The Rock Island Argus., 1885-09-05
CHAPTER Y.
THE SECRET OF THE CAVE.

For a minute after the disappearance
Charles Brinlley lay as if petrified; and, in
deed, be was altogether lost in wonder. What
had happened3 Had an earthquake swallowed
the mysterious one, or had he tumbled down
in lita Brinkley waited and watched; five
minutes had passed, ten minutes, and still the
light did not re-emerge. At last, overcome
by his curiosity, Brinkley rose, and, STOPPING
close to the ground, crept from the rock be
hind which he had laid concealed, and crawled
across the summit of the sandhill Suddenly
be stopped short and went down on hands
and knees, for he now clearly discerned,
coming out of the solid earth or sand, the
glimmer of tine light.
It glimmered, then disappeared again. Just
then the moon slipped out of her cloud,
illuminating the hillocks with v1treous rays;
and he perceived, close by him, a dark hole,
opening into the very heart of the hillock.
He crept closer and looked down, but could
see nothing He held his head over the hole
and listened; all he heard was dull, hollow
moaning, like the sound of the sea. The light
of the moon, however, enabled him TO per
ceive that the hole had been covered with a
loose piece of wood or lid, about four feet
square, duii Will dl III Inc Ce1-
ter, which lid was now lying by the side Of
the opening, ready to be replaced. A num-
Der of large pieces of stone, such as were
strewed everywhere about the sandhills, lay
piled close by.
He lay for some time waiting and listening.
All at once, far beneath him, the light glim-
mered again, Quick as thought he rose and
crept away, onir just in time; for he had nc
sooner regained the shelter of the rock, and
crouched there watching, than he saw the
light re-emerge, accompanied by a human
head; human body followed. and then he
clearly discerned William Jones standing IN
the moonlight without the burden he had pre-
viously carried, and holding in his hand u
lantern.
Setting the lantern down, William busted
| himself for several minutes, and finally, bav.
| ing concluded the work on which he was en-
gagged, extinguished the light. Then, after
| glancing sUspciously round him on every
side, he walked rapidly down the sandhill,
and disappeared in the direction of the sea.
Not until he distinctly heard the plash Of
oars, and saw the black silhouette of the boat
pass out from the shadow OF the rock on &c
the moorlit sea did Brinlley again begin &c
stir; and even then he did so very cautiously
| lest his figure should be perceived against the
moonlight by the lynx-eyed rover. Creep
ing on hands and knees he again crawled &c
the mysterious spot, and found, as be had in
deed anticipated, that the hole was covered
up and the wooden lid or trap door SO care
fully covered with stones and loose sand as tc
be completely hidden
His first impulse was to displaee the debri.
and at once to explore the mysterious place
but rejecting that he was unprovided witt
lights of any kind, and that the cavity below
would most certainly be in total darkness, ht
| determined to postpone his visit Of inspection
until daylight. By this time there was NJ
sight or sound of the boat. Rising to his feet
he mused. 1t all very well to talk of re-
turning another time, but how was he to fine
the spots The sea of sandy hillocks stretched
on every side, and he knew by experienc,
how difficult it was to distinguish one hillocl
from another. As to the cairns of loos.