The Elbert County tribune., 1915-06-11

could see disclosed nuSe pics VI 6oiu
| and silver coins and bars and orna-
ments. a chest literally filed with
brilliants. set and unset, rubies, en-
eralds. precious stones Of every con-
| ceivable variety, a cave that would
have staggered even Aladdin.
For moment they could merely
| stand in avaricious exultation.
Painfully and slowly we managed 70
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
minute and looked about IN the moon
light
It's right. Walter he cried. do
you recognize TT"
looked about. Then it flashed over
| me. This was the back road that led
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 tins way, Walter ne di-
rected. I'll go around and down
where 1t caved ir.'
had gone only a yard or two when
it seemed as though something had
grasped my foot
With a great wrench I managed to
pull 1t loose. But the weight on NJ
other foot had imbedded 1t deeper in
something. struggled to free this
foot and got the other caught. My re-
volver which mad drawn, was Jared
from my hand, and in the effort to re-
cover IT, | lost my balance. Unable
to move foot in time to catch myself
[ fell forward. My hands were now
covered by the Shiny. sticky stun. and
the more [ struggled the worse
seemed to get entangled
WI and Long Sir paused only
minute In astonishment. 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 1t 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 bell at
tached to it aroused his attention and
he stopped short. second. to look
about. WI Fang mad arranged a
primitive alarm.
Quickly. WI and Long Sin blew out
their lanterns while Wu gave the rock
a push. Slowly. as it had opened it
now closed and they stood there listan-
ing.
was still struggling in the bird
lime. getting myself more and more
covered with it. when the reverbera-
tion of revolver shots reached me.
WI and Long Sin had opened fire on
Kennedy. and Kennedy was replying
in kind. In the cavern it sounded like
a yeritable bombardment. AS they re-
treated. they came nearer and nearer
to me and l could see the revolvers
splitting fire in the darkness.
l watched them fearfully as they
hoped deftly from one stone to al
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. Bnt
they had already reached the mouth
of the cave and were making their
way rapidly down the road to a
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.
Bafiled. he turned and retraced his
steps to the cave
They got away, Walter" he said,
lighting a lantern they had dropped
by George" he added, / think a lit
tie yexed that had not been able to
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 to
revive me, and. as l 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 puz-
zled over it. as WI had done. Then
he discovered the little cup near the
ground.
The ring," he suddenly cried out.
was too muddled to appreciate at
once what he meant hut l saw him