The Grit-advocate., 1903-03-06


does not grow moist"
They had a rope made of seal hide,
and. cutting a pole with their hand
axes. stretched it across the narrow
end of the cavern and placed a rope
about Paul's neck.
Now old man, confess that you
have lied, and swear that you will
take us to the golu, or this young
fellow will die" Paul. who had not
heard the conversation between the
hermit and his captors. was unable
to explain their conduct to his own
satisfaction. He believed his last
hour had come and determined to
meet his fate like hero. When told
to prepare for death. he rose. made
no resistance. and his arms were
tied behind his back The moose was
adjusted about his neck, and he took
his position under the cross-bar, and.
closing his eyes, murmured short
prayer.
All eyes were on the other captive,
but he sat with face averted and said
not word. There was no change in
grief than might have been expected
at the death of a stranger. When the
miserable farce was over Paul had
been released. and the four rascals
retired again to confer with each
each other. Tom Ambrose said:
We'll, it's my opinion that we've
lost our last chance of ever getting
his buried millions"
At this Padgett again proposed his
knotted stick and swore he would
brain both with it, but he was pre-
vented by Morris and Allen, who de-
clared there should be no real vio-
lence. The two prisoners were given
meagre supper of dried beef and
little meal cruel, and driven to the
far end Of the cavern for the night.
When they were apart from the
guard Paul asked:
What was meant by their extraor-
dinary course to-day?"
They labor under the mistaken
idea that we are related and both
have some knowledge of the buried
treasure. AS they are mistaken they
will succeed in getting nothing from
u.s."
have been mystified at their
strange conduct all along" said Paul,
"and l would not be surprised at any
time at their taking our lives"
His companion shook his grizzled
head and answ cred:
No, no; they won't harm us so
lolg as we have the secret in our own
breasts. If we should tell them and
they should fird the treasure, then we
would be killed in short order"
Paul shuddered, was silent for a
while and asked:
Then you don't believe we have
any hope of mercy at their hands?"
The sea captain answered:
No"
Captain, let's make our escape"
"Sh! Speak lower; you may be
heard"
Il will. but l am in earnest"
So am l, but we must be cunning
as the fox to escape from those ras-
calls
Il am willing to trust you impuc-
itly"
Then say nothing"
Though night and day were the
same in that dungeon, the captors had
their sleeping and waking hours Paul
and his companion threw themselves
on their miserable pallet of straw but
not to sleep. They lay so they could
watch their captors.
At last, one after another, they be-
gan to grow drowsy. One rose and
went toward the pile of straw, and
stretching himself upon it. was soon
snoring. A short quarrel followed on
the subject of guarding the prisoners
Padgett was the man selected and
he swore he had done more than his
share ct that business and he wouldn't
do any more of it, but Morris, who
seemed the person in command, de-
clared he must take his turn of two
hours, and left him on duty while
the others went to bed.
The whole matter could not have
been better planned for Paul, for Pad
Sett was careless and yawned Sleep
lily before his companions had closed
their eyes. For long time he made
fight against the wiles of Morpheus.
but at last his head dropped forward
on his chest.
Paul raised his own head and
shoulders from his pallet of straw
and surveyed the entire cavern at a
sweeping glance. There was a fire
burning in the center which threw out
dull. ruddy glow, dimly lighting the
scene. Where the fire had been built
the cavern was wide, and from the
lofty ceiling ages ago great fragments
of stone had been torn loose and lay
in heap on the floor, little to one
side of the fire, leaving a dark path
in the shadow. Paul could also see
that their captors had placed their
rifles in a corner farthest from them.
The three men sleeping on the straw
were between tkA nriSOners and the