The Grit-advocate., 1903-02-27

side OF a great stone which reared its
w-capped head hundred feet into
the air.
Paul's pack was removed from his
back and he laid or a blanket in
front of the fire with the hermit by
his side.
The rascal named Morris came to
the old mans side and said:
You said you could not give up
that secret if you wished
Il did"
What do you mean?"
'It is lost"
Morris stared at him for e moment
with wide open eyes and gasped:
Il don't understand you. Cap: yon
are talkin' in riddles"
IL care very little whether you un-
derstand me or not" the old man de
family answered. THE secret is lost
1t was written in cipher on walrus
hide and the walrus hide is lost"
1t was some time before the idea
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 a trick. After all 1t
may be only trick to throw us on
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
nit when he would not be overheard
by them, whispered:
rs the walrus hide you referred to
the one left in the cavern where you
took me?"
Yes"
81 took it."
"You?" There was an expression
on the old mans face almost fierce
as he asked the question.
Yes, took it,
What did you do with it?"
Gave it 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 it 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
ichment, 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 sealing schooner
to st. Paul Island, Alaska, and this
coast"
What was this sailors name?"
He is called old Glum."
mo other name?"
Il believe Glum Ralston is his
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 Glum Raj
ston was only nickname"
Might have been Jack Ralston."
We'll, since you mention it, be-
lieve l once heard him say his real
name was Jack Ralston: however,
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 if 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
table of stone on which lay a pack
CT 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
a deadline in the cavern in daytime,
and swore he would shoot the first
one who attempted to cross it.
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 musk OK hide and
the latter asked:
"Is your name Paul Miller"
1T is"
Are you from Fresno, California;"