Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-20

peeu away investigating on his OWL
account, and had no idea of the 9th.
ers' quarrel, gave a shout of delight
He was at the further end of the
| courtyard, at a spot where a dense
mass of creeper had fallen. and now
lay trailing upon the stones. The eff.
feet upon his companions was in.
Simultaneous. They abandoned their
quarrel without another word, and
picking up their crowbars FASTENED
to the spot where he was waiting for
them.
What have you found, little mano'
inquired kitwater, as he approached
Mr.. Codd, however, said nothing in
reply, but beat with his bar upon the
stone beneath him. There could be
little or no doubt about the hollow
sound that rewarded his endeavors.
We've got it, cried Kitwater
Bring the pickax, Hayle, and We'll
soon see what is underneath this
precious stone. We may be at the
heart of the mystery for all we
know"
In less time than it takes to tell,
Hayle had complied with the others
request, and was hard at work pick
ing out the earth which held the
enormous fagstone in it's place A
state of mad excitement had taken
hold of the men, and the veins stood
out like whipcord upon Hayle's fore
head. 1t was difficult to say how
many feet separated them from the
treasure that was to make them lords
of all the earth. At last the stone
showed signs of moving, and it was
possible for Kitwater to insert his
bar beneath one corner. He did so.
pried it up, and leaned upon it with
all his weight. 1t showed no sign of
moving, however. The seal of Time
was set upon it, and it was not to be
lightly disturbed.
push your bar in here alongside
of mine, Coddy," said Kitwater at
last. Il fancy we shall get it then
The little man did as he was d.
rected, Kitwater and Hayle seconded
his efforts on the other side, and then,
under the strain of their united exer-
tions, the stone began to move slow
ly from its place. Little by little they
raised it, putting all the strength
they possessed into the operation, I'M
til at last, with one great effort they
hurled it backwards, and it fell with
crash upon the pavement behind
them, revealing a dark, narrow hole.
the bottom of which it was impossi-
BILE to see.
''Now, then, Gideon, my worthy
friend, what have you got to say
about the business?" asked Kitwater.
as he wiped the perspira ton from his
brow. "You pretended to doubt nv
story. Was there anything in the old
Frenchman's yarn after all? We're
we wasting our time upon fools err
rand when we set off to explore Seng-
kor-Wat?"
Hayle looked at him somewhat
sheepishly.
mo, no." he said, "I am willing to
admit that SO far you have won the
trick. Let me down easily if you can.
l can neither pass nor follow suit. /
am right out of my reckoning. Now
"1ioe w you PIoPoSe 10 40
Get one of those torches we brought
with us, and find out what there is in
that hole" Kitwater answered.
They waited while the latter went
back to the camp, and when he reap
peared, and had lighted the torch, they
prepared to follow him down the steps
into the mysterious depths below. The
former, they soon discovered, were as
solidly built as the rest of the palace.
and were about 80 in number. They
were, moreover, wet and Shiny, and so
narrow that it was only possible for
one man to descend them at once.
When they reached the bottom they
found themselves standing in mar
row passage, the walls of which were
composed of solid stone, in MANY
places finely carved. The air was close,
and from the fact that now and again
bats dashed past them into the deeper
darkness, they argued that there
must be some way of ting
with the open air at the further end.
This is just what the Frenchman
told me-" said Kitwater, and his voice
echoed away along the passage like
distant thunder. HE said we should
find narrow corridor at the foot of
the steps, and then the treasure
chamber. at the further end So far it
looks all right. Let us move on, my
friends"
There was no need for him to issue
such an invitation. They were more
than eager to follow him.
Leaving the first room, or ante
chamber, as it might more properly
be called, they continued their way
along the narrow passage which led
from it. The air was growing percept-
IDLY closer every moment, while the
light of the torch reflected the walls
on either side. Hayle wondered for
moment as he followed his leader what
would happen to them if the Chinese,
of whom the old Frenchman had
spoken to Kitwater, should discover
their presence in the ruins, and should
replace the stone upon the hole. In
that case the treasure would prove of
small value to them, for they would
be buried alive. He did not allow his
mind however 10 dwell yeru linn.