San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-08-25

how or where he had gone as he
was familiar with the banks all
along that part of the river and
knew it was a bluff twenty feet
high at this place, but on coming
nearer he noticed that a large
stone upon which he had sat
many a time was slightly dis
placed, and upon examining it
more infinitely he found that 1t
rolled aside and disclosed a hole
about two feet square, leading
downward, and with the aid Of a
dark lantern which he had
brought along, Rob was enabled to
see the bottom about twenty feet
below, and also that steps were cut
in the sides to aid in ascending
and descending.
Rob, now fully satisfied that he
was on the trail Of the counter
letters, entered the hole and let
himself down to the bottom where
he found a passage out to the edge
OF the water, and, along the bot
tom of the bluff covered from view
from the river by the willows, he
discovered a trail leading along
the waters edge.
Following this trail for about 500
yards he suddenly came to an
abrupt halt, running squarely
against projecting point Of the
bluff.
Searching about for some place
to pass, his hand touched a niche
in the bank. Pulling himself up
to this he found that passageway
led of into the bluff, so following
it up he found that it led into a
small cave at the farther end of
which were two men sitting on a
large fiat stone in the dim light of
a lantern, busily engaged counting
over large stack of money which
glistened in the light as IL new.
AS both men had their backs to-
ward Rob, he could not tell who
they were, but after few moments
the largest man of the two put the
money in a bag and they started
out Of the cave, when the light fell
upon their faces and Rob rec.
ognized the man who had the
money as the Squire.
AS the men walked along the
narrow passage Rob had to crouch
close to the wall to keep from be-
ing discovered, and as soon as they
were far enough ahead, for him to
safely venture out, he followed
them, just in time to see the two
men part at the mouth OF the cave !;
the Squire taking the same path
over which he and Rob had came
and the other man going down to
the edge of the water and getting
into skiff which was fastened to
the bank.
Rob resolved to follow the
stranger as he was confident that
he was going straight to the count
erfeiters, den. He was now sure
that the cave he had just left was
merely a meeting place for one Of
the counterfeiting gang and their
confederate who put the money in
to circulation for them, and he was
also satisfied that the Squire was
the confederate of the gang and
the man who had put all the spuri.
Gus coin in circulation in that
locality.
So Just as the man was pulling
out from the bank, Rob slipped in
to the back of the skiff, and laid
down unobserved by the man who
had his back to him, as he was pad
ding the skiff, and not rowing it.
The man went down the river
about half a mile when he turned
in among the willows, tied the
skiff and walked down the river
few feet, when he climbed up the
lbluff about ten feet and disappare-
ed into a cave. Rob left the boat
and followed and was soon back in
the cave Just out side OF large
room in which he could see several
men working around a large
furnace, evidently making counter
felt money.
In a few moments the man
whom Rob had followed and who
was evidently the captain told the
men that the Squire had just taken
of $1,000 of the "queer" and that
he would come and bring them
5000 in U. s. currency for Ii the
following night, as it was all en-
gagged, and could be Immediately
disposed of. He said that all who
had any interest in the scheme
would be there the following night
also as a division OF the profits
was to be made.
Rob thought he recognized the
leaders voice but could not tell
who the man was as his face was
covered with heavy sandy beard
and Rob did not know any one OF
this description, so he concluded
that he did not know him, and he
did not get to see the other mems
faces we'll and therefore he thought