Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-11-17

saw Craig coming up the gradual in
cline from the creek. Pole stood ND
and caught the bride rein of his horse
and muttered:
Now, Pole Baker, durn yore hide,
you've got brains-at least some folks
say you have-an' SO has he. Eff you
don't git the best of that scalawag,
yo're done fer. You've put purity big
things through. Now put this un
through or shet up"
well, here you are" merrily cried
out the ex-banker rs lie came up. He
was smiling expectantly. "Your Sc
cret's safe with me. l haven't met a
soul that l 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?"
Il put cold biscuit and a slice Of
ham in my pocket" said Craig. ut III
do me till supper"
Pole mounted and led the way up the
unfrequented road.
Il may as well tell you, Mr.. Craig,
that used to be a moonshiner in these
mountains, am
Lord, l knew that, Baker. Who
doesn't, I'd like to know?"
Poles big booted legs swung back
and forth like pendulums from the
tanks of his horse.
Il was a-goin' to tell you that 1 had
hide out, whar kept stuff stored,
that wasn't knowed by one livin' man."
well, 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.
1.-The best natur' ever built" said
Pole; "an' what's more, it was in thar
that l found the gold. reckon it
I'D "a been diskiyered long ago. eff it
had "a been above ground"
"Then it's ina sort of caveY' ven
tured Craig.
THAT'S jest it; 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
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 ut that altitude
was crisp and rarefied, and held the
odor of spruce pine. With laugh
Pole dismounted. 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 givin' it to you straight" said
Pole. pointing with his riding switch.
"Do you see that pile O. rocks7"
Craig nodded.
Fright under them two fat ones is
the mouth O. my den," 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 a dense thicket
Of laurel and rhododendron bushes,
they went to the pile of rocks.
II toted mighty nigh all of 'em from
higher up" Pole explained. "Some
O. the biggest rolled down from that
cliff above"
II 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. Huh! 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 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.
ugh" Craig shuddered as he peered
Into the dank blackness. 'You don't
mean that we are to go down there?"
1t was q crisis. With his big feet
dangling in the hole, Pole threw him
self back and gave vent to hearty,
prolonged laugh that went ringing and
echoing about among the cliffs and
chasms.
Il lowed this I'D make yore flesh
erawl," he said. Looks like the open
in to the bad place, don't it?"
1T certainly does" said Craig, some
what reassured by Poles leyity.
"Why, it amt more'n forty feet
square," said Pole. "Wait till run
down an make light. I've got some
fat pine torches down ut the foot O.
the ladder" -
well, I believe l will let you go
first" said Craig, with an uneasy little
laugh.
Pole went down the ladder, reckless
~ humping his heels on the rungs.
He was lost to sight from above, but
in moment Craig heard him strike a
match and saw the red. growing flame
of sputtering torch from which
twisted rope of smoke. When it was
well ablaze, Pole called up the ladder:
"Come on now, an watch whar you
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 moment the ex-banker
stood beside his guide.
"Now come down this way" said
Pole, and with the torch held high he
led the way into part Of the chamber
where the rock overhead sloped down
lower Here Inv soma old whisky hor