The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1912-07-20

concealed a dozen men Evidently
the shaft did not go to the basement.
and there was a black opening at the
ladders foot. which would likely
prove the entrance to q tunnel
went down swiftly.
I was at the bottom. finding myself
In a small. rock walled o some six
feet square. n tunnel leading of from
II Of barely sufficient height to per-
NIT me TO enter its mouth without
| STOPPING. before O'Brien ventured
upon the ladder. | hardly knew what
to expect. what danger TO guard
against. I not only felt a strange
horror at suddenly confronting that
mysterious woman. but I expected
every instant TO hear the noise of adj
vancing men. We could make a fair
defense In that narrow space. 1t Is
true. yet even here. and amid dark.
ness. numbers would possess al nd
vantage. while any attempt mt re-
treat up that ladder would mean al
most certain death. BY the time
O'Brien reached me I bad determined
on exploring the tunnel to its end.
held the lantern In my left hand.
throwing the rays of light as far in
advance as possible. With the other
/ drew a revolver from my belt. hold
ing it cooked and ready. 1t was a
perfectly straight passage. walls and
roof of stone. smoothly matched. evil
IDENTIFY thus arranged so any u
could pass that way In the dark with
no danger of injury.
The foor was earth. but leveled as
If by a transit, sufficiently hard to
leave no impression Of feet passing
over 1t. 1t seemed to me the tunnel
must run directly beneath the ell
kitchen. and | doubted If the roof
was two feet below the surface OF
the ground. This directness gave rs
confidence, as 1t permitted the rays
of the lantern to penetrate a consid-.
cradle distance. and. although alert
and watchful. my thought drifted TO
the girl | had left locked in the room
above. l wondered II 1t was possible
for her to escape. to sound an alarm
without or ever to close the open
ing fireplace and thus securely trap
US In this black hole underground. |
felt no doubt as to her doing so II
opportunity came. and she was not
one to yield weakly and make no eff
fort / began questioning my Judg-
ment In not leaving O'Brien on guard
in the ball. when the fellow sud
denly gripped my arm. advancing the
black barrel of his carbine until it
pointed straight down the tunnel.
BE all the saints, sor." he whis-
pered h~oarsely. "ain't that the body
Of a mann"
1t assuredly was or my eyes de-
ceived me. 1t was lying head toward
us against the side wall. with limbs
extended half across the passage.
The face was turned away. a wide
brimmed soft hat still on the head.
helping to render the entire shadow
s~hapeless. The light barely revealed
the outlines. yet there could be no
doubt as to its being the figure Of a
human being.
Two hours before Donald had
passed through this tunnel IN his
way into the house and had found
the path unobstructed. An hour
later be had gone out again. The
first trip had been made without a
light, and yet he never could have
passed the body without touching it
Already from the massive figure !
suspected the truth: now my eyes
confirmed 1.-THE man lying there was
Colonel Donald. l saw the wound in
his throat. the blood stains on the
stones. He had beer stricken exactly
as those others-pounced upon in the
dark without the slightest warning,
the deadly knife driven home by a
cunning hand
O'Brien was the first to recover him.
self. for he had experienced less of
the nights mystery. and the inert
body lying before US was to him mere
ly that Of a strange man. He dropped
upon his knees. turned the CHASTITY
face up to the light and pressed his
ear against the gray Jacket
Hes not clane dead yit, sor." he
declared.
I caught up the limp hand. feeling
eagerly for the pulse. 1t was throb-
bling weakly. and the very touch Of It
afforded me hope. / liked this DON
aid. Whatever he might be to Jean
Denslow he had won my respect, and
1 would save his life If possible-save
it aver though he stood between me
and the one woman. l tore the neck
erchief from about my throat.
l bathed the white face. washing
away the blood upon his throat. thus
disclosing the allure of the wound.
1t was not deep. not even dangerous.
Evidently the knife had slipped. In
ficting a jagged scratch. yet missing
the vital point aimed at. O'Brien lift
ed the head on his arm. his hand
pressing back the thick hair. streaked
with gray.
Hes got a humpin' crack here.