Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-08-17

AZ siuB Asn VINO. - sse you, Pfo
fessor?''
Suddenly, 9 rending and rushing
sound burst from the cave. Following
It. semitxin appeared 1t the entrance,
dragging heavy metal box, which she
cresped by handle at one end. Inn.
mediately In her steps broke forth .
areat volume Of water. boiling w a. u
from a caldron. 1t filled the cave, and
poured like cataract into the gorge
The foundations Of the great deep
seemed to be let loose.
Semitzin lifted from her face the
woollen mask, or visor, which she had
closed on entering the cave. She was
painting from exertion, but neither her
physical nor her mental faculties were
abated, She spoke sharply and i'm
periously.
Bring up the mule, and help me
fasten the chest upon him. We must
reach higher ground before the waters
overtake US. And now" She turned
to Freeman, who by this time was sit
sing up and regarding her with stupe-
| faction.
"MiriamP' was all he could utter.
She shook her head, and smiled. 81
am she who loves you, and whom You
will lovo. give you life, and fortune,
and myself. But come; can You mount
and rider
81 can't make this out" he said,
struggling, with her assistance, to his
feet. 81 have read fairy tales, but this
-Kamaiakan, tool''
Semitzin, meanwhile, brought him
to the mule, and half mechanically he
scrambled into the saddle, the chest
being made fast to the crupper. Semitzin
seized the bride and started up tho
gorge, Kamaialan bringing up the
rear. The lower levels were already
filling with water, which came pouring
out through the archway in a full
flood, seemingly incxhaustible.
81 see how it is" mumbled
Freeman, half to himself. THE
earthquake rememberl I got hit
somehow. They came from the ranch
to hunt me up. But where are the
General and Prof. Meaehines? How
long ago was lt2 And how came Mi.
RAM. Gould the mirage have had
anything to do with it2-Here, let me
walk" he called out to her, "and you
get up and ride"
She turned her head, smiling again,
but hurried on without speaking. Tho
roar of the torrent followed them.
Once or twice the mule came near
losing his footing. Freeman, whose
head was swimming, and his brains
buzzing like hive of bees, had all he
could do to maintain his equilibrium in
the saddle. He was overwhelmingly
thirsty, and the gurgling of waters
round about him made him wish he
might dismount and plunge into them.
But he lacked power to fern a decided
purpose, and permitted he more ener-
getic will to control him. 1t might
have been minutes, or it might have
been hours, fer all he knew; at last
they halted, near the base of the white
pyramid.
Here we are safe" said Semitzin,
coming to his side. Lean on me, my
love, and will lift you down"
"Oh, I'm not quite SO bad as that,
you know" said Freeman with a fee
BILE laugh; and, to prove it, he blum
dered off the saddle, and came down
on the ground with thwack. He
picked himself up, however, and, REQ
ollecting that he had a flask with
brandy in it, he felt for 1t, found it in
tact, and, with an inarticulate murmur
of apology, raised it to his lips It
was Ike the veritable elixir of life:
never in his life before had Freeman
quaffed SO deep draught Of the fiery
spirit. 1t was just what he wanted
But he felt oddly embarrassed. He
did not know what to make of Miriam.
It was not her strange costume merely,
but she seemed TO have put on-or put
of-something with it that made q
difference in her. She was assertive,
imperious; as loving, certainly, as lover
could wish, but not in the msnner of
the Miriam he knew. He might have
liked the new Miriam better, had he
not previously fallen in love with the
former on. He could not make adj
yances to her; he had no opportunity
to do SO; she was making advances to
him
MY love-" she said; standing before
him, 81 have come back to the world
for your sake. Before Semitzin first
saw you, her heart was yours And I
come to you, not poor, but with tho
riches and power of the Princes of
Tenochtitlan. You shall see them;
they are yours!-Kamaiakan, take
down the chest"
What's that about Semitzin?'' in
quired Freeman. I'm not aware that
knew any such person"
"Kamaiakan! repeated the other.
raising her voice, and not hearing
| ENreeman's last words. Mammalian was
nowhere to be seen. Both Freeman
ana She had supposed that'he was fol-
lowing on behind the mule; bat he had
either dropped behind, or had with
drawn somewhere. 80 Kamaialkanp'
shouted Freeman, as loud as he could.
A distant hail, from the direction Of
the desert, seemed to reply.
THAT can't be he" said Freeman.
"It was at least a quarter of a mile of,
and the wrong direction, too. He's in
the gorge, if he's anywhere"
''Harkr' said Semitzin.
They listened and detected a low
murmer, this time from the gorge.
Hes fallen down and hurt himself"
said Freeman Lets go after him."
In few minutes they stumbled upon
the old Indian, reclining with his
shoulders against a rock, and gesping
heavily.
my princess" he whispered, as she
bent over him, 81 am dying. The pois-
onous air In the cave was fatal to me,
though the spell that is upon the
Golden Fleece protected you. Il have
done what the gods commanded. lam
dissolved Of my VOW. The treasure u
safe"
"Nonsenss! you're an right" ex.
claimed Freeman ".Hsrs, take q pull
ct this dask. It did mo Ill the good In
| the worldPs
But the old man put Il aside, With .
feeble gesture of the hand. "My time
- come" aaid he-"Semitxin. I have
| been faithful"
"Semftzia. a1ainrs rnutxered Fr~n.