The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-05-19

ue Itku uGluT ever Duiils nttld
Pole: IAN what's more. it was in tha-
,as. :CU>h - go re,Aon II
I'd "a been discovered long ago. eff it
Ead "a been above ground"
'"Pnen it's ina sort of caveY' ven
tured Craig.
'Thats jest it; but I've got the mouth
of 1t closed up so it I'D 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 rarefed, 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 nowY
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. rocksY
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 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
CHI &5ore."
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 a 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.
"Ughv' Craig shuddered as he peered
into the dank blackness. you don't
mean that we are to go down there"
1t was IA crisis. With his big feet
dangling in the hole, Pole threw him
self back and gave vent to a hearty,
prolonged laugh that went ringing and
echoing about among the cliffs and
chasms.
crawl" he said. Looks like the open
in to the bad place, don't itY'
at certainly does" said Craig. some
what treasured by Poles levity.
why, it amt more'n forty feet
square," said Pole. "Wait till run
down an make a light. I've got some
fat pine torches down at the foot O.
the ladder
well, believe | Will let you so
first" said Craig, with an uneasy little
laugh.
Pole 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 a
match and saw the red, growing flame
of sputtering torch from which |
twisted rope of smoke. When 1t 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 a 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 lay some old whisky bar
rels, two or three lager beer kegs and
the iron hoops Of several barrels that
had been burned There were several
one gallon jugs with corncob shoppers.
Pole swept his hand over them with
laugh. IF you was a drinkin' man.
could treat you to thimbieful or two
lcIt Ill tHem jugs. ue Sdlu dIuOSI dpOi-
ogetically.
But don't drink. Baker" Craig
said. His premonition of danger seemed
to have returned to him and to be driv-
en- In by the dank GOODNESS of the cav
ern. the evidence of past outlawry
around him.
Pole heaped his pieces of pine against
A rock and added to them the chunks
Of some barrel slaves, which set up
lively popping sound like tiny fusil-
lade of artillery.
"You see that rock behind you, Mr..
CraigY asked Pole. "Well. set down
on It Before we go any furder me N
you've got to have understanding"
The old man stared hesitatingly for
an instant and then. after carefully
feeling of the stone. he complied.
81 thought we already-but. of course"
be said haltingly. I'm ready to agree
to anything that II make you feel safe"
.I1kinder lowed you would" And.
to Cralg's Overwhelming astonishmept,
Pole drew a revolver from his hip peck
ct and looked at it. turning the cylin-
der with deft thumb.