Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-02-04

There IS no opening IN the cllh," sal
Joe as he held the torch aloft; mot
crevice where they came out-not a hole
where they went in. We have been
fooled by the darkness
You and Harkins return to the wagon
for crowbars, and while you are gone
will collect wood and build fire to
work by" answered the captain
His. seeming confidence inspired them,
and without waiting for a closer inspec-
ton of the cliff they headed down the
canyon for the tools. Upon reaching
the wagons all was quiet, and the que
ries of the men regarding the use the
crowbars were to be put to were made
light of, as it was deemed best not to
raise hopes which might be disap-
pointed.
The captain had bright fire blazing
against the cliff as the men returned,
and in response to their looks of inquiry
he put his hands on the rocks and said:
''See this line running here, and up
this way, and to the right, and down
and back? A great stone has been set in
here and cemented in its place. The
work was done so long ago that the ce-
ment is as hard as the rock and almost
the color of it. One of you begin at that
side, while / take a hand here"
Ten minutes work proved what he
had asserted-that a large stone had
been fitted to an opening-but the work
of drilling out the cement was like
drilling into the stone itself When
noon came they had made a consider
BILE impression, but fully realized that
they had undertaken a laborious task.
The forenoon had passed with those at
camp without alarm. The sentinels
thought they heard the reports of rifles
down the valley, but were not certain.
Not an Indian had shown himself, and
it was hoped that they had been thrown
off the scent and would leave the val
ley.
From the first the two girls had been
drawn to each other, and Lizzie found
deep synpathizer in Bess. When brought
into camp by Harkins the poor girl was
in truly forlorn condition, as may be
imagined. While she still labored with
the grief which choked her every time
she thought of the sad fate of her par
ents, she had been made very presenta-
BILE in appearance, and more than one Of
the wagonmen felt his heart beat faster
at sight of her sweet, sad face.
AS the trio returned to camp from
their labors up the canyon, Bess beck
oned her father aside and said:
'Our friend is worrying and wants to
talk with you"
Yes, want to ask you about my
mother" added Lizzie.
Il am sure l saw father lying on the
ground, and have no doubt the rene
gades killed him as the first part Of
their plan. Mother and | both got away,
lind she was not overtal1en. What
would be her fate?'
1T is hard to say" replied Harkins
after rejecting on the matter. IF she
got through the night all right she may
have found the trail of the wagons in
the morning and overtaken the party.
We must hope that she did. 1t may
also be that your father was only stun
ned by the blow, and is ere this all right
again and with his friends"
"Do you think there is even the
faintest hope?" she tearfully asked.
81 do"
Thank God for that! l shall almost
cease worrying under that hope. And
now what of myself?'
"You are to remain with us, Of
course"
but for how iongY
I'VE cannot even guess. We may
head back for civilization in week
perhaps not for three months. 1t de-
ponds on our luck 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 receive. You are
thrice welcome to all it may be in our
power to do for YOU"
Meanwhile Bess had whisperingly in
uuired of Joe what chances the mother
had of escape.
God help her-noneI" he answered.
t'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"
Indians" 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 will ever see her mother
again"
! AS the pair stood together apart HaT-
kins observed them with start and
whispered to himself:
'WeIl, well, but l do really believe
that my Bess has taken liking to that
chapl How queerr
! He might more truthfully have said,
t'dow natural" and he might have used
the word Glove" for "liking." And when
the man looked upon the sweet face of
the orphan he had so gallantly rescued |
at the peril of his life, and felt his heart
beating faster, he might have discovered |
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