Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-09-16
CHAPTER XIV.

Ihponceau had BEEN proodins all iav
Over the possibility of losing the contents
OF his precious chest. and 81 after some
argument, Rodney and he hal decided TO
make the effort to move II to the ship
mat night. ] pointed out the fact that
IN all probability the enemy knew nothing
whatever of the chests position. and hal
simply happened to camp In the neighbor-
hood OF that particular hemlock but DJ-
ponceau's fears were aroused, and n was
evident that he would be satisfied with
nothing short Of having tho strong-box
under his ,yes
What the deuce do you suppose those
papers are, that he should be so fearful
about themf" l asked Rodney when we
were alone.
He shrugged his shoulders. Heaven
knows The man isn't crazy. for I've
been studying him closely all day, and
some experience with Wall Street has put
me wise on cranks. No. there's q real,
live mystery somewhere, and our friend
Pierre is a somebody. though whsther the
Wandering Jew or the lost Napoleon I
can't say. suf1cs Il, he's got a treasure
chest, and It's up to us to sit on II 30
tight that noae Of its piocss-of-eight can
filter through"
Fortunately the night was cloudy. and
about eleven we were ready to start. I
had never felt 70 completely the despera-
do before. Wo were all three armed with
revolvers, / carried coil Of rope wound
about my waist. and Rodney q dark Ian
tern which Charles had found In the
rOffa nY,Na.enno 81.
ed. He took command Of our expedition
with the assurance Of born leader. and,
In fact. It wns only his overweenins con-
fidence that gave tho schsme the least
prospect Of SUCCESS.
Just before we left the Ship Charles
Joined us with two spades. and 80, a party
OF four. we stole over the beach and Into
the dunos. Duponnoau led Us 10 the pine,
thence we orawled inward. lying silent
after each cracking twig. straining our
eyes and oern for news. When we came
to the hemlook we lay four abreast and
80 peered over at the tent that ioomei
vaguely white ahead. The only sound
was loud and resonant more.
Duponcenu crnwled forward on one side
Of the tont, and then beckoned to me to
do the same on the opposite side. Wen
l had wrlgrled forward some ten feet
could look In nt the tent. the sides Of
which wero open to the suD.Aer breezcs.
One man lay within. slee.dng. II was
clear that tho enemy bAd not expected
us.
Duponceau stole ~ his feet l did like
wise. He entered che tent from one side.
and / from tpe other. With a swift
movement he was over the sleeping man.
and had pinned him to the bed, while he
thrust handkerchief into his mouth.
The S,eeper started. struggled, moaned,
and lay still; had held my revolver In
b,s face In a twinkling we had him
bound and gagged. rolled from his bed of
boughs, and laid at a little distance.
While we did this Islip and Charles cut
the guide-ropes, and the house Of our
enemies fell, collapsing like great white
balloon when the gas escapes. We clear
ed it away, and the place where the chest
was hidden lay before us.
Then followed a strange scene for those
unhistoric pines Of Alastair. With ears
keen for the slightest alarm, Duponceau
and dug, Rodney holding his black Ian
tern so as to aid u.s., Charles keeping
watch. A foot down and my spade struck
wood. In Ave minutes the chest was
uncovered. Carefully we raised Il and
placed 1t on the ground. As his hand
touched the unbroken lock l thought that
Duponceau gave little sigh Of relief.
Ito be continued.)