Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-02-01
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CHAPTER XIX.


 western precincts of the Gwent. Beyond it and still farther west the forest descended into neither valleys that led toward district of mines and furnaces. Sercombe and Hood might have secreted the treasure in any square yard of this broken tract of many miles. The chance of happening upon 1t save by the guidance of some clew was extremely slight, nor did we know in which direction to look for a clew. From our eyrie on the saddle of the hill we looked out across the east ern valley. In any cranny of that rough and precipitous forest the gold and the jewels and Sercombe's Greeks might be at this moment slowed in waiting for 8 safe conduct across the hills.
 Beat the Gwent!' had been Shep- pard's phrase, and that was very much what our expedition must come to. We descended the wooded slopes upon the northern face of the gorge, drop ping slowly from the castle. Few roads traversed this region - one, in parts but an open track, running the length of the spur into the plain, the others merely tracks of grass crossed and recrossed by footpaths through the great wilderness. The Gwent was very sparsely settled, and the only tenants of these regions were a few wood cut ters scattered among the huts through out the forest. It was into this silence and desolation that we plunged in the early hours of the night. Darkness hung about us, conveying our steps with blacker shadows from the copseS. At first progress was leisurely and the walking (through a plantation of pine) fairly easy. We had designed to strike road that ran over the spur south ward mainly out of a whim of Shep- pards that he could determine if any carriage had passed that way.
 '"These tracks are unfrequentcd," he explained, mot a pair of wheels once a week, and I'll guarantee if Sercombe drove this way, which leads naturally to the station at Nreachan, he has left his marks. There was rain last night l had not so much hope myself, but his plan was the only one before us, and so we directed our steps toward this crossrond. Down the valley came the cry of a cock pheasant, and then with a whzzing and whirring of wings a covey sailed out of the deeps, be- came momentary buzz about our heads and disappeared into the brack- en beyond
 'We didn't startle those." said Mont gomery.
 "How do you know:' asked, though the matter seemed indifferent.
 "Oh, know pheasants" said Mont gomery emphatically. "They've been scared down in the bottom there'
 You mean l began
 Don't let's talk so loud." urged the boy. ''Yhere's some one down there"
 The notion put new blood into us all ''No noise this time," said l, ill warn ing "and no discovery. Let Us go ahead slowly"
 It was impossible to proceed through that Draclen without some sound, the fern lay SC thick about our legs. But we moved with the utmost caution. silently making for the distant patch of forest whence the pheasantS had started. No word was spoken be tween us, but We communicated by gestures, which were just visible in the faint starE@lft Drawing close in this manner, F.e k-.He1 at length upon tue margin of tue spot oyor which our suspicious brooded. Sheppard craWled steaithfly forward, aHd after a time we followed h55-a. tet1i.sltu lay afm and pointed t2 Che ground.
 "&afHe o05 i.ss I..==7e tsere he Hhis- pereI "A'e're='a a -.ele ira l..''
 so mra'lr tAa Ie,=7 | a aAfed la the sat4e= >#,5ee -4s-e# =f5.-fl 3F3sp loss noisC i9 E4Jst1
 Ntth that7ee =t#el oar=4-aa ~,4h the saIHa lti.. -4.sp. cau5i-li. t.,d lu ujl~t la1e c3e- -aF -aouid su1s@, ,57oHt the qE a= isiles when sHls liE Sheppard y5.- t5.a pause.
 Hear #. huge Ae mrnurei in ny ear.
 shook u.- head.
 ptAitNt tt4tN lt Jl!Nt UIt'tO SNN VT d of them, Ie continued, Step lightly, for heavens sake"'
 needed B5 reminder, nor did Mont somery. Nc were like a church service for solemnitN, and crept rather than walked as Va stalk0d closer upon 0uf prey. All of Il sudden Montgomery who was W5,!ting just before me drop ped on bis knee and moved his hdlH! back tD :4e. l followed his example and craw!el on all fonrs toward him.
 w hat is it:' l asked.
 There's some one behind that tree. V he whispered, pointing 10 q huge oal some ten feet from the path.
 There ea ued q deep silence. and then. .itet as began to find rly posi- ton iltalotable and was thinking of chlfe ezae BY feet, twig cracked in the f4ros;, and tAerc came Il Hcise as of fJ@I among ttJr dry leaTeS.
 what shah we do?' h. asked.
 To say the truth. I had no idea but t was plain that if We had been seen. eoneealment was of no further use, and