Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-09-27

Before b. snapped on the light agsln
he was startled into rigidity BY the
sound Of footsteps treadine the pas
sage overhead. They came rapidly
with sharp. rapping clicks Of leather
boot heels on stone. This was not the
soft padding Of felted native slippers;
It was the tread of q fearless man
wearing European footgear or perhaps
American boots like his own.
Garland moved backward and away
from the steps until his back struck
sharply against a cold wall. There he
stood. part of the enveloping black
ness. while the footsteps stopped at
the arched door. and then by the dare
Of sputtering candle damned In the
neck Of soda water bottle Garland
saw pair Of trousers descend the first
few steps. Then AZ the man came
down the candle fame lighted his shirt
front and reached his chin Just AZ q
Whit Of air from out Of nowhere In
particular ext1nguished the light
dash It air. muttered the man in
English. and Garland felt queer little
thrill Of relief that the interlopee was
not Chinese.
After some flushing and . flnal excls-
nation Of disgust because be failed TO
ind another match about his person.
the newcomer flung his candle aside
and seemed to stop and consider the
situation.
Perhaps be heard Gafiand's carefully
controlled breathing. for suddenly hs
asked. who's there1s
Garland hesitated ana than decided
not to answer. Perhaps The stranger
would 60 away now that b vas with
out light In the meantime 10 would
endeavor to reach his goal By sdging
along the wan against which be was
leaning.
His feet made no sound n the soft
earth. and be had made considerable
progress when he became conscious Of
heavy breathing behind him. and he
knew that the newcomer was follow.
ing In bis wake.
Garland reached an angle Of the
wall. followed 1t around. turned again
and once again into a small square ne
cess which had window slanttng up
ward to some cunningly contrived
opening above ground which admitted
the moonlight to throw silver cloth
over stone table On the stone table
was a small shadowy slit perhaps the
width Of daggers blade.
The two men reached the table to-
gether and in the moonlight stared
pantingly at each other. The moon
lighted them up to their lips. and above
that their faces were. In darkness.
IF you've got light for heavens
sake turn 1t onT' growled the newcom-
er impauently. and Garland. as If Il
was the most natural thing in the
world for him to have met fellow
white man on this secret eerand of
his, snapped on his lamp and threw
it, broad white beam across the face
of-Harpeth.
Garland" said Harpeth stupidity.
And then with fierce suspicion be
went on: you followed me. l thought
better Of you than that. old man"
II was here first" calculated Gar
Land I'm blamed II I don't believe
you're following mel"
"You had an errand herer HaFpsth
put the question hesitatingly.
AYes, and yours 4 probably the
same" said Garland. With trace Of
relief In his tones y was feaxfully
afraid somebody would ind oat and
get the cinch on me. but somehow it's
20 confoundedly spooky down here I'm
glad OF company. even II It's a rival
for He paused suggestively.
The black daggerY' asked Harpeth
quietly.
Garland nodded II guess you've
I saw him in Portland"
"And o in Los Angeles" admitted
Harpeth. Did he sell you informa-
ton concerning the black dagger
which contained one of the biggest en-
eralds in the world and which was
concealed by one OF his thieving an
cestors in this spot? Did be tell you
how you could reach 1t, and as he was
dying and might never come back to
this country he would sell a map Of
its location for 500? Well. he told
me the same yarn. and took chance
on It too. Since / started. however,
rye had a thousand misgivings. the
chief one being that the old rascal
didn't believe the story himself. be-
neve that to him 1t was tradition
nothing more. and be made money out