back. They would soon find a way to reach him.

      He leaped to the swinging window and flung it open, thrusting the revolvers lightly into the side pockets of the coat he wore. He looked down into the depths of the chasm, through which ran the stream of water.

      "It is a long distance down there," came hoarsely from the lad's lips. "I will try it! It is our last hope."

      With a bound, he caught up the coil of rope, then he rushed to the window and flung it out. As one end was made fast to a rafter, it hung dangling from the window.

      Frank looked out, and he saw that the rope reached to the stream of water.

      At the same time, he heard Black Harry calling on his braves to follow him up the stairs.

      "Come!" said Frank, hurrying to the side of the girl, and grasping her arm. "There is one chance in a thousand that we may do the trick and escape alive. We'll make a try for that chance."

      She did not question him, she did not hold back, but she bravely trusted everything to his judgment.

      Frank passed through the window in advance. He twisted the rope around one leg, and he secured a good hold on it with his hands. Then he said to the girl:

      "Be lively now! Get through the window, put your arms about my neck, cling for your life, and trust to Frank Merriwell and Providence."

      She did so, and they were soon descending the rope.

      Frank went down, hand under hand, as he did not dare slide at first, knowing that his hands would be torn and bleeding, and that he must lose his hold before the bottom was reached. With the twist about his leg to aid him, he managed to sustain himself and his living burden very well.

      The girl whispered in his ear:

      "Courage! You are the noblest fellow I ever saw—the greatest hero in the whole wide world!"

      He made no reply, for his teeth were set, and he was mentally praying for strength and time.

      Down they went—down, down. And then, when nearly half the distance had been covered, a shout came from above.

      "Here they are! Ten thousand fiends! They shall not get away alive!"

      It was the voice of Black Harry himself.

      "Oh, for a little more time!" panted Frank.

      But no more time was to be given him. He heard the voice of the boy outlaw crying:

      "Look up here, Frank Merriwell—look up! I have a little trick to show you."

      Frank looked upward, and he saw Black Harry leaning far out of the window. A knife glittered in the hand of the young desperado.

      "I am going to cut the rope!" came down to the ears of the boy and girl. "Poor fools! Did you think to escape me! You will go down to your death in the creek!"

      Frank clung with one hand to the rope, although the strain was terrible. With his other hand he drew one of the revolvers from his pocket, lifted it, took aim, fired.

      The weapon spoke just as Black Harry slashed at the rope.

      There was a shriek of pain, a human body shot out from the window, and, as it went whirling downward, the rope parted!

      Then down shot Frank and Lona to fall into the stream. They struck where the water was quite deep, and they were unharmed, although the girl was unconscious when our hero bore her to solid ground.

      As for Black Harry, he struck where some jagged rocks reared

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