The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-20


 end, where he now stood, it suddenly gave way to empty space. It came to an end so abruptly that there was no means of discovering how deep was the narrow abyss beyond Possibly it descended sheer 300 feet, the depth of the ridge at that place. On the smooth floor which melted to nothing ness with such sinister and startling suddenness, the candlelight revealed the skeleton of a man lying at the margin of the unknown depths. Min gled with the bones that had fallen apart with the passing of centuries was drawn sword of blackened hflt and rusted blade-a sword of old Span ish make-and in the dust of a rotted purse lay small heap of gold coins of strange design.
 well, pard,' said Brick Willock grimly, ttyou come here first and much obliged to you. You've told me two things-that once in: here no getting out unless you bring along your ladder, and what's better still. nobody has been here since Nyou come, or that wouldn't be my money! And now hav- ing told me all you got to say, my cavalier, guess we'd better part.'' He raked the bones into heap and dash 
 not hear them when they struck bot tom, and the sinister silence gave him an odd thrill He shook his head. 'EIf I ever roll out of bed here,' he said, 'tnae and you will spend the rest of the time together, pardner.''
 He did not finger for idle speculation, but drew himself flp his dangling rope, and in short time was once more outside the place of refuge. Always on the lookout for possible watchers, he snatchedf up his bread and meat and ate as he hastened over the outer ridge and down the rugged side toward the wagon Here he filled box with can ned provisions and side of bacon, and on top of this he secured sack of flour. It made a heavy burden, but his long sleep had restored him to his tvvonted strength, and he could not be sure but this trip to the wagon would be his last. With some difficulty he hoisted the box to his herc1lean shoul- der, and, grasping a spade and an ax in his disengaged hand toiled upward to his asylum.
 On another trip he brought mat tress, blankets and dishes.
 Then he was beginning to feel the weariness of the morning return, and
 
 bed left him so exhausted that he fell down on the ground beside the crevice, having thrown in his booty. Here, with his gun at his side and a pistol in his hand, he fell fast asleep.
 He lay there like man of stone un- til some inner consciousness began beating at the door of his senses, warning him that in no great time the moon would rise. He started up in a state of dazed bewilderment, staring at the solemn stars, the vague outlines of giant rocks about him and the linn ttless sea of darkness that flowed away from the mountain top indicating, but not defining, the surrounding prairie.
 "Get up from herer' Willock com mauded himself He obeyed rather stif1y, but when he was on his feet, ax in hand, he made the trip to the wagon nimbiy enough. As he drew near he saw gray shadows slipping away. They were wolvez. He shout ed at them d9sdainfully and without pause began removing the canvas from over the wagon. When that was done his terrific blows resolved the wagon bed to separated boards, somewhat splintered, but practically intact. By means of the wrench he removed the wheels and separated the parts of the wagon frame Always, when he had obtained enough for load, he made that toiIsome Journey to his retreat. He took the four wheels at one time, rolling them one by one, lifting them singly from ledge to ledge.
 When he awoke a bar of sunshine which at first he mistook for an out cropping of Spanish gold glowed against the granite wall of his noun tain top retreat. He rose in leisurely fashion. Henceforth there would be plenty of time, years of 1t, running to waste with useless days. After eat ing and partaking sparingly of the brackish water of the keg he nailed together two long sideboards of the dismembered wagon, and, having se- cured these end to end, he fastened in parallel strips to the surface short sticks as stops to his ladder. This finished, he made rope ladder. The ladder of boards was for use in leaving the cave The rope ladder, which he meant to hide under some powder near the crevice, could be used in mak- ing the descent
 Fastening the rope ladder about his waist, he scaled the boards and on reaching the top east them down. First he looked at all about. but no living creature was in sight. ''This is just to my hand." he said aloud, seeking a suitable hiding place for the rope lad der; 'I always did despise company."
 He stood at the center of an enor- nous horseshoe formed on the south west by the range curving farther to- ward the south and on his left hand by the same range sweeping in g. quar- ter circle toward the southeast. The mouth of this granite half circle was opened to the south, at least "a quarter mile in width, but on his left jutt1ng spur almost at right angles to the main range and some hundreds of yards closer to his position shot across the space within the horseshoe bend in such fashion that an observer sta pding I,n rnIafr, yzrnr1ld haun half his iaH