Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1913-12-12

crust had been there for years. He
went to the stairs leading down into
the cellar. but the door separating the
cellar and main door was fastened.
he tried to kick Il open. but failed to
make any impression on Il.
Leaving the house BY the window
through which be had entered. be
looked about the brickwORk below the
nrst floor. There were but two small
windows, over both Of which boards
he'd been placed on the inside. There
was not q crack through which b
could look within.
How were tia goods taken int
There wero no marks Of wheels on the
entrance Rad Indeed, the Rrasa grew
"a Il &c woll as on the lawn. The
chain and loek on the gate gave no
Ovidsnco 81 having been moved IN q
long while. Toward the ocean a ais
lance OF several hundred yards there
were no tracks Of any kind. There
was no opening from the cellar except
within the house. This matter Of the
storage Of goods ives q mystery.
John walked ont 90 the rocks which
formed the shore. Here be was more
a houne, for he had been brought up
near the water. Naturally his ayes fell
upon the irregularity that marked the
shore. There wero many prOtuber-
ences. many Indentations. he de-
seended to the SEA level and. the tide
boing at the ebb, noticed a place where
the water washed In under the rocks.
John wondered how far In Il extended.
He couldn't tell without going In IN
der the rock, and this vas impossible
without a boat OF a raft unless be
swan, and the water was too cold Tor
swimming.
me boy pOndered on what DO should
DO. should he go on home or remain
and try 70 solve the mysteryf Curiosity
held him. He would go back to the
house and see II he could not look
Into the cellar through the crack ut
which BE- had listened. he dd 30. but
TIE cellar was too dark for him to Beo
aRythlnR. HIS mind reverted 10 the
Oveuhanging rock. and be went back
to have another look at t. The rising
tide had partly covered tho place. and
b knew that u would bo nearly
twelve hours before the water would
G4vo him a opportunity to examine II
again
He resolved to improve the interval
by securing q boat OF building a raft TO
. IN his investigations. Going to a
wood near BY. be saw plenty Of fallen
timber, and after walking several
miles to a house where he was given
some breakfast he returned and car
Ffod sumcient wood to the shore 10
make a noaG He laced the pieces to-
gether with twigs and when the tide
subsidized In the afternoon put his raft
into the water and padded to the
rock In question. Lying hat he pulled
himself In under the land some twenty
feet when he came to an iron door.
Il was fastened with an iron latch.
which, being covered by victor at
every tide, wal 20 rusty that he could
not move &. He scuttled out got q
StOne. returned ana by hammsEtng
opened the door. There before him lay
= s~ubtorranean passage leading In the
direction Of the house.
Not having a light the young diScOV-
ere did not attempt to investigate any
further. Besides. he had no mind 30
be caught In q trap by an incoming
tide. Hs got out " quickly a. possible
ind. sitting on q rock, bsthOught him
self what naKt 10 DO. He concluded
70 60 on home and consult with rome
one about his ind. He was not sur6
but that there was SOmething In Il for
him. and he wished TO and a way 70
set 4 out.
John was q ~Secrotivo bog. and, though
he told about his experiences In the
city. he said nothing about the house
by the sea. In q few days, armed
with some carpenters tools and 4
candle. ne went back to It and. closing
the shutter behind him through which
he entered. took up a part Of the door.
went down into the ceIler aud found
e full OF boxes and bales.
By this time Il occurred to the boy
that the hOnas was a storage depot for
umuggiors. He found a door In the
esller leading into the passage to the
water and presumed that the goods
weRo carried IN b that Oute. Re
placing everything a. be had left t. he
made his way to the nearest port Of
entry and. calling for the collector. told
him that he had discovered q depot for
smuggled goods. He was too smart 10
give any cieW 20 Il tll be had made
terms with the government This noces-
aieatsd somo e0sFospondeneo between
the officials and the government and
Y was finally agreed that Of any snug
Elsd goods that John should point out
10 the svenu Omcers half the amount
sccruing By ~cOnhseatiOn should 90 to
him.
These proliminRries having been set
I'D. John led the ofneors 10 the house
ana showed them the goods. But.
being DESTROYS Of capturing the SNUG
giors. they placed q watch IN the house
and Waitsd FOR them 10 come again.
Il was several weeks bafOTs the I'M
auBDocting men fali into the trap.
when they did they found both the