The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-08-02

Another mile and the roar OF
Games came 10 them on the night
wild. The air was heavy with the
fragrant suffocating smoke of burn
ing pine and spruce. Great rolling
clouds OF gray moved slowly over
Saw.ooth's breast. Somewhere down
in he heart of the pine forest was
LOIS little shack.
You'll never make it. lad" shout
al Morrissey. Ahead OF them great
+ les of fallen timber blocked the
,.a!i. The air was full Of burning
!yay.s and stray wind-blown branch
cs. The horses had begun to fail.
rre.. ears ard Jaws were dripping
with white foam. Nick halted. dcs-
pirate and excited.
Il must get through 1t to her."
"y.ait Bit" cautioned the old
az. uer. There used to be the old
,..,l through the gulch. No mans
,,.s but me own and the Indians
| ,e looked at it. Do you mind?
Int tonight I'll ride you down it.
and well get tie girl. Hold back.
II Lad now"
Never once Oh that terrible ride
/ ii Nick question. Unerringly Andy
."rrissey led the way over the old
L. i into the secret heart of Saw.
,ooth's wilderness. When they came
to Tie rocky edge of the vast gulSh
i,lcy left the ponies behind, fastened
10 trees, out of the danger zone.
At log bridge Nick stopped short,
his mountain trained eye measuring
is Strength, but Andy strobe ahead.
There cane sickening crash, and
the great numbering form went down
into the gorge.
Over and over Nick shouted his
name. There was no response, and
he stumbled ahead. seeking a way to
cross. Suddenly he heard a call, and
saw Lou. her hair blowing in the
wind, her pony trailing after her,
coming down the old trail.
"You?" she cried. "Nick, Nick,
shy did you come after me? There
isn't one chance in the world Of
getting out safely unless the wind
should change"
Wen go together, then" Nick
said erimly as he took her close in
his arms without resistance. "You
krcw Id come for you, didn't you,
Lou"
l. did not tell her Of old Morrisscy
| ljing somewhere down in Sawtooth
.ulch. Hand in hand, like two chill
dron. the pony stealing after, they
made their way down the old forcot.
ten trail. down out Of the smoke nd
Thirling leaves into the cool gr n
f2ths Of he pulch. Suddenly ou
cried cut in alarm. and dropped 10
Ecr knees. Face upward where he
!"d fallen near the ledge OF rock was
old Morrisscv, comfortably hung in
some spruce bouGhs between land and
sky. Leaning over the edge Of the
trail Lou could SEQ Him face up
turned
And I'm not dead yet, Nick, lad,
he called fcobiy. "Me lcp's hurting
me. and me shoulders spln'n cred, but
I've found me way down Sawtooth
after ten years, and I've found me
lost trail again." He patted the
ledge Of rock beside him. Lift me
down from this tree, and I'll show
you where the gold grows in nests
like birds eggs"
Nick climbed down and helped him
back, little tho worse for his fall
And he told them Sawtooth's secret
Ten years before. while hunting W
through the gulch. he had stumbled
on the gold, first in a few scattered
pockets, then in broad, rich veins.
"And I told no one, because
wanted to keep it--not to sell. but I,
steal down and look at now an,
then. And the curse was on me 70
a miser. so I lost me way. and neve
found the ledge again until jus
now"
Here"
J. Andy chuckled feebly.
Here, on the girls claim, and
;, runs through 10 your own, adjoir
:, ing. Are you sorry now you CAV
. poor old crazy Andy warm blanke
and the glad hand!"
= Nick's arm closed around tn
" slender figure beside her. She LITE
: her face to the rift Of sky far aboy
them.
u Mick" she whispered. the wind
changing. dear"