Mower County transcript., 1908-12-02

IL red. Follow the trail that leads
from Otto until the base of the noun
tain is reached. Leave it where red
sandstone lies in the path and 60
through the trees to the north and
then turn-turn-' Here he stopped
and his eyes rolled a little.
"Go on, go ont" excitedly whispered
Jerry.
"Turn-turn-turn and look for
IL"
"What is it,"
1.-THE San D." The lips Of the old
man of the adobe were closed, never
to open again. Mike pressed his ear
to the unclothed breast and listened
intently for minute.
"He is Dead" he solemnly whis-
pered.
Mike" began Jerry in low tones,
''he has given us lead to the lost
San Dimas gold mine! He has told
us almost all that it took him more
than 60 years to find out! Poor SOUL"
he went on, looking into the dead
mans face. "Sixty years of searching,
with success coming too late. That's
q part of life, I guess, Mike
"And see," said Mike, pointing to
corner of the little room, ''he had
everything packed ready to 60 there"
He examined the few effects of the old
man and discovered pick and shovel
at the bottom of the heap. Hell get
as good a burial as we can give him,
anyway, and SO will the dog" he went
On, going outside. After burylng the
old man and his dog side by side with
in few feet of the entrance to the
mud house, they made a careful search
of the premises, but found nothing
that indicated success in locating a
vast hidden treasure
1t was decided to lose no time in
trying to find the red-topped mountain
to which the old man of the adobe re-
ferred, and a few hours later they
were going down the river with their
camping outfit and remaining provi-
s1ons. Jerry's map convinced them that
it would be easy for them to go down
the stream to Jimenez, from which
place they could travel by train to the
village of Otto, 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 is
nearly driving me daft. Where is she?
What have they done to her? What
may they do to her? And what can
we do to reach her, save herr"
Lad, you've often heard that the
really good things in this world of
ours are hard to get," said Mike, "and
that perseverance ginerally brings
things to head. I 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 1t 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 wait
only an hour before they could pro-
ceed to Parral. They took their tent
and provisions with them, but gave
the boat to small boy. On the out
skirts of Parral they caught a train
which made the short run between
that city and Ojito, the terminus of
the line. :;
. It was late in the afternoon when
they reached Otto, and they immedi-
ately went to the steps of.the village
church. The hight of the sinking sun.
made red the peak Of only one noun.
tain, which proved to be fully so
miles away. They waited until morn
ing before starting for the >mountain
on burros with their outfit. They had
not been out. of the village long before
they were in a 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
to locate path to the mountain.
Tommy" said Mike, *'he died be-
fore he could tell US which way to
turn, and all we can do is to take the
shortest cut to the mountain" The
suggestion carried, and it was not
long before the tent was up, on q
level spot q short way up the noun
tain side
For a solid week they searched for
mo. H." but failed to find a trace
Of it. One going one way and the
other another, they explored with
reasonable thoroughness every place
within radius of mile that could be
reached. One morning Jerry found an
opening In the mountain, and hts
hopes ran high, for It appeared to have
been artifcially made. He explored It
as far as he could 60, at times being
compelled to crawl on hands and
knees. The light Of hts lantern was
brought to play ON every ledge, his
eyes forever on the lookout for a."
Mike, big about the girth, also struck
what he regarded as q possible lead