Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-09-12

| ike the preinOnitory SILVER of an APP
preaching ague. Insensibly he quick
ened his pace until he was Fastening
blindly through a maze OF tunnels and
cross driftings, deeper and still deeper
into the bowels of the mountain. Com
ing suddenly at the last into the cham
Der of the dripping water, he found
what he was searching for, and again
the ague chill shook him. There were
no apparent signs of life in the sodden,
muck-begrimed figure lying In crum-
pied heap among the water pools.
"Jibbeyf" he called: and then again,
ignoring the unnerving, awe-inspiring
echoes rustling like flying bats in the
cavernous overspaces: "Jibbey!"
The sodden heap bestirred itself
slowly and became a man sitting up
to blink helplessly at the light and
supporting himself on one hand.
us that you, Monty?" said a voice
tremulous and broken; and then: Il
can see. The light blinds me. Have
you come to finnish the job?"
Il have come to take you OUT of
this; to take you back with me to
Brewster. Get up and come on"
The victim of Smiths ruthlessness
struggled stiffly to his feet. Never
much more than a physical weakling,
and with his natural strength wasted
by a life of dissipation, the blow on
the head with the pistol butt and the
forty-eight hours of sharp hardship
and privation had cut deeply into his
Scanty reserves.
"Dld-did verda send you to do It?"
he queried.
/ NO; she doesn't know where you
are. She thinks you stopped over some
where on your way west. Come along.
If you want to go back with me-"
Jibbey stumbled away a step or two
and flattened himself against the cav
ern wall. His eyes were still staring
and his lips were drawn back to show
| his teeth.
Hold on q minute" he jerked out.
You're nOt-nOt going to wipe it all
out as easy as that. You've taken
my gun away from me. but I've got
my two hands yet. Stick that candle
/ in a hole in the wall and look out for
yourself. I'm telling you, right now,
that one or the other of us is going
to stay here-and stay deadl"
Don't be fool !" Smith broke in.
81 didn't come here to scrap with you"
You'd better-and you'd better
make a job of 1t while you're about
it !" shrieked the castaway, lost now
to everything save the biting sense of
his wrongs. you've put it all over
me-knocked my chances with Verda
HIGHLANDER and shut me up here in this
hell to go mad-dog crazy If you
let me get out of here alive I'll pay
you back, If it's the last thing l ever
do! You'll go back to Lawrenceville
with the bracelets on! You'll" red
rage could go no farther in mere
words and he flung himself in feeble
fiereeness upon Smith, clutching and
struggling and waking the grewsome
echoes again with frantic, meaningless
maIedictions
Smith did not strike back; wrapping
the mailman in a pinioning grip. he
held him helpless. When it was over,
and Jibbey had been released, gasplng
and sObbing to stagger back against
the tunnel wall, Smith CROPPED for the
candle and found and relighted it.
Tucker" he said gently you are
more of man than l 0ol1 you to be
good bit more. Now that you're Civ
ing me a chance to say it, can tell
you that Verda Richlander doesn't fig
marry her, and she didn't come out
here in the expectation of finding me-"
''Then what does figure in it?" was
the dry-lipped query.
at was merely a matter of self-pres-
| ervation. There are men in Brewster
who would pay high for the informa-
ton you might give them about me-"
"You might have given me hint
and a chance, Monty. Tn not all dog"
That's all past and gone. I didn't
give you your chance, but I'm going
to give 1t to you now. Let's golf
you're fit to try It,"
'Wait a minute. If you think. be-
cause you didn't pull your gun now
and drop me and leave me to rot in
this hole, If you think that squares
the deal"
"Tm not making any conditions"
Smith interposed. "There are num-
Der of telegraph offices in Brewster,
and for at least two days longer l
shall always be within easy reach"
Jibbey's anger flared up once more.
"You think / won't do It? You
think I'll be so glad to get to some
place where they sell whisky that I'll
forget all about II and let you OFF,
Don't you make any mistake, Monty
Smith, You can't knock me on the
head and lock me up as If were yell
low dog. I'll fix your
Smith made no reply. Linking his
free arm in Jibbey's, he led the way
through the mazes, stopping at the
tunnel mouth to blow out the candle
and TO pick up Jibbey's suitcase. In
the open air the freed captive tramped
in sober silence at Smiths heels until
they reached the automobile. At the
crossing of the railroad main track and
the turn into the highway, the river,
bassooning deep-toned among its
powders, was near at hand. and Jib-
hey spoke for the first time since they
left the mine mouth.
I'm horribly thirsty, Monty That
water In the mine had copper or some