Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-06-12

Inch by inch the pivoted rock moved
on its axis. They flashed their IAN
terms full on 1t and, as 1t 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-
/ ceivable variety, cave that would
have staggered even Aladdin.
For a moment they could merely
stand In avaricious exultation.
Painfully and slowly we managed to
trail Long Sins footprints, until we
came to a 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 a
minute and looked about In the moon
light.
Its right, Walter he cried. do
you recognize it?"
looked about. Then Il flashed over
me This was the back road that led
past the entrance to the treasure vault
at Aunt Tabbys.
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 60 this way, Walter" ne d.
rected. "I'll 60 around and down
where 1t caved in.
had gone only yard or two when
1t seemed as though something had
grasped my foot
With great wrench | managed to
pull 1t loose. But the weight on my
other foot had imbedded 1t deeper
something I struggled to free this
foot and got the other caught My re-
volver which I had drawn, was Jared
from my hand and in the effort to re.
cover 1t, I lost my balance Unable
to move foot in time to catch myself
fell forward. My hands we're now
covered by the Shiny. sticky stuff. and
the more 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 Chinese bell
Kennedy had reached Aunt Tabby's
garden, outside the roof of the subter-
ranean chamber where IL had given
way, had gone down carefully over the
earth and rock and in doing so had
broken string stretched across the
passageway. The tinkle of a bell at
tached to 1t aroused his attention and
he stopped short, 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
push Slowly, as 1t had opened, 1t
now closed and they stood there listen
ing.
was still struggling In the bird
lime. getting myself more and more
covered with 1t, when the reverbera-
ton of revolver shots reached me.
WI and Long Sin had opened fire on
Kennedy, and Kennedy was replying
In kind In the cavern 1t sounded like
veritable bombardment. AS they re-
treated, they came nearer and nearer
to me and | could see the revolvers
splitting fire in the darkness.
| watched them fearfully as they
hoped deftly from one stone to an
other to avoid the lime-and were
gone.
CRAIG Craig!" | 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 we're making their
way rapidly down the road to a
bend in the opposite direction from
which we had come. There Wus auto
mobile was waiting
A moment later Kennedy appeared
: but they had made their getaway
} Baf1ed, he turned and retraced his
. steps to the cave.
"They got away, Walter" he said
7 lighting a lantern they had dropped
} "By George" he added, | think lit
!, tie vexed that | had not been able to
intercept them, you are sight"
: He was about to laugh, when faint
j ed. | can remember nothing until
: woke up over by the wall Of the cham
Der where he dragged me.
Kennedy had been working hard to
revive me, and, as opened my eyes
he Strengthened up His eye suddenly
caught something on the rock beside
: him. There was a little slot carved
in It, and above the slot was peculiar
:, inscription.
For several minutes Kennedy pug
zled over 1t, as WI had done. Then
he discovered the little cup near the