Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-01-14
CHAPTER XIV.


nuponceau had besn hroodlnZ 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 1t to the Ship
that 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 henlock; but Du-
ponceau's fears were aroused, and It WINS
evident that he would be satisfied with
nothing short Of having the strong-bo1
under his oyes.
what the deuce do you suppose those
papers are, that he should be so fearful
about themw 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
rue wise on cranks No, there's real,
live mystery somewhere and our friend
Pierre is a somebody. though whether the
Wandering Jew or the lost Napoleon l
can't say. Suffice II, he's got n treasure
chest, and It's up to US to sit on 1t so
| tight that none Of It's pieces-of-oight can
filter through"
Fortunately the night was cloudy, and
about eleven we wero ready to start. l
had never felt 20 completely the despera-
| do before We were all three armed with
revolvers, carried n coil Of rope wound
about my waist. and Rodney a dark lam
tern which Charles had found in the
cottage Duponeonu was the least excit-
ed. He took command OF our expedition
with the insurance Of a born leader, and,
In fact, It was only his overweenlng con-
fdence that gave the scheme the least
prospect Of success.
Just before we left the Ship Charles
Joined us with two spades. and 30, party
Of four. we stole over the beach and into
the dunes, Duponeeau led us to the pine,
thence we orawied inward lying silent
after each cracking twig. stralning our
eyes and ears for news. When we came
to the hemloct we lay four abreast and
so peered over at the tent that loomed
vaguely white ahead. The only sound
was loud aad resonant snore
Duponeeau crawled forward on one side
Of the tent. and then beckoned to me to
do the same on the opposite side When
l had wrlEEled forward some ten feet I
could look In at the tent, the sides of
which were open TO the summer breezes
One man lay within. sleeping. It was
clear that the enemy had not expected
US.
Duponceau stole to his feet, l did like
wise. He entered the tent from one side,
and I from the other. With a swift
movement he was over the sleeping man,
and had pinned him to the bed, while he
thrust a handkerchief into his mouth.
The sleeper started. struggled, moaned,
and lay still had held my revolver In
his face In 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 a 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 strange scene for those
unhistoric pines Of Alastair. With ears
keen for the slightest alarm, Duponceau
and dug, Rodney holding his black Ian
tern 80 as to aid us, Charles keeping
watch. A foot down and my spade struck
wood. In i've minutes the chest was
uncovered. Carefully we raised It and
placed 1t on the ground. As his hand
touched the unbroken lock thought that
Duponceau gave a little sigh Of relief.
Ito be continued