Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-12-15


head back for civilization in a week.
perhaps not for three months. 1t de-
peuds Oh orr lack as gold hunters. 1t
is more than likely that some of the
party to which you belonged will be en-
countered soon, and who knows what
good news we may receivs. You are
thrice welcome to all it may be in our
power to do for you"
Meanwhile Bess had whisperingly in
ouired of Joe what chances the mother
had of escape.
God help hor-none!" he answered.
"She was wild with fear when she ran
from the wagon, and she would grow
wilder. Before morning came she was
a maniac. but doubt if she lived to see
another day"
"Indiansf' gasped Bess.
"No-wolves. AT that distance from
the mountains man loaded down with
firearms could hardly have kept them
off all night. Encourage the girl all
you can, but don't hope in your own
heart that there is one chance in a mil
lion that she viii ever see her mother
again"
AS the pair stood together apart Har-
kins observed thom with start and
whispered to himself:
well, well, but | do really believe
that my Bess has taken liking to that
chap! How queer"
Ho might moro truthfully have said,
GLOW natural, and he might have used
the word Glove for "lilling.' And when
the man looked upon the sweet face Of
the orphan he had SO gallantly rescued
at the peril of his life, ana felt his heart
beating faster, he might have discovered
another queer thmg-that somebody else
had taken a liking
The captain had given the men to I'M
derstand that he was prospecting up tho
CANYON for gold, but had said nothing of
the discoveries made. When dinner was
finished and the trio were ready to re-
turn he renewed his caution about keep
ing a steady lookout for danger, and
ordered that no one was 10 leave camp
on any pretext till his return. Then the
! three set out for the scene of their labors
and began work Immediately upon their
arrival. They had no fear of their fire
! being seen or their blows overheard, and
men who work to solve mystery do not
! tire
! After three hours OF hard work the
/ crowbars secured such grip on the
stone that it moved. One united effort
would heave it out of the opening. 1t
! was then that the captain stepped back
and sat down and said:
Let us take breathing spell now,
and let us prepare ourselves to be disap-
pointed"
"What do you think ia behind the
stone?" asked Joe.
"a cave of some sort"
"And what shall we find in the cave?"
asked Harkins
The shriveled bodies of dead Aztecs
That lost race always buried their dead
in caves, and when the place would hold
no more it was walled up. l have helped
to open three or four"
"But why go to all this trouble to
open cave of bone and dust" petulant-
ly queried Harkins.
AS the Indian Of today places the
property Of the dead warrior beside him
that he may have an outfit in the happy
land beyond, SO the Aztecs placed the
wealth Of their dead beside them in
these caves. | have seen many orna-
ments Of gold and silver which came
from such caves"
Then let us to work" exclaimed Joe
as he seized II bar.
1--WE shall find cave Of dead if not a
cave Of gold" added Harlrns.
The bars were inserted ON the left
hand side of the stone, each man drew d
long breath and at the word each threw
his weight on his lever. The stone trem-
bled, moved forward, hung a moment
and then fell to tho earth with heavy
thud, and an opening appeared into
which horse could almost have walked.