Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-10-08

try, his horse grazing behind him, he
saw Craig coming up the gradual in
cline from the creek. Pole stood up
and caught the bride rein of his horse
and muttered
Now Pole Paker, durn yore hide,
you've got brains-at least some folks
say you have-an' so has he. Ell you
don't git the best of that scalawag,
yo're done fer, You've put purity big
things through. Now put THIS I'm
through or shet up"
well, here you are" merrily cried
out the ex-banker as he came up. He
was smiling expectantly. Your Sc
cret's safe with me | haven't met a
soul that know since left town.
I'm glad you didn't Mr.. Craig"
Pole said. Il don't want anybody
a.meddlin' with my business" He
pointed up the rather steep and rocky
road that led gradually up the noun
tain. We've got two or three mile
furder to go. Have you had any din
ner?"
Il put a cold biscuit and a slice OF
ham in my pocket said Craig. 1T II
do me till supper
Pole mounted and led the way up the
unfrequcnteG road.
Il may as we'll tell you, Mr.. Craig.
that l used to be moonshiner in these
mountains, an -
Lord. | knew that, Baker. Who
doesn't, Id like TO know
Poles big booted lcgs swung back
and forth like pendulums from the
| TANKS of his horse.
II was a-goin' to tell you that l had
hide out, whar | kept stuff stored,
that wasn't knowed by one Twin man"
We'll, you must have had slick
place from all I've heard" said Craig,
still In his vast good humor with him
self and everybody else.
The best natur' ever built" said
Pole; IAN what's more. it was in thar
that l found the gold. | reckon it
I'D "a been diskivered long ago, eff 1t
had "a been above ground"
Then it's ina sort of cave?" ven
tured Craig,
That's jest il; but I've got the mouth
OF 1T closed up so it I'D fool even a
bloodhound"
Half an hour later Pole drew rein in
a most isolated spot. near great yawn-
| ing canyon from which came roaring
sound of rushing water and clashing
winds. The sky overhead was blue
| and cloudess; the air at that altitude
was crisp and rarehed, and held the
odor of spruce pine. With n laugh
Pole dismount~d. What eff was to
tell you. Mr.. Craig, that you was in
ten yards O. my old den right now"
Craig looked about in surprise. I'D
think you was making fun of me-ten-
derfootin', as We used to say out west"
I'm giyin' it to you straight said
Pole, pointing with his riding switch.
"Do you see that pile o rocks?'
Craig nodded.
Fright under them two fiat ones is
the mouth o my den,' said Pole.
"Now let's hitch 10 that hemock, an
III show you the whole thing"
When they had fastened their horses
TO swinging limbs in a dense thicket
of laurel and rhododendron bushes,
| they went to the pile of rocks.
] lOltNl llIEll9 ilSA an VI GU llOlI
higher up" Pole explained. Some
O the biggest | rolled down from that
cliff above"
Il don't see how you are going to
get into your hole in the ground" said
Craig, with laugh of pleasant antici-
patton.
Pole picked up big, smooth stick
of hickory, shaped like crowbar and
thrust the end of it under the largest
rock. "lIuh, I'll show you in jiffy."
1t was an enormous stone weighing
over three hundred pounds; but with
his strong lever and knotted muscles
the -moonshiner managed to slide it
slowly to the right, disclosing a black
hole about two feet square in the rag
ged stone From this protruded into
the light the ends of a crude ladder
leading down about twenty-five feet
10 he bottom of the cave.