The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-07-14
THE CLIMAx-MADIsoNIAN. WEDNESDAY. JULY h. 1sl5

AN, WEDNESDAY,, JULY
ing gingerly from one stepping stone
to another I'VE shall be followed no
further than this"
He paused a moment and pointed his
finger at the earth. Everywhere. ex-
cept here and there where stone
projected, was sticky, Shiny sub
stance. 1t was an old trick of primi-
tive races.
They passed on from stone to stone
until they came to the subterranean
chamber itself.
Long Sin watched his master in ST
lent admiration as, at last, he drew
forth the mystic ring for which they
had dared all.
Without word WI dropped it in
the slot, protuberance hit trigger
and pushed it hairs breadth.
On the other side of the chamber,
great rock in the ground slowly
turned, as though on pivot They
watched, fascinated. Even then WI
did not forget the precious ring, but
as the rock turned, reached down
| quickly and recovered it from the cup
at the floor
Inch by inch the pivoted rock moved
on its axis. They flashed their IAN
terms full on it and, as it moved, they
could see disclosed huge piles of gold
and silver coins and bars and orna-
ments, a chest literally filled with
brilliants, set and unset, rubies, en-
eralds, precious stones of every con-
!
have staggered even Aladdin.
For moment they could merely
stand in avaricious exultation.
Painfully and slowly we managed to
trail Long Sins footprints, until we
came to road where they were lost
in the hard macadam.
Kennedy chose the most likely direc-
ton, for the trail had been at an angle
to the road and Long Sin was not like
ly to double back. We had not gone
many rods before Kennedy paused
minute and looked about In the moon
light
"It's right, Walter" he cried. do
you recognize it?"
looked about. Then it flashed over
| past the entrance to the treasure vault
at Aunt Tabby's.
We went on now more quickly, lis
tening carefully to catch any sounds,
but heard nothing At last Kennedy
stopped, then plunged among the
rocks and bushes beside the road.
We were at the cave.
You go this way, Walter" ne di-
rected. 'Tll go around and down
where it caved in
l had gone only yard or two when
it seemed as though something had
grasped my foot
With great wrench 1 managed to
pull it loose. But the weight on my
other foot had imbedded it deeper in
something. I struggled to free this
foot and got the other caught My re-
volver which l had drawn, was Jared
from my hand, and in the effort to re-
cover it, lost my balance. Unable
to move a foot in time to catch myself
fell forward. My hands we're now
covered by the Shiny, sticky stuff and
the more l struggled, the worse
seemed to get entangled
, -
WI and Long Sin paused only a
minute IN establishment. Then they
literally fell upon the wealth that lay
before them.
Suddenly they paused. There was
the slight tinkle of a. Chinese bell.
Kennedy had reached Aunt Tabby's
garden, outside the roof of the subter
ranean chamber where it had given
way, had gone down carefully over the
earth and rock, and in doing so had
broken a string stretched across the
passageway. The tinkle of a bell at
tached to it aroused his attention and
he stopped short, a second, to look
about. WI Fang had arranged a
primitive alarm.
Quickly, WI and Long Sin blew out
their lanterns while WI gave the rock
a push. Slowly, as it had opened, IL
now closed and they stood there listen
ing
1 was still struggling in the bird
lime, getting myself more and more
covered with it, when the reverbera
ton of revolver shots reached me.
: WI and Long Sin had opened fire or
Kennedy, and Kennedy was replying
in kind. In the cavern it sounded like
a veritable bombardment. AS they re
treated, they came nearer and nearer
to me and I could see the revoIvers
splitting fire in the darkness.
1 watched them fearfully as they
hoped deftly from one stone to an
other to avoid the lime-and were
gone.
Craig! Craig!'' I managed to CRY
feebly. "Be careful. Keep to the
stones"
Stepping from stone to stone, he fol
> lowed the retreating Cinnamon. But
they had already reached the mouth
of the cave and were making theil
way rapidly down the road to &
bend, in the opposite direction from
which we had come. There Wu's auto
mobile was waiting.
A moment later Kennedy appeared
but they had made their getaway
Bafhed, he turned and retraced hi.
steps to the cave.
They got away, Walter he said
lighting a lantern they had dropped
by George" he added, 1 think lit
tie vexed that I had not been able t,
intercept them, you are a sight"
. He was about to laugh, when faint
ed. / can remember nothing until
woke up over by the wall of the cham
Der where he dragged me.
Kennedy had been working hard t,
revive me, and, as I opened my eyes
he Strengthened up. His eye suddenl.
caught something on the rock besid
him. There was little slot carve,