The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1908-10-22

place they could travel by train TO the
village Of ojlto. which nestled In the
mountains about 30 miles southwest OF
Parral.
There undoubtedly Is something in
the old mans story" said Jerry. who
was at the oars. but we may be go.
ing right away from where they are
with Marina. Mike. this business IL
nearly driving me daft. Where Is she1
What have they done to herr What
may they DO To herr And what can
We do 20 reach her. save her."
Lad. you've often heard that the
really good things In this world OF
ours are hard to get" said Mike. and
that perseverance gineraliy brings
things to head feel from the
crown OF my head to the tip OF my big
toe that we're goin' to find that little
girl and that she will be safe and
sound"
Mikes optimism was beautiful TO
Jerry's mind. but II could not dispel
the gloom that darkened his hope OF
ever finding Marina Bostos.
They arrived at Jimenez early the
next morning. where they had TO walt
only an hour before they could pro
coed to Parral. They took their tent
and provisions with them. but gave
the boat to a small boy. On the out.
skirts OF Parral they caught train
which made the short run between
that city and Otto. the terminus OF
the line.
II was late IN the afternoon when
they reached Otto. and they immedi-
ately went 20 the steps OF the village
church. The light OF the sinking sun
made red the peak OF only one noun
tain. which proved 10 be fully so
miles away They waited until morn
ing before starting for the mountain
on burros with their outft. They had
not been out OF me village long before
they were In n dense wilderness. the
trail winding around hills and along
dangerously steep cliffs. The stars
were out when they arrived at the red
sandstone in the trail. Here they
rested until daylight. when they tried
W lhtaNt u paAu w Ah' h'NhAeths
Tommy" said Mike. he died be
fore he could tell us which way TO
turn. and all we can do Is 10 take the
shortest cut 20 the mountain" The
suggestion carried. and Il was not
long before the tent was up. on n
level spot a short way up the noun
tain side.
For a solid week they searched for
No. IL" but failed 10 ind a trace
OF II. One going one way and the
other another. they explored with
reasonable thoroughness every place
within a radius Of mile that could be
reached. One morning Jerry found an
opening In the mountain. and his
hopes ran high. for II appeared TO have
been artifcially made. He explored u
as far as he could go. at times being
compelled TO crawl on hands and
knees. The light Of his lantern was
brought to play on every ledge. his
eyes forever on the lookout for 10. .
Mike. big about the girth. also struck
what he regarded as a possible lead
one afternoon. at a place within few
yards OF the camp. lie tried "a
squeeze his way under a hanging rock
a few feet from the opening. but be.
came lodged so that he could not move
one way or the other. Fortunately for
him. his voice was strong enough Ia
be heard by Jerry. who at the mo
ment happened 10 be at the camp, and
his rescue was effected through the ef
forts Of his young companion.
On the night OF the seventh day nj
the camp there was undlsguised de
spair In the hearts OF both men.
Lad. we've hunted high and low
thin and deep" said Mike. but We
haven't amy more TO show than clay
soaked clothes and blistered hands
I've got a bump on my knee as big as
a belle.fiower, besides. What are We
going 10 do? This pile O. dirt's only
about a million feet high and about
seventeen thousand miles around. yor
know. We couldn't get over littls
bit OF II n we lived to be a thousand
times as old as the old codger up the
river"
Il can't think OF anything. Mike.
gloomily spoke Jerry. Il haven't seer
anything that resembles IA any more
than look like this red-headed noun
tain. Why couldn't he have lived Ions
enough TO tell us which way to turf
and where TO stop"
HE simply aggravated us. that's all
lad-told us lust enough to make N
feel that we owned the earth and hat
a mortgage on the moon. ! feel abou
seven years older than felt sever
days ago; every joints as sore as |
gum-boil. What's more, our provi
slons won't last two days longer. Ont
OF us has to drift up to Otto and re
stock, II we're goin' to hang 'roun'
here amy longer"
The Tipping OF a coin decided tina
Mike should start for the mining VII
lage the next morning and lay in
new supply OF provisions.
"And, Mike" said Jerry at daybreak
as the gray haired o'Connor got ON hi
| aLaan an ava naaIad fs.tr N b.