Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-05-28

OF rcSCnc. AS he COIO NE Afterwards,
when he reached the mouth of the tun-
mel he could think of no way by which
I might be saved. since these noun
tains were uninhabited and it would
take several hours to bring men from
Cumarvo.
Outside the mine he sat himself down
to consider what could be done, but no
thought came, for it was impossible to
use the strength of the horses in that
narrow place. Then he sprung up and
looked round him in despair. Close to
him was a little ravine followed by
water, and on its very edge grew
small mimosa thorn of which the long
roots had been washed almost bare by
a food. He saw it and an inspiration
entered into him.
Springing at the little tree, that
being so tough wood was the best
possible for his purpose, he tore it
from such roothold as remained to it.
A few strokes with his heavy hunting
knife trimmed off the branches and
fibers. and soon he was creeping care
fully up the tunnel, dragging the trunk
twenty PAGES he heard another frag-
ment of the roof fall, and so he said in
his story, was minded to fly.
SIT is 1, Ignatio. and I have brought
lever. Now when 1 lift, struggle for
ward if you can"
ncu ne plstctu GIlO uuR VI CHC
tree in what seemed to him the best
position, and put all his strength upon
it. It was in vain; even so he could
not stir the rock.
TRY a little more to the right"
said, family; ''there is a better hold"
He shifted the lever and, dragged at
it till his muscles cracked, all felt the
stone tremble as it's bulk began to rise.
eff you can help ever so little, it will
comet" he gasped.
Then in my despair, though the an
guish of it nearly killed me, set my
palms upon the ground, and contract
ing myself like a snake that is held
with a forked stick, thrust upwards
with my back, till the point of the stone
ten inches from the ground.
For moment, and one only, it hung
there; next instant the lever slipped,
and down it came again. But l had
taken my chance, for, c1inging to the
floor with my fingers, SO soon as my
/ dragged myself a foot or more for
ward. Then the point of rock that had
been lifted from my back fell again,
but this time it struck the ground be-
tween my thighs.
Now he seized me by the arms and
tore me free, though I left one of my
long boots beneath the stone. L strove
hurt to my back.
You must carry me, senior" said.
He glanced at the mass that trembled
above us, then, giving me the candle,
lifted me from the ground like an in
FAINT and staggered forward down the
tunnel. Perhaps we had gone some
seven or eight PAGES, not more, when
The roof had fallen in and the spot
which we had occupied some thirty sec
onds before was now piled high with
rocks.
'.On!'' said, "cracks are showing in
the stone above us!' and he rushed for
ward till we found ourselves exhausted
and bleeding among the grasses outside
the mine.
Now 1 bowed my head and returned
thanks for my escape; then, lifting it.
l looked my preserver in the face and
said:
II swear by the name of God, senior,
that he never made a man nObler than
yourself"
The next instant I fell forward and
tainted there among the ferns.
Ten days had passed since I was car
ried from the mouth of that accurSed
mine back to Cumarvo in litter, and
during all this time I had suffered
much pain in my back and been very
il1-so i'll, indeed, that l was scarcely
allowed to speak with anyone. Now,
however. I was much better, and one
afternoon Senior Strickland, assisted
by my foster brother Molas, lifted me
from my bed into hammock.
by the way, Ignatio," said the
scnor when Molas had gone, Il never
gave you back this charm of yours.
What a queer-looEing trinket it is!''
he added, taking it from his neck;
and what did you mean by your talk
in the tunnel about it's making me heir
to the empire of the Aztecs in the heart
of every Indian, and the rest of it?"
know, senior, that this broken gem
is the secret symbol of a great order,
of which you are now one of the lords,
seeing that the browning and vital
ceremony of the creation of Lord of
the Heart consists in the hanging of
the symbol about his neck for the
space of a minute only by myself.
Understand. senior, that the first duty
of the servant of the Heart is silence,
and that silence demand of YOU"
'But suppose that man should not
keep silence, Ignatio, what then?" he
asked.
There is land, senor," I an
swered. where the most ta1kative
grow dumb, and its borders can be
crossed by all, even by the Lords of
the Heart, for fearful is the doom of a
false brother"
You mean that if 1 repeat anything
may hear l shall be murdered?"
l.. a !