The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1908-11-05
ALUg7RA77O1Ny BY MEZVzZZ

his weary legs would carry him. He
went under, over and between the
rocks for 20 or 30 feet. when he came
to cavern In which he could stand
at full height. The light was thrown
on every ledge. but nowhere was there
n sign Of "a" lie kept on and on.
until he calculated that he must have
gone so yards from the opening. Every
few feet he made a mark with a piece
of keel. so that he could trace his way
back 20 the open air. He finally came
to an intersection of two passageways
and turned into the one at his left.
He went down II until he found him
self confronted by impossible bar
riers. He retraced his steps. and, TO
a surprise that chilled him. he soon
found himself In an unfamiliar corri'
dor. He tried TO get out OF II. but In
stead wandered into still another pas
sageway that bore none OF his keel
marks. His mind was In whirl now.
and ne could not recover his bearings.
MY God," he gasped: Tn lostl"
His strength almost forsook him as he
thought Of the possibility that he
might never reach the open. but his
desperation spurred him on. He went
back over what he thought was the
way he had concentrating. crawling.
climbing for what he thought must be
hundreds Of yards. Finally he found
himself in the almost sitting vapor OF
hot spring. When he reached anoth-
er avenue he sank to the ground In
collapse. His strength had deserted
him. and II his very life had depended
on his moving ten yards at the mo
ment It is probable that II would have
been forfeited. After an hour. how
ever. he was sufficiently restrength-
ened to continue. and he also discov-
cred that he was intensely hungry.
He pulled out his watch for the first
time and almost tainted when he saw
that It was a few minutes after three
O'Clock.
On and on he plunged and stumbled
until he reached another avenue. at
the end of which was a tiny speck Of
light.
I'm saved, I'm saved" he cried In
an ecstasy Of JOY. and he ran towards
the light. He had not covered many
feet when he. tripped over a plank
and went sprawiing 10 the damp
ground. He stopped and turned his
light to the left. lie saw the end OF
an artificially made lead. and his ex.
element rose SO high that he scarcely
could control himself. He stuck his
head into the opening and held up the
lantern.
"Fourteen," he cried. for there. on a
ledge. was the old mans number
crudely scratched. I've found IL. Eve
found the San Dimas mine,"
He went into the channel for few
yards and had his hopes further
heightened by finding a pick and n
small sack. His knife soon had ripped
hole in the sack.
Gold" he exclaimed. his blazing.
flashing eyes feasting On a small heap
of nuggets.
He took the pick and started On. but
he had not gone far before he dropped
II and snatched out his watch
Great heavens" he gasped. 1T
will take every minute Of my time TO
reach Otto IL I'm TO catch the train
for Parral What shall dog I must
get that train or I'll not reach III
Paso in time, I'll let the train 60.
and" But the next instant his hat
was on his head. and. stopping only
long enough to grab up handful Of
the precious nuggets. he was running
towards the speck Of light In the dis
lance.
Darkness overlook him before he had
gone far over the trail. but the faith
full burro was urged along the dan
gerous cliffs as II never before had
been urged. Otto was reached soon
after sunrise. and Jerry barely had
time to give his animal away and
catch the rear end Of the last car OF
the two-coach train for Parral.
A few hours later this son OF Cemini
was speeding northward towards Ell
Paso. his happiness reaching to the
skies. his spirits as light as feather.
HLAnTCo NNiN