The Washington herald., 1907-02-15

ton And in that moment my opDor-
tunity was gone. for McNanon called from
the other room, Come on here. were
OF, and we had 10 join the COMPANY
assembled for an excursion to the ruins
OF Eldorado City. 1t was one of the
many Jauhts that had been arranged 10
entertain some visiting school friends
of Nannie's. and like most of our enter
tainments. included the whole neigh5or-
mood, for we are TOO few and too isolated
Tor social subdivisions All were there
Breach of Promise McNanon, the Remit
lance Man, the Lady of the Absent Hus-
Ddnd' the Lunger, the Man Of Invariably
went Armed. l who-but this is not an
autobiography.
what with the gayety Of our young
guests, the cool moonlight. and the very
good supper that Knowlton's Chinese bov
mad provided, the time passed pleasantly
enough, although 90 me, OF course. the
ruins OF EldoradO City were a familiar
and not altogether amusing story. Yet
when "a coyote appeared in the open door
way Of the old Golden Light dance
man, and "a string of bats came fitting
from the entrance of Denny Monahau's
/ tunnel l VIII confess that the moonlft
/ WTecEage took on an uncanny appear
ance not altogether devoid OF interest.
As climax II mad been planned 10
explore this tunnel. known as Denny
Monahan's Lead from the old Irishman.
who had dug steadily into the mountain
Tor three years, bringing out some gold.
| breaking u upon a seemingly lmitless
limestone cavern, and eventually disap-
pearing forever in this pit which he had
digged McNanon led the way in. I'M
reciing as he went the cord which was 10
guide our return. and with lighted can
dies the rest Of us followed in line
Above Us the bats passed out i'm a con
tHuous stream, and amid tiny shrieks Of
delight trepidation from the ladies. we
proceeded 20 the limits OF the tunnel and
out into the natural cavern that had
swallowed up the body and. so the de-
/ ishtul tradition ran, the treasurer OF
Denny Monahan- The play OF candle
light upon the glittering drops Of mois-
/ turc. the curious formations Of ONYX and
I limestone, the infinitely repeated echoes.
all called forth their share Of admiration
and although the footing was becoming
more difficult, We continued onward. tn.
Lunger taking the lead, in order 10 leave
McNanon free to manage his cord
Fatigue began TO manifest itself in the
cessation of talk and laughter. and when
one of the ladies IN the rear OF the pro
cession called out some belated lest Of
the Lunger, the boy glanced backward
in surprise The next instant he disap-
pearcd as If blotted out I saw McNanon
leap back, heard a duh splash and then
hnoWitOp brushed past me, tearing Of
his coat as he ran. He too. plunged out
of sight. and We heard sounds Of a strug-
gle IN the water and some one gasping
for breath. Holding my candle over the
brink OF the pit into which the Lunger
had fallen I could family discern the
glinmer OF water below me, but nothing
more. The sound of splashing had ceased
also. and for a long time we waited I'm
/ brcathless silence for some reassuring
noise from below. Then from out the
darkness. TO the left. the even voice OF
the young Englishman startled US.
Come a bit this way with that candle.
viii you?"
y moment later he appeared. scram-
bling up the sloping rocks at the side.
carrying the Lunger Ike a child I'm his
arms. Il fancy he's knocked his head a
/ bit on the stones down there" he re-
marked IN a level. conversational tone as
he laid The dripping burden down. Then.
as Mr.. LOHng bent over the unconscious
boy, he picked up his coat and stepped
to one side
Ten minutes later the Lunger was able
10 stand, and, leaning on Lorings arm,
to set out on the return journey. We
found that the prOlOngatiOn of our stay
had nearly consumed our candles. and
after a consultation the remaining bits
were delivered to the leader and the rest
walked in darkness. / being detailed 10
close up the rear.
The windings Of the passage left me
for the most part in total obscurity, and
l stumbled along cursing myself that l
had not told Mamie the truth concerning
KnowtOn. which we men had long ago
known, that it was his inheritance from
a long lire of FORTHCOMING ancestors that
had brought him down; that after long
monot0nous months of garrison duty at
an outlaying post an urgent appeal for
aid from an entrapped scouting party had
come at the moment when the demon
in his blood had at last gotten the better
Of him. A subordinate had led out a
relief expedition, and Knowlton-had
come to live in the valley of the Blue
water. 1t was not a pretty story. vet q
thousand times better than the one which
had been told her. And, too. 1 could
add to il that for the past year he had
fought against his temptation with an
un:inching courage, that in my eyes at
least, had made him almost worthy Of
her Yet ] had feared that no woman
hpulb NoiipltutAu what InAI dull bloom
of dust on the cut-crystal decanter. an
heirloom in the family. he had once
remarked TO me, with queer smile. had
cost him. I wondered if even now she
would understand.
AS We turned at last into the straight
tunnel ! caught sight of two siIhouetfed
figures that walked side by side. lust In
front OF me, talking in low tones. And
as we approached the entrance. they de-
layed their steps, and there came to me
the voice of Mamie Marble. speaking
very gently.
NO. no, I do not wish to be told what
the real reason was. / have seen. I am
sure it was not-what that paper said.
There is nothing else in the world that
would not trust the man I love to
conquer
Very gravely the man answered her.
Anything in the world now
And together they passed out into the
starlight.
Copyright 1907, by Donald Keunieottl