Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1910-01-29
CHAPTER XIV

nuponceau had been prooding all Gay
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 il to the Ship
that night ] pointed out the facr 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 Du-
ponceau's fears were aroused. and it was
evident that he would be satisfied with
nothing short of having the stronghold
under his eyes.
'"What the deuce do you suppose those
papers are, that he should be so fearful
about them?" I 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 a real,
live mystery somewhere. and our friend
Pierre is a somebody. though whether the
Wandering jew or the lost Napoleon /
can't say. Suffice it. he's got a treasure
chest, and it's up to us TO sit on it so
tight that none Of its pieces-of-eight can
filter through"
Fortunately the night was cloudy. and
about eleven we were ready TO start. i
had never felt so completely the despera-
do before. We were al three armed with
rev0lvers. ] carried a coil Of rope wound
about my waist. and Rodney a dark Ian
tern which Charles had found Ia the
cottage. Duponceau was the least excit-
ed He took command of our expedition
with the assurance Of a born leader. and
In fact. II was only his Overweening con-
fdence that gave the scheme 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 dunes. Duponceau led as to the pine
thence we crawled inward. lying silent
after each cracking twig. straining ouI
eyes and ears for news. When we came
10 the hemlock we lay four abreast and
so peered over az the tent that doomed
vaguely white ahead. The only sound
was a loud and resonant snore.
DupOnceau crawled forward on one side
Of the tent aud then beckOned 10 noe "a
do the same on the opposite side. When
j had wriggled forward some ten feet
could look Ia al the tent. ohe sides o'
which We're open 10 the summer breezes
One man lay within sleeping. II wa
clear rhat the enemy had moi eEDectes
us.
Duponoeen stole 10 bis feet. did Ike
wise he entered the tent from one side
and from The other. Viii 3 swif
movement b. was over ihe sleeping man
aud bad pinned BIN ~ ihe bed while d,
thrust handkerchief into his mouth
The sleeper started struggled moaned
and ay siill bad held my revolver a
hls lace ln q fNinkllug ~ had hln
bound aud gagged rolled from BIZ bed D
boughf. and lald ai itile distance
While ~ dld iAle ifip and Charles eu
ihe gulde-IoDes and lAf house of ou
enemiof fell oollapsing lllf gfeai Nhlt
balloon when iho faf escapes W. eleaI
od n Away and fhf place where iAe cles
naf hldden lag before pf
n bon followed a strange heenf fQl iNos
unAlal0rlo plnff NJ AlaeRlf. VIII faf
lnen fol iAf a|leNiesl alarm Dppopeoa
aud : duf liodaff holding lN plael lai
leln Az Az NJ ald uf Charles kfepln
nalaI y fooi aonn and lpl slaof sifne
nood ip tsf mlnuifs 1if eAesi 30
uneoffled Carefully ~ felsff n hn
placed Y Nv ~ Flqnpe AZ W. hhe
lesehef ~ pnllQltn |pel ibeNFal ~
lulonffsp sea- ulllf s|sl VI lellsf
fIo ~ fapiiaasf