The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1912-07-18

but the shadows there might have
concealed q dozen men. Evidently
the shaft did not so to the basement.
and there was q black opening ut the
ladders foot. which would likely
prove the entrance to Q tunnel. I
went down swiftly.
was at the bottom. fndin: myself
in a small. rock walled room some six
feet square. a tunnel leading OF from
il Of barely sufficient height to per
NIT me to enter its mouth without
STOPPING. before O'Rrien ventured
upon the ladder. hardly knew what
to expect. what danger to guard
against. not only felt strange
horror at suddenly confronting that
mysterious woman. but | expected
every instant to hear the noise of nd
vancinS men. We could make fair
defense In that narrow space. II IL
true. yet even here. end amid dark
ness. numbers would possess an ad-
vantage. while any attempt at re-
treat up that ladder would mean al
most certain death. BY the time
O'Rrien reached me ! had determined
on exploring the tunnel to its end.
l held the lantern In my left hand.
throwin; the rays Of light as far in
advance rs possible. With the other
drew revolver from my belt. hold.
ing it cooked and ready. 1t was a
perfectly straight passage. walls and
roof of stone. smoothly matched. evi-
IDENTIFY thus arranged so any one
could pass that way IN the dark with
no danger OF Injury.
The door was earth. but leveled as
IL by transit, sufficiently hard to
leave no impression Of feet passing
over It. 1t seemed to me the tunnel
must run directly beneath the ell
kitchen. and doubted II the roof
was two feet below the surface Of
the ground This directness gave US
confidence. as 1t permitted the rays
Of the lantern to penetrate q consid-
erable distance. and. although alert
and watchful. my thought drifted to
the girl l had left locked in the room
above. l wondered II 1t was possible
for her to escape. to sound an alarm
without or even to close the open
ing fireplace and thus securely trap
us in this black hole underground I
felt no doubt as to her doing 10 II
opportunity came. and she was not
one to yield weakly and make no ef-
fort. ] began questioning my 1udg-
ment in not leaving O'Brien on guard
in the hall. when the fellow sud
denly gripped my arm. advancing the
80 III
pointed straight down the tunnel.
BE all the saints. sor." he whis-
pered hoarsely. ''ain't that the body
Of a manY'
1t assuredly was or my eyes de-
ce!ved me. 1t was lying head toward
US against the side wall. with limbs
extended half across the passage.
The face was turned away. wide
brimmed soft hat still on the head,
helping to render the entire shadow
shapeless. The light barely revealed
the outlines. yet there could be nc
doubt as to its being the bgure Of a
human being.
Two hours before Donald had
passed through this tunnel on his
the path unobstructed. An hour
later he had gone out again. The
first trip had been made without a
light, and yet he never could have
pissed 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 been stricken exactly
as those others-pounced upon In the
dark without the slightest warning,
the deadly knife driven homo by .
cunning hand.
O'Brien was the nrst 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 ghasdy
face up to the light and pressed his
ear against the gray Jacket
Hes not clane dead yit, sor." hs
declared
l caught up the limp hand. feeling
eagerly for the pulse. 1t was throb-
bling weakly. and the very touch Of IL
afforded me hope. l liked this Don.
aid. Whatever he might bs to Jean
Denslow he had won my respect, and
1 would save his life II possible
1t even though he stood between me
and the one woman. l tore the neck.
erchief from about my throat.
bathed the white face, washing
away the blood upon his throat. thus
disclosing the nature Of the wound.
1t was not deep. not even dangerous.
Evidently the knife had slipped, in
ficting q jagged scratch, yet missing
the vital point aimed at O'Brten lift
ed the head ON his arm, his hand
pressing back the thick hair. streaked
with gray.
Hes got humpin' crack here.
sor," be said. "an' it's bled lot"
.Yes." I'decided. "he was struck in