ide chasm.

It stretched straight across the horse's path.

Frank James was caught in a sort of natural trap, for he had gone
plunging in between two steep rocky walls.

He could not turn to the left or right, and ahead of his sweating horse
there yawned the wide deep chasm.

If he wished to escape he would have to clear the gulf, and as it was
fully twenty-five feet wide, such a feat seemed to be entirely out of
the question.

He glanced back again.

The Terror was swiftly coming along after him.

It rendered the fugitive desperate.

He headed his gallant steed straight for the chasm and plunged toward it
a furious pace.

"By heavens, he is going to attempt to leap that split!" cried Jack,
observing what the outlaw intended doing.

"He can't clear it, said Tim.

"Vell, he vos got der nerve ter dry!" Fritz exclaimed.

"He's bound to go down!" cried Timberlake, excitedly.

"If he does, he may perish!" said the inventor. "The man must be
fearfully desperate to attempt the jump."

"Gief him a hall vunct."

"Hey, Frank James!" called Jack.

The man looked back, but did not answer.

He did not look in the least unnerved by the terrible ordeal.

Jack could not help admiring his courage.

He hailed him again from sheer pity.

"Halt there, you madman, you are committing suicide.

"You'll not nab me!" came back the defiant reply.

"Pause--quick! We'll spare you."

"Never! Good-bye! Now, Jim, up, boy, up!"

The gallant horse seemed to gather every muscle to a high tension when
he reached the verge of the chasm.

He bounded high in the air.

For an instant the horse and rider were poised there.

It was a brave effort.

But it failed.

Three-fourths of the distance was covered.

Then down the animal plunged into the abyss.

As they sunk out of sight Jack whirled the wheel around and applied the
air brake.

The Terror barely had time to swing around to avoid the edge of the
chasm, and a cloud of dirt and dust flew up from beneath her wheels.

She quickly paused.

Jack alighted.

Going to the edge of the abyss he peered down.

It was not more than twenty feet deep.

Along the bottom flowed a wide, deep mountain stream.

Frank James and his horse had alighted in it without the slightest
injury, and Jack saw the beast swim ashore and wade out.

They had been swept some distance down the stream by the fierce current,
and had got out near a wide opening in the rocks on the side opposit