Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-08-04

then he laughed happily as he heard
the sound more distinctly. 1t was the
beating W picks on the rock outside.
Already MacDonald's men were at
work clearing the mouth Of the coyote.
In half an hour he would be ont 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 ut his watch.
"Half past TO-"
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 i'm
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. II 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 assailaDts, and
meanwhile he would be able to keep
his appointment with Meleese.
He was not long in finding way In
which this scheme could be worked.
and, gathering up the severed ropes
and rawhde, he concealed them be-
tween two of the powder sacks SO that
hn thN
discover no sig"s of bis terrible i'm
prisonment Close to the mouth Of the
tunnel there was 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. 1t would look
as though he had crawled through the
tunnel after them.
Half an hour later Il mass Of rock
rolled down close to his feet. and
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 Il CLEAN Of light shot into
the black chamber. The men walked
cautiously toward the fuse. and How
land saw the little superintendent fail
on his knees. AS quietly as a cat
Rowland worked himself to the en-
trance and made a clatter among the
rocks. 1t was he who responded to the
voice.
whats up. MacDonald"
He coolly joined the little group.
Macdonald looked up. and when be
saw the new chief bending over him
his eyes stared in unbounded wonder.
"Howland!" he gasped.
1t was all he said. but in that one
word and in the strange excitement in
the superintendent's face Rowland
read that which made him turn quick
~ to the men. giving them his first
command rs general in chief Of the
road that was going to the bay.
Get out Of the coyote. boys" he
said. I'VE won't do anything more
until morning."
ahead Of them he added in low voice:
Guard the entrance to this tunnel
with half a dozen OF your best men to-
night. Macdonald. know things
which will lead me to investigate this
tomorrow. I'm going to leave you as
coon as l get outside Spread the re-
port that it was simply bad fuse.
Understand"
He crawled out ahead Of the superin-
tendent. and before Macdonald had
from the coyote he had al
ready lost himself in the starlit gloom
Of the night and was Fastening to his |
tryst with the beautiful girl. who. he
would reveal to him at least
d part of one of the strongest and most
diabolical plots that had ever Originate
ed in the brain Of man.
ITO be continued;