Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-10-30
81 Cont understand you, Cap: you

could get through the thick skulls of
the ex-sailors, but when they came
to fully comprehend the loss they
roared like madmen. Ned seized his
knotted stick and swore he would
brain them both, but his more cool
companion interfered, saying:
1T may all be trick. After all It
may be only trick to throw US off
the trail. If we decide for the old
cuss to pass In his checks, let 1t be
done deliberately and give him time
to reflect"
So Padgett decided to let them live
and trust to some chance to reveal
the hiding place of the money. Paul
had heard the above conversation be-
tween their captors and waiting for
an opportunity to speak with the her
init when he would not be overheard
by them, whispered:
"Is the walrus hide you referred to
the one left in the cavern where you
took me?"
Yes"
Il took it."
you" There was an expression
on the old mans face almost fierce
as he asked the question.
Eyes, I took it."
What did you do with it?"
Gave 1t to the miner who was with
me before fell from the precipice and
whom l found after leaving the cav
ern. He said he had seen 1t before"
"Where?'
THE Indians who had enticed his
captain away in search of gold had
some such hide, only there had been
painting added to it since"
The hermit turned, and fixing his
great, earnest eyes on him in aston
ishment, asked:
His captain--had he been a sail.
orr"
Yes, sir"
"In what seas?"
almost all over the world, but his
last voyage was in a sealing schooner
to st. Paul Island, Alaska, and this
coast"
what was this sailors manner"
"He is called old Glum."
mo other name?"
name. but after all his real name,
don't think, is known. In this coun-
try nearly everybody goes by some
nickname, and fancy that Gmm Raj.
ston was only a nickname"
Might have been Jack Ralston."
well, since you mention 1t, be-
lieve | once heard him say his real
name was Jack Ralston; however, l
will not be sure"
The hermit was very calm. Paul
waited long time for him to answer,
but the old man was silent as the
grave. Then two of their captors came
near where they were sitting, and
they dared not talk anymore.
Their journey was very painful and
difficult. Grown desperate, Paul had
determined to escape from their cap
tors even II he had to kill them.
One day they reached a great,
gloomy cavern which extended to an
unfathomable depth in the earth.
Their captors had pine knots on the
wall about the cavern, and lighting
two of these went back to where
there were piles Of dead grass and
a table of stone on which lay a pack
of greasy cards. Here they took up
their abode.
Several days passed. and then Nor
ris and Padgett left the cavern in
charge of Tom Ambrose. who tied
the prisoners every night, established
deadline in the cavern in daytime
and swore he would shoot the first
one who attempted to cross 1t.
Two or three weeks had elapsed, for
in that dungeon night and day were
one, when the two men came back
and with them another whom Morris
seemed to have known. He intro
duced the newcomer to Tom Ambrose
as friend fresh from San Francisco.
Padgett took Paul to where the
stranger sat on a musk OK hide and
the latter asked:
rs your name Paul Miller"
1T is"
Are you from Fresno. California;"
IL am"
do you know Laura Kean%
Il do; what of her? His whole
frame was trembling with anxiety and
emotion"
"She is in Alaska. Just landed a
few days ago at juneau in company
with Mr.. Theodore Lakeland"
1T is liza lie!" roared Paul, be-
side himself with rage and mortifica-
ton. Its a lie and will crowd 1t
down your throat"
Before anyone knew what he in
al 10 TO- L. txfn I,x,k
throat and hurled him to the ground.
The guards came to the relief of
their companion. Paul was quickly
torn away from him and his hands
bound. He lay upon the dead grass
piled in the cavern. His mind was In
whirl and he kept saying to him
self:
Can It be possible? No, no, 1t is
not possible. The whole world may
be false, but Laura is not. Come to
Alaska in company with that man
no, 1t is not true"
A thousand tumultuous emotions
we're stirring his breast as he lay
on the dried grass, striving to per-
suade himself that after all this was
some horrible dream. The man whom
he had assaulted In company with
Padgett and Morris approached him.
Morris handed Paul a letter in the
well-known handwriting of Laura
Kean. It was dated at Juneau and
addressed to Paul's mother In Fresno.
The letter was brief, saying she had
Just arrived, and would rest day or
two before proceeding farther.
Isn't that evidence?" asked Morris.
yes; but she did not come with
him."