Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-02-22
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scattering their priceless booty In all
dircgtions. until. bruised and bleeding.
they found their way thto the shelter
OF dark passage. Here they paused
for breath and listened. The voices
came nearer. and the tramp OF many
feet became, more distinct.
Al last they could distinguish the
words Of the newcomers. who hsd en-
tered the chamber, through which
they had so, precipItately ned. and
which ,~as only separated from their
hidinG place by the passage In. fSout
OF them. \ r--. ~, ran. o.,
-Ah." said a voice. "wa have not
rcsfhcd here TOO 5000. for the odcg
Of gas has entered our Council Cham.
ber.' n M -
! -Yes.rlreplied apo,hcr. but Why is
Gssshon not here? thought he
would be In readiness to receive u.s..
"Ah. he comes. now. for sec thS
flight OF his torch as he approaches"
Just at this moment the two,
Frcnchmcn. pccripI through ,crAc3r
saw the stately ,hgure d Gcrshon
coming from an opposite direction
pass In front Of the opening and disap.
pear beyond. Many voices cried out
to the newcomer. but one. which
sounded like the. rumble OF thunder
and rose high above all the rest. was
heard with awful distinctneSs.
Look. my brothers," cried the great
voice. "can you not sec tho floor In
sprinkicd with our jcwclx!" n
AZ this hundred cries rang out
upon the air:
Traitor. Traitor! Let the traitor
be found"
Then all was quiet. and voice un-
III c tho others. soft. gentle aud sweet.
said:
Some one has discovered tho pass
and entered these cavcrns. Let us
fret look to the treasure. and then
s.lrch tho passages that lead from
the entrance ..-fI'
II was Gcrshon who had spoken.
The hearts Of the detectives sank
within them. for they knew that they
were doomed.
Draw your pirtols." whispered Do
neau. "wc shall not he ashsmc to
die: We arc Frcpchmcn." and rising
from their conccalmcnt. they crept
from their shelter. rcndy 10 face whnt
knew TO be n horrible death. They
looked into the Chamber of Silence.
II was deserted. as the men had
rushed back into the passage To.
search for the unknown invaders.
They entered the chamber. and pccrcd
into the vault In an opposite direc-
,ion. They giidcd on Ike shadows.
until they were In the very midst of
he excited crowd. and when they hnd
feared the mouth Of the main tunnel.
hey plunged forward for their lives.
Then there arose n great commotion.
"who were they that left u.s." said
one excited voice.
Were not they OF our Order?"
efiend another. for so great was the
excite ement Incident to the discovery
hat the desperate stratagem of the
,wo detectives had partially succeed.
I'd.
Follow me-" cried the desperate
Deneau. as he blindly groped his way
into connecting tunnel.
Here they crouched in silence. un.
til all the searchers had reassembicd
In the Chamber OF Silence. Taking
advantage of the deserted passages.
the two wretched creatures leaned for.
ward md sped onward.
Ere they had gone twenty yards n
hundred men were in hot pursuit. led
ty the mighty giant. Gideon. while
the air resounded with the firing OF
listols. Gideon. who was many yards
Ia advance of all the pursuers was
rapidly gaining upon La Prade. whose
very limbs were swollen and bleeding
-und whose fat body was fast succumb.
Ing under the terrible strain. He stag.
gered frantIcally forward In mad ef.
fort to reach the side Of Deneau. but
the latter moved with marvellous swift.
ness. bounding like an antelope from
stone TO stone. .t
:" Suddenly. the giant. with great
sound.- had seized the unhappy La
Prade by the middle, and. lifting him
aloft, he dashed out his brains against
the stone walls. and throwing the
quivering body into a pit he again
started In pursuit OF Deneau. u
The multitude stood appalled, at the
frlghtful deed ofGideon. and turned
away In horror. for the sight was more
than ! could look upon.
When again turned. saw
hundred white, speechless faces, and
ali were fixed upon Gideon. who was
now almost within reach OF Deneau.
shouting and firing his pistol as he
sped onward. - i'' -.
I could see the devil.like face OF the
doomed detective smiling, even then,
/ as he paused and raised his pistol in
deadly aim at his pursuer. could
shear, his. Wild laughter, as he stood
upon the brink of chasm. until his
last bullet wins spent; ,then, with
Wild defiant shout he threw. his pistol
from. him and .leaped into the depths
below.