The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-10

another sound-the ticking of another watch '.Sy
 He sat up. startled, wondering, and then he laughed happily as he heard the sound more distinctly. It was the beating of picks on the rock outside. Already MacDonald's men were at work clearing the mouth of the coyotes In half an hour he would be out in the big, breathing world again.
 The thought brought him to his feet. The numbness was gone from his limbs and he could walk about. His first move was to strike a match and look at his watch
 Half past 10v'
 He spoke the words aloud, thinking of Meleese. In an hour and half he was. to meet her on the trail. Would he be released in time to keep the tryst? How should he explain his inn prisonment in the coyote so that he could leave Macdonald without further loss of time? As the sound of the picks came nearer his brain began working faster. If he could only evade explanations until morning and then reveal the whole dastardly business to Macdonald! There would be time then for those explanations, for the running down of his murderous assailants, and meanwhile he would be able to keep his appointment with Meleese.
 He was not long in finding 8 way in which this scheme could be worked, and, gathering up the severed ropes and rawhide, he concealed them be- tween two of the powder sacks so that those who entered the coyote would discover no signs of his terrible i'm prisonment. Close to the mouth of the tunnel there was a black rent in the wall of rock made by bursting charge of dynamite in which he could conceal himself. When the men were busy examining the broken fuse he would step out and join them. It would look as though he had crawled through the tunnel after them
 Half an hour later mass of rock rolled down close to his feet and a few moments after he saw a shadowy human form crawling through the hole it had left. A second followed. and then a third, and the first voice he heard was that of Macdonald.
 Give us the lantern, Bucky," he call ed back, and a gleam of light shot into the black chamber The men walked cautiously toward the fuse, and How land saw the little superintendent fall on his knees. AS quietly as a cat Rowland worked himself to the en- trance and made a chatter among the rocks. It was he who responded to the voice.
 Whats up, MacDonald?"
 He coolly joined the little group. Mcdonald looked up, and when he saw the new chief bending over him his eyes stared in unbounded wonder.
 ''Howlandp' he gasped
 It was all be said, but in that one word and in the strange excitement in the superintendent's face Rowland read that which made him turn quick ly to the men, giving them his first command as general in chief of the road that was going to the bay.
 Get out of the coyote, boys" he said "We won't do anything more until morning.
 To Macdonald as the men went out ahead of them he added in low voice:
 "Guard the entrance to this tunnel with half dozen of your best men to- night, Macdonald. I know things which will lead me to investigate this tomorrow. Pm going to leave you as soon as get outside. Spread the re- port that it was simply a bad fuse. Understand?'
 Gro Be Contfnued.)
 Clean old glass by pouring strong