Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-07-31

an uncanny appearance not altogether
devoid Of interest.
AS a climax it had been planned to
explore this tunnel, known as Denny
Monahan's Lead, from the old Irish
man, who had dug steadily into the
mountain for three years. bringing out
some gold, breaking in upon seeming
" limitless limestone cavern and even
tually disappearing forever in this pit
which he had dug. McNanon led
| the way in, unreeling as he went the
cord which was to guide our return.
and with lighted candles the rest of
us followed in line. Above us the bats
| passed out in a continuous stream, and
amid tiny shrieks of delight and trepids-
| the limits of the tunnel and out into
| the natural cavern that had swallow
ed up the body and, so the delightful
| tradition ran, the treasure of Denny
Monahan. The play of candlelight up
on the glittering drops of moisture the
curious formations of onyx and lime
stone, the infinitely repeated echoes, all
called forth their share of admiration,
and, although the footing was becom.
! ing more difficult, we continued OH.
ward the Lunger taking the lead in
order to leave McNanon free to man.
age 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 procession called out some belated
| jest of the Lunger the boy glanced
back In surprise. The next instant he
! disappeared as If blotted out. l saw
McNanon leap back, heard dull
splash, and then Knowlton brushed
past me, tearing off his coat as he ran
He, too, plunged out of sight, and we
heard sounds of q struggle in water
and of some one gasping for breath.
Holding my candle over the brink Of
the pit into which the Lunger had
fallen, could family discern the glim-
| mer Of water below me, but nothing
more. The sound of splashing had
ceased also, and for a long tiSe we
! waited in breathless 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 bit this way with that can
die, will your
A moment later he appeared, scram-
bling up the sloping rocks at the side.
carrying the Lunger like child in his
arms. II fancy he's knocked his head
q bit on the stones down there" he re-
marked in level conversational tone
as ne laid the dripping burden down.
Then as Mrs. Loring bent over the I'M
conscious boy he picked up his coat
and stepped to one side.
Ten minutes later the Lunger was
able to stand and, leaning on Loring's
arm, to set out on the return journey.
We found that the prolongation Of our
stay had nearly consumed our candles,
and after consultation the remaining
bits were delivered over to the leader,
and the rest walked in darkness. I
was being detailed to close up the rear.
The windings Of the passage left me
for the most part in total obscurity.
and / stumbled along, cursing myself
that had not told Mamie that truth
concerning Knowlt0h which we men
had long ago known-that 1t was his
inheritance from long line Of port
loving ancestors that had brought him
down; that after long monotonous
months Of garrison duty at an outly
Ing 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 got the better Of him.
A subordinate had led out relief ex-
| petition, and Knowlton had come to
live in the valley Of the Blue Water. 1t
was not pretty story, yet thousand
| times better than the one which had
been told her. And, too, could add
to 1t that for the past year he had
fought against his temptation with an
unfiinching courage that In my eyes at
least had made him almost worthy Of
her. Yet had feared that no woman
could comprehend what that dull
| bloom of dust on the cut crystal de-
canter, an heirloom In the family, he
had once remarked to me, with a queer
smile, had cost him. wondered IL
even now she would understand.
AS we turned at last into the straight
tunnel caught sight of two silhouetted
figures that walked side by side just
In front Of me, talking In low tones.
And as we approached the entrance
they delayed their steps, and there
came to me the voice of Mamie Mar
BILE, speaking very gently:
"No. no, / do not wish to be told
what the real reason was. / have
seen. l am sure 1t was not what that
PAPER said. Thee is nothing else In
the world that j would not trust the
man love to conquer"
Very gravely the man answered her.
Anything In the world now"
And together they passed out into the
starlight.