The Press., 1896-08-06
fContinued from last week
THE LOST MINE.
By JAMES KNAPP REEVE.


 "How came you here, Nanni?" asked Easton as soon as he could find voi
 ''I came many days since," answered the Indian, "and made my camp as far in the Malpais as I dared. You were so long, I thought something had hap pcned. "
 "Nanni knows that things do hap pon here sometimes, " said Easton grim. ly. "The first time crossed this cursed place found him lying in the sand dying for water, as we were just now. That is why he came for me. An Indian never forgets. ''
 "And mighty good thing, too," said Dick. "We should not have gone much farther.
 "No. would not. My courage was gone. It went this morning when l found the water jars broken. l give you my word that the Malpais is the only thing in the world that am afraid of, but am afraid of this. "
 The Indian guided them to where he had made his camp, and where some sticks were still burning. Then after they had prepared and eaten some food, they rested until nightfall before resum- ing their journey.
 Early the next day they came to Easton's camp, and to where in narrow canyon-a mere cleft in the level sur face of the plain-he was seeking for the Lost Mine.
 The night after arrival the two men sat late, Easton explaining his reasons for believing he was on the right track to find the treasure.
 From d stout chest he brought out maps and documents, yellow, old and tattered.
 ''I have been long time gathering these" he said, land have travelled a long way in search of them. But it has been time we'll spent, for they tell me plainly enough the mine lies in this canyon. have made some false starts, and Nanni and I have dug at these rocks many weary day. But it will all be paid back in the end. "
 His sublime confidence in final success his companions anxiety to be again at work.
 In the morning the three went into the canyon.
 "All this stuff," said Easton, point ing to a great mass of rock and earth that had been newly turned, "Nanni and have taken out of that hole. It was never put there by nature-that is clear enough-but was dumped ill there by some humans, for some purpose. That purpose" he continued confidently, Twas to hide the view of the ore.
 Even Dick with his unpracticed eye could see that fill had evidently been made at some time, and certainly no more plausible reason could be suggested than that advanced by Easton.
 It was serious work, digging there in the canyon. The hot sun never abated his fury, and it was not in mortal man to toll with pick and shovel under his burning rays. When the moon shone, they worked at night, and when the nights would not permit they did as best they might at morning and evening.
 The days grew into weeks, and then month had passed, and they had done nothing but penetrate a little farther into the wall of the canyon. Then one day Dick dropped his pick and was down on hands and knees delving in the de- bris. When he rose up, he held some thing that glittered in the sunlight.
 Easton came and took it from him, and his hands trembled as he touched it.
 "It's gold, Dick Gold l' he cried and hugged to his breast the bit of quartz with the gleaming yellow specks
 We're on the track, and there must be plenty more where this came from. |"
 After this they worked regardless of sun and heat. But the next day and the next passed, and nothing more rewarded their toll.
 But on the third day after this Nanni laid his pick down and came to Easton and said quietly:
 II have found it. ''
 And thero it lay-clc"r to tho noon- day sun, broad, free vein of quartz, all sparkling and yellow with goldl There it lay-this Lost Mino that had been hidden for 300 years. and for which men had searched and l'Hd P'vcn their lives. There it lay-this ignis fatuus which had lured men into the desert to perish horribly. There it lay this siren that the Malpais guarded so well; that it had guarded indeed al- y1ooct toO xuolI from EastOO and Dick