The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-16
4 CHAPTER xxvto, continucd.)

CHAPTER NNVl1'I o'''''''
e Clivo held tho note close to INC ihr, ing
spout Of 1the Itennot and looked at It 1or
tho FORTH time. Could It DO q ttapa
Could tha3 man DO ono Of Vanderiett'ss
hirclIngsY flint was impossible. yam
dcr1et ltew nolhiis i the kaulinR aoWn
Of tho flag. VANDERBILT coulu ~. 1st,,nt
where tho treasure was hlau ,. M ~.
did the last clause mean mean. tx aao c
outwitted, loois to tho 'ei LIZ ~ 81 e'o o"0o
III which tho treasure Is hidden
rho Urn INV freshman was uunfllng q
plnss Of r,,,fiv hcer and blowing out vast
clouds Of smoke. Jack Mnrsden was
looking Mt him douhtfllly. and the red
headed giant ,ynked Mt him pleasantly.
and remarked TINT Jnck might know him
again fihe did not meet him IN inc DARK:
After that hc helped himself TO pread
and cheese. and, taking out q MASSIVE 'Hs'N
gold repeater, glanced nt inc LINZ NJ
Give took a lamp and called Narsucn.
,1,cit yoiin,,ed him to tho very edge Of
tho rnvine.
TJo snrn i ACROSS. no his amaze "a
h,ocl, III vnyned nt his feet. The cache
,yns omen AIT Give forgot tho treasure,
and cared nothing about It Just then. 70
the loft OF the cnchc he saw an OBJECT
that riveted his startled attention.
1t was a Maxim gun! !,
How had It como there? Beslue ~, ~ s'oo ~
n couple OF cases with the fanillnr reu
mark denoting explosives. Tho Onk l',
had not sent tho gun without nmmun1-
ton Evidently the mysterious man was
n friend. and wished them well. CliVe
bent down and peered into tho Vault ne
floor was strewn with coins and rag
mer,ts OF glass And something else was :,
there, something that made nun IN Ieco.,
with chilled blood and creeping llesfh--77t'
corpse. .,.r
"Brown!" he said. with hoarsc gasp
mot what'I dreaded--Burnand.
Ia slennnd against the rocky wall tc
steady himself. The men round the gum.
merlnE IRE were talking softly, put thf
cavern whispered their voices ana mul'
tiplied them.
"Jack!"
Gay, ay, Sir Give"
The sturdv seaman sprang and reached
the baronct's side. ,,,,,,.,
"Brown Is In there" SAID CuVe, VIZ VIZ
the treasure. He's dead, I think. WI
you hold Tho light while 50 60, do% %Ia. I: ! :
lay, aay, sir" answered N Mar =
calmly. .,.,u,
Marsden. living at full length, extende'
the lamp The deserter was stilE "a, an
cold. He had burst blood vessel. C llS.
shuddercd Surely there was q curse OF
Black Juan's gold!
"IIelp me up, jack he said.
Marsden stared at the Maxim lwhe'
| Give pointed 1t OUT, and only shook ~
head. The mystery OF 1t all was too gren
for him; he had got beyond his dept
Give silently put the letter into his hano
And then the men were on their leet
nale to the very lips schrill and pierre
| ing. n scream rang through the cavern
| It?was the unearthly sound that na
itchilled Gives blood before. Snatchln
I'm n blazing stick the Irishman prushe
forward, .r,,,
"Get on, yer baste," he roared. lak
that wild me compliments.
The sparks flew from the stlcs. az atn We,
hammering and pounding at somethln
invisible to the trembling men. Then II
dra pped It into the flrellght-a monstrous
hairy crab. ~
! don't wondher yez lulls blue. Whin
arrst heard wan Of the swate-Yoice
noightingales, OF thought the bottom ma
| droppcd out o. creation, and u dldn &c
enough grass grow undher me rate
fade a small caterpillar for the siN,le.
narrt Of sicond. They're somethlh
ioil.e crickets, the great. ugly bastes. an
they make their awful yell by ruppli
their legs together. Gaze at their swat
| o,as sthucl1 on the ends of couple z
noles about a MOLE from their races
!rhev,ye one good nuality--they're splan
id 10 ate. Holsters don't come nea
them, !" ,., hoo,
. 1t was the most ropulsive-; looking peas
human gaze had ever rested on,-mo o,
like a gigantic. horny-shelled nrlsti !
spider than a crab, Inc req eyes t, ns :. =,
as sixpences. were fixed in eye-stalls a
most q ward long. Little wonder Lech
burn had missed the creatures hea
when he had fired at the two lumlhou
discs. The shell was specified with We
low blotches, and the notched claws "et
broader than Terrys palm
Ie leapt to his feet. Guns were crach
ing family. AS he tore tho SACK asl !,
the sound came in more crisply on "a
damp night air . y 40, or,o
"They've attacked the rine PIT ct4e
Give. ITO tho rescue, lads!
Muldoon's big body barred the way,
"Whisht, whisht!" he said. "AY they
surproised 1t, It's no no good Walkl n,
the soide Of n cliff to BIO shot, Slr civ
nv they haven't SURPRISED It,, INN u
bhoys on itll give en- dressin' wido'
us. Hould sthill and listen ~,
4. Gives heart sank. AL was sun.
"somewnn is COMM" said the lr'si
man. "FIello!" a o,o,
! Drawing his revolver, 10 'ii M,,a,, ,,,o 4
The ledge into the darkness. NY ,n wa" I
ed in an agony OF suspense it1o be
figure doomed UP once more. 4
Z "stand back there" said the deep VOC
'They may sthart shootin, from apuv, =.
Give groaned. The lrlsh'n ,,I,, W. 49,
rylng figure in his nrn1s--Gln lsnei' -,
Hans VANDERBILT had captured inc RI
nit. They were prisoners. Ana Aecl
burn was lost to- them
il CHAPTER XVII.
oraydon Garth, the Man o. m ;.ua,,,,
Hector remained In the pac en-, ln
mute with wonder, gazing NJ lne VA, =
beautiful face OF this queenly wo,',,'"' ;,