Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-16
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.
n IBOUT noon that day Us Pole
I~A Baker sat on fallen tree
SE near the roadside in the lone
2J Hest spot OF TINT rugged coun-
ny. his horse grazing behind him. b
saw Craig coming up the gradual In
cline from the creek. Pole stood up
md caught the bridio rein Of his horse
and muttered:
Now. Pole Baker, durn yose hide.
you've got brains-at least some folks
say you have-an' SO has he. Ef you
don't git the best OF that scalawag,
yore done fer. You've put purity big
things through. Now put this un
through or shet up"
We'll, here you are" merrily cried
out the ex-banker rs he came up. He
was smiling eXpectantly. "Your Sc
cret's safe with me. haven't met
soul that know since left town"
I'm glad You didn't, Mr.. Craig"
Pole said. II 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@'
II put cold biscuit and a slice Of
ham In my pocket" said Craig. ut IL
do me till supper"
Pole mounted and led the way up the
nnfreqnented road.
II may as well tell you, Mr.. Craig,
thatI used to be a moonshiner In these
mountains, an
Lord, 1 knew that, Baker. Who
doesn't, I'd like to know p
Poles big booted legs swung back
and forth like pendulums from the
tanks of his horse.
Il wns a-goin' to tell you that had
a hide out, whar kept stuff stored,
that wasn't knowed by one livin, man."
Well, you must have had slick
PLACID from MI I've heard. Z ssaia, Craig,
still in his vast good humor with him
self ana everybody else.
The best natur' ever built said
Pole; "an, what's more, 1t was in thar
that l found the gold. | reckon 1t
nd "a been diskivered long ago eff 1t
had "a been above ground.
Then it's ina sort of caveT' ven
tured Craig.
That's Jest 1t; but I've got the mouth
OF 1t closed up SO 1t nd fool even
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 cloudless; the air at that altitude
was crisp and rarefied. and held the
odor of spruce pine. With a laugh
Pole dismounted. What eff I was to
tell you, Mr.. Craig that you was in
. ten yards O my old den right now7.
Craig looked about in surprise. "I'd
think you was making fun of meter
derfootin', as we used to say out west"
.I'm giyin' 1t to you straight" said
Pole, pointing with his riding switch.
do you see that pile o rocksi"
Craig nodded.
Right under them two fiat ones is
the mouth o. my den,n said Pole.
Now let's hitch to that hemlock, an
I'll show you the whole thing"
When they had fastened their horses
to swinging limbs In dense thicket
of laurel and rhododendron bushes,
they went to the pile of rocks.
IT toted mighty nigh all of 'em from
higher up" Pole explained. Some
y the biggest rolled down from that
cliff above
Il don't SEQ bow you are going to
get into your hole In the ground" said
Craig, with Il laugh of pleasant antici-
patton
Pole picked up a big. smooth stick
of hickory, shaped like crowbar, and
thrust the end of 1t under the largest
rock. Huh! I'll show you In n jiffy."
It was an enormous stone weighing
over three hundred pounds; but with
his strong lever and knotted muscles
the ex-moonshiner managed to slide 1t
slowly to the right, disclosing black
hole about two feet square in the rag
ged stone. From this protruded into
the light the ends of crude ladder
leading down about twenty-five feet
to the bottom of the cave.
1UgGw Craig shuddered as he peered
into the dank blackness. You don't
mean that we are to go down thereY'
It was o crisis. With his big feet
dangling in the hole, Pole threw him
self back md gave vent to hearty,
prolonged laugh that went ringing and
9ch0Ing about among The Gins and
chasma.
Z lowed this I'd make yose Besh
,crawl. he said. Looks Hike the open
( in to the bad place, don't itr'
1t certainly does said Craig, some.
what treasured by Poles levity,
"Why, 1t amt more'n forty feet
square" said Pole "Wnit till run
down an make light. I've got some
fat pine torches down at the foot O
the ladder"
'syvell, I believe Will let you go
FIRST" said Craig. with an uneasy little
: laugh.
Polo went down the ladder, reckless.
ly humping his heels on the rungs
He was lost to sight from above, but
in moment Craig heard him strike Il
match and SAW the red. growing flame
of a sputtering torch from which
twisted rope Of smoke. When it was
we'll ablaze Pole called up the ladder:
Come on now, mn watch whar you
5 put yore feet. This end o. the ladder is
solid as the rock o. Gibralty."
The square of daylight above was
cut Off, and In a moment the ex- banker
4 stood beside his guide.
Now come down this way said