Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-10-31

Us almost al that It took him more
than go years 90 fad out, Poor soul. ="
he went on. looking into the dead
mans face. sky wears Of searching.
with success coming too late. That's
a part Of life. I guess. Mike"
And see" said Mike. pointing 20 a
corner OF the little room. "he had
everything packed ready 20 go there %
lie examined the few effects of the old
man and discovered q pick and shovel
at the bottom of the heap. ~Heu get
az good a burial as we can give him
anyway and SO viii the dog" he went
on, going outside. After burying the
old man and his dog side by side with
IN few feet 81 the entrance to the
+ mud house. they made q careful search
F OF the premises, but found nothing
. that Indicated success in locating a
i vast hidden treasure.
( 1t was decided 70 lose no time in
tryins TO end the rslto7red mouu.aiu
( 70 which the old man of the aicb, re-
! ferre I. and Few hours later they
were going down tle river with their
camping outfit ANA remaining provi-
| sions Jerry's mar convinced them thai
il would De easy for them 90 20 dowa
| the stream Co Jimcnoz. from which
place they could travel by train to the
village Of Otto. which nestled in the
mountains about so mEes 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 herr What
may they do TO her? And what can
we do 60 reach her. save her?"
Lad. you've often heard that the
really good things I'm this world Of
ours are hard 60 get" said Mike. and
that perseverance giuerally brings
things 20 q head. ] feel from the
crown of my head 90 the tip OF my big
toe that were roiu' Co find that little
girl and that she viii be safe and
sound"
Mixes optimism was beautiful 20
Jerry's mind. but 10 could not dispel
the gloom that da~kenod his hope Of
ever finding Marina Dostos.
They arrived 40 Jimcncz early the
next morning where they had 90 wait
only an hour before they could pro-
coed to Pcrral They took their tent
and provisions with them. but gave
The boat to % small boy on the cut
skirts ~ Parral they caught train
which made the short run between
chat city and Otto. The terminus OF
The lire
10 was late in tho afternoon when
thcv reached Oifo. and they immoii-
ately went to tte sfCus of the village
church. The u-rt of the sinking sun
made red the pcaE 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 one Of The village long before
they wore in dense wilderness. the
tran winding around hills and along
dangerously steep cliffs. The stars
were ont whom they arrived az the red
sandstone in tho trau. Here they
rested until daylieht. when they tried
10 locate path to the mountain.
Tommy" said M,ke. "he died be-
fore he could tell MS which way TO
shortest cur to The mountain" The
SUGGESTION carried. and IL was not
long before thc tent was up. ON
level srot q short 10y up the noun
tain side.
For "a solid week they searched for
mo. a." hut faucd 90 find a trace
OF a. One going one way and the
other another. they explored with
reasonable fnoroughness every place
within "a radius OF a mile that could be
reached. one morning Jerry found an
opening in the mountain. and HIS
hopes ran hieh. for 80 appeared 20 have
been artiGciaily made. lie explored IL
as far as De could go. az times being
compelled 90 crawl on hands and
knees. The isht OF his lantern was
brought 20 play ON every ledge his
eyes forever cen the lookout for IA.
Mike. big about the girth. also struck
what ne regarded as possible lead
one afternoon. at n place within a few
yards 81 the camp He tried 10
squeeze his way under hanging rock
few feet from the opening. but be
came l0dged So that he could not move
one way or the other Fortunately for
him, his voice was strong enough TO
be heard by Jerry. who at the mo-
ment happened 20 be at the camp. and
his rescue was effected through the ef-
forts Of his young companion.
On the night Of the seventh day al
the camp there was undisguised 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 10 show than clay
soaked clothes and blistered hands.
I've got bump on my knee as big as
beile-hOwer. besides. What are we
going to do? This pile o. dirts only
about a million feet high and about
seventeen thousand miles around. YOU
know. We couldn't get over a little
bit Of II II 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 seen
anything that resembles n any more
than l look like this red-headed noun