Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-12

wer6 tunnel driven Ii fnE m6uAfaTn-
side, and a crooked ore track led out
to them. Smith followed the ore track
until he came to the entrance, and to
the lock of a small door framed in
the bulkheading he applied a key.
1t was pitch dark beyond the door,
and the silence was like that of the
grave. Smith had brought a candle on
his fOod-carrying visit of the day be-
fore, and, cropping in its hiding place
just outside of the door, he found and
lighted it. There was no sign Of occu-
pancy save Jibbey's suitcase lying
where it had been flung on the night
of the assisted disappearance.
Smith stumbled forward into the
black depths and the chill of the place
laid hold upon him and shook him
like the premOnitOry SILVER Of an ap-
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 a crum-
pied heap among the water pools.
"Jibbey!' 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.
rs 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?"
81 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 stiff1y to his feet. Never
much more than q physical Weakling,
| and with his natural strength wasted
by a life of dissipation, the blow Oh
the head with the pistol butt and the
forty-eight hours of sharp hardship
and privation had cut deeply into his
| scanty reserves.
"Did-did Verda send you to do it?''
he queried.
mo; she doesn't know where you
are. She thinks you stopped over some
who oil
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 a 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 deadI"
Don't be a foOl!' Smith broke in
81 didn't come here to scrap with you
you'd better--and you'd better
make a job of it while you're about
It'll" 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
Richlander and shut me up here in this
hell-hole 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 I 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
fierceness upon Smith, clutchtng and
struggling and waking the grewsome
| echoes again with frantic, meaningless
maledictions
Smith did not strike back; wrapping
the mailman in a pinioning grip, he
held him helpless. When it was over,