The herald., 1898-01-23

SYNOPSIS.
Captain Archway determines to locate
the gang of robbers headed by Ike Lon
don, who have barricaded themselves in
Frontenac Cave after the bank robbery
at Hawks Landing, Minnesota. He per-
suades his young friend, Henry Clay
Fargo, who is the narrator of the story,
to help him. The two men go down n
sink hole on the prairie. Their idea is to
reconnoitre they will summon help, II
they find they can reach the men in this
way. A storm comes up and the down.
pour of water through the sink hole car
ries with 1t their rope and fastenings. and
they are imprisoned. At the end of six
days their provisions and candles are eX-
hausted and they have found no way
out. They see the name "Gil. Dauphln
on the walls, and the Captain knows MN
to be one of the London gang. tlhalIy
they discover a pit. at the bottom oi
which they sec some glowing empers'
They descend and find flowing stream
which looks as If part of It's course were
on the surface of the ground. Ihey catcn
fish and find drift wood for fuel on the
edge of the stream. They continue their
explorations, and one day In a large
chamber they stumble over sleeping
man. He wakes up and asks in har'h
voice: Hold on there! Who be you
PART III.
II don't know as it's any on your
business who 1 am," answered the Cap
tain, I'm an honest man for one
thing, which is more than you are, ana
I Thought he was not far from ready
to fall to again and see who should
go down the pit.
IT didn't mean ofense. Cap'n-that's
what didn't" broke out the man. Il
know you now-you're Cap'n Archway
which used to be master of the New
Madrid 1 know you, Cap'n. When
Gil Dauphin run on the river he never
meant no o'fense to the Cap'n, never
nor the mate, neither"
You knew it wouldn't be we'll for you
IL you did. Why didn't you keep on
leading an honest life?" The Captain
sat down on a stone by the pillar while
the man stood before him and I held
the torch at one side.
bad luck, Cap'n; bad luck. couldn't
with my luck"
you couldn't with your appetite for
whiskey, you mean."
"Cap'n," said the man, glancing at
me and then edging a step nearer,
"Cap'n, Gil Dauphin means we'll by you
and by everybody, barring Ike London.
Cap'n, it's cold in this here cave, and
adn't none too well and hearty. You
amt got a drop about you AT you
could give a feller, I s'pose, now,
Capn?"
mo. haven't; and IL I had
shouldn't give 1t to you. Where's the
rest of the gang?"
He drew a long breath. as If deeply
disappointed and said, "Over at the
Fort, reckon"
"Why aren't you there?"
"Cap'n." he said, sinking down on his
knees in the sand, you know that
Ike London. You-'
mo, don't know him and don't
want to-"
Hes mean man, that Ike London
is-that's what he is. He's"
did you ever know any good men
in his gang?"
"Cap'n. we was hard nuts--I don't
deny it-I never did deny it. But Ike
London was meaner n the rest of US
little. He throwed me down the pit
that's what Ike London done"
"Why?"
THAT'S 1t, Cap'n: why? Cause
stood up for my rights. that's why. He
wouldn't divide fair. that's what he
wouldn't He bullyragged the rest of
'em, but he couldn't come 1T on old Gil
Dauphin. Old Gil Dauphin says to him,
Give me my share!' and then he
grabbed ME and fore I saw his game
he throwed me down the pit His game
was to kill me, that's what his game
was, Cap'n. But was tough, and I'm
alive yet. and If you'd been Ike Lon
don, as lowed you was. you'd "a gone
down pit even If I'd "a gone, too"