The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-04-18

an uncanny appearance not altogether
devoid Of interest.
As climax it had been planned -
explore this tunnel, known ~ Dem,
Monahan's Lead. from Tire ,Ia -.ish
man, who had dgg So g.. i... t.ir
| mountain for three years. ~. :'.-
some gold, breaking in upon stn.i.-..
ly iimit.esS limestone cavern ard eve
tually disappearing forever iu this Dtt
which he had du-. NcNcns. lci
the way IN. unreelin@ 50 ~ wcH Re
cord which was to rui'e our r';...-l.
| and with lighted can les jhr ret 81
us followed in line AI,oyc Ne the bats
/ passed out in a continuous :trcaiu. an ;
amid tiny shrieks Of delight al! .rci,i,.a-
/ ton from the ladies we praoeoIcI to
the limits OF the tunnel ana ont into
/ the natural cavern that In swallow
ed up The body and. so the delightful
tradition ran, the treasure of benny
! Mondhan. The play of caul eight up
on the glittering drops OF moisture. the
/ curious formations Of ONYX and lime
! stone, the infinitely repeated echoes. oil
/ called forth their share of admiration,
/ and, although the footing was hacom-
/ ing more difficult, we continued on
! ward, the Lunger taking the lead in
/ order to leave McNanon f.. Q 10 man
/ age his cord.
! Fatigue began to manifest itself in
/ the cessation Of talk and laughter ana
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 II blotted out. | saw
/ McNanon leap back. heard a duh
/ splash. and then Kuowlton brushed
4 past ne, tearing of his coat as he ran
/ He too, plunged out Of sight, ana we
/ hcar6 'o'"'r 81 struggle in vatnr
/ ana Of some au" gasp.a~ fer breath
{ Holding my candle orc" Ito brink of
/ the pit inlo which the LUng"r had
+ fallen, could fGi ..lv discern III GIN.
mer Of water below NO. bat nst'..U.
! more The sound Of sp.a-hin% lm'
ceased also. and for long time we
waited in hrnatblesS silence for some
/ rcassuring noise from below Tne.
! from out the darkness u tho lett ~.
( even voice Of the young Eng]ishmm
startled US
Come hir this way with that car
+ die. will you=
4 moment later he appeared, scram-
bling up the sloping rocks Mt the side
/ carrying the Lager like a child in hi
arms Il fancy he's knocked his head
/ Il bit on the stones down there" he re
marked in a level conversational tone
as lie laid the dripping burden down
Then as MIS-. Loring bent over the uu
conscious 10y he picked M his con,
and Sterred To one side.
Ton minutes later the I.unger was
( able to stand and. leaning on I.0riug'
arm. 10 set out on the return iourrov
We found that the proloagation Of o.,
stay had nearly consumed our candle,
ami after q consultation the remainlu-
bits We're delivered over to the leader
and the rest walked in darkness.
was being detailed t. close up the rpar.
The windings Of the passage left ne
for the most part in total obscarity.
| and | stumbled along cursing myself
that | had not told Mamie that truth
concerning KDOWltou which we men
had long ago knowu-that it was his
Inheritance from 4 long line Of port
loving ancestors that had brought lin
down; that after long monotonous
months of garrison duty at an Gully
ing post an urgent appeal for aid from
IN cHtrnpped scouting party had come
ut the moment when the demon in his
blood had At last got The better Of him
\ subordinate had led out Il relief ex-
petition. and KnowltOn had come to
live in the valley Of the Blue Water. 1t
was rot pretty story. yet thousand
times better than the one which had
been told her. And. too | could add
TO il that for the past year he had
fought against his temptation with an
unhinching 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 If
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:
sh l, tnI
what the real reason was. | have
seen. | am sure it was not what that
paper said. There is nothing else in
the world that | 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
IL, Il.