Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-02-08
l10L0CH or nlCK-H-JA
A Tale of The Lost People -
Of Sand Mountain Caves. ~ ~ by FRANCIS Lynde

SOUNDS save the echoes OF our owr
voices and footballs, the FLASHING OF
the stream or the humming murmul
of velvet wings when we disturbed 6
colony of bats. There was little tt
break the monotony of the silent marcel
until we reached point where the
lofty gallery contracted suddenly to g
mere tunnel, with cash in one wal
through which issued the stream.
We paused to examine the CASH II
was a vertical slit few inches wide
but the regurgitant murmur Of tho
stream told of vaulted chambers be
yond. Hargreaves thrust his lamp
arms length into the slit
mo thoroughfare there he said
"Your runaways didn't escape tina,
way"
Hargreaves was passing the flame OF
his lamp slowly over the face Of the
rock.
eff you don't mind. We'll go on" he
said. Look here.
looked and saw rude picture of an
arrow on the smooth face of the lime.
stone. 1t pointed down the black tun-
mel toward the heart of the mountain.
what of it?" demanded.
Don't you see? It's the Toltec ar.
row. That picture is older than Amer.
lean history!'
Fudge! That's one of your harmless
little insanities," broke in. "The man
who discovered the bottom of the bag
drew that to point out the way
Hargreaves turned without word
! and led off at top speed through the
tunnel. came, up with him in the
cul-de-sac. He was on his knees, pass.
ing the flame of the lamp painstakingly
over every inch of the barrier
'More Toltec arrows?" queried
trying to laugh off the uncanniness OF
the thing.
eyes; we've come too far. See here..'
There was another arrow on the wall
With the point turned in the opposit,
direction.
How do you know?" The chill
creeping up my spine had got into my
voice. The idea of stumbling upo1
some long forgotten charnel house wa:
unnerving.
How do know anything? The Tol
tees and Aztecs were the only bowme1
who made their arrows with the barb.
curved forward. See this?"
looked again. The evidence, as fal
as 1t went, was conclusive.
"Well?" said l.
1--WE must go back and look 70,
others
Slowly we retraced our steps ant
presently found third arrow. 1t wa.
! inclined upward, and Hargreaves hell
his lamp high. We saw a black throat
ed opening, with inches leading I'D t,
| it.
There is the way out of the trap,
said Hargreaves triumphantly.
| "Yes-or into it," l replied. do W.
camp and eat, or must we go on?''
i I was hoping he would agree to hal
for the night. Left to myself, SHOULD
have turned my face surfaceward ant
never slackened speed until | stood
once more upon the little station plat
form at Shellmound. l say it withou
shame. What little courage eve
boosted has been given freely to thos,
who needed it more-the heroes ant
heroines of many a moving tale of foot
and field But my hope was dashed.
"A bite of bread and meat and the1
on said Hargreaves with stern en-
thusiasm. Il couldn't sleep wink OF
the eve of what's awaiting u.s."
Fifteen minutes later we We're in the
black throated opening. 1t proved t.
be the entrance to another series OF
vaulted galleries leading to vast am
phitheater hung with glistening stalac
titles and paved with pHrest alabaster
l presume it waS worth Il shudder OF
two to stand in the presence of one OF
natures subterranean triumphs, but
confess | would gladly have exchanged
] all the grandeur of it for one glimpse
of the star gemmed sky.
Hargreaves was troubled by no suct
peculiarities. After carefully marking
| our entrance he went OH his knees be