The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-26

flames came to them on the night
wind. The air was heavy with the
fragrant suffocating smoke OF burn
ing pine and spruce Great rolling
clouds of gray moved slowly over
Sawtooth's breast. Somewhere down
in the heart of the pine forest was
LOUIS little shack.
You'll never make it. lad. shout
cd Morrissey. Ahead of them great
! masses of fallen timber blocked the
tran. The air was full Of burning
| leaves and stray wind-blown branch
, IS. The horses had begun to fail.
Neck, ears and jaws were dripping
| with white foam. Nick halted, des-
pcrate and excited.
II must get through it to her"
"s.'ait a bit" cautioned the old
,r~nrer. There used to be the old
,:il through the gulch. No mans
eyes but me own and the Indians
Lave looked at It, Do you mind?
Eut tonight I'll ride you down 1t.
and we'll get the girl. Hold back.
I'll lead now
Never once on that terrible ride
e.! Nick question. unerringly Andy
| N9rrissey led the way over the old
trail into the secret heart Of Saw
tooths wilderness. When they came
to the rocky edge Of the vast guleh
they left the ponies behind, fastened
to trees. out Of the danger zone.
At log bridge Nick stopped short.
his mountain trained eye measuring
its strength, but Andy strobe ahead.
There came 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. mick, Nick,
why did you come after me? There
isn't one chance in the world Of
getting out safely unless the wind
should change"
well 90 together. them" Nick
said grimly as he took her close In
his arms without resistance. "You
knew Id come for you, didn't you,
Lou"
He did not tell her OF old Morrissey
lying somewhere down in Sawtooth
gulch. Hand in hand. like two chill.
dren. the pony stealing after, they
made their way down the old forgot
ten trail, down out OF the smoke and
whirling leaves into the cool green
depths Of the gulch. Suddenly Lou
cried out in alarm. and dropped to
her knees. Face upward where he
had fallen near the ledge Of rock was
old Morrissey, comfortably hung in
some spruce boughs between land and
sky. Leaning over the edge Of the
trail Lou could see him face up
turned
And I'm not dead yet, Nick, lsd,"
he called feebly. me legs hurting
me. and me shoulders splntcred. but
I've found me way down Sawtooth
after ten years, and I've found me
lost trail again" He pattcd 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 the worse for his fall.
And he told them Sawtooth's secret.
Ten years before. while hunting up
through the gulch. he had stumbled
on the gold, first in few scattered
pockets. then in broad, rich veins.
And told no one, because
wanted to keep it--not to sell, but to
steal down and look at now and
then. And the curse was on me for
a miser, so | lost me way. and never
found the ledge again until just
now"
Here"
Andy chuckled feebly.
Here, on the girls claim, and 1t
runs through 10 your own, adjoin.
ing. Are You sorry now you gave
poor old crazy Andy Il warm blanket
and the glad hand""
Nicks arm closed around the
slender figure beside her. She lifted
her face to the rift of sky far above
them.
) Nick" she whispered. the winds