Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-23
Copyrleht " -. scrItne-'s SOM
(Continued)
CHAPTER XIX
4 little LeaYen.

The summer night stars served
only to make the darkness visible
along the road down the Timanyoni
river and across to the mining camp
of Red Butte. Smith twisted the gray
roadster sharply to the left out OF
the road. and four miles from the
turn, shut off the power and got
down to continue his journey afoot.
The mine workings were xunnel-
driven in the mountain-side and a
crooked ore track led out to them.
Smith followed the ere 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 candle
on his food-carrying visit of the day
before, and, cropping in its hiding
place just outside of the door, he
found and lighted it There was no
sign of occupancy save Jibbey's suit
case lying where 1t had been flung
on the night OF the assisted disap-
pearance.
Smith stumbled forward into tho
black depths and the chill of the
place laid hold upon him and shook
him like the premonttory shiver of
an approaching ague. 1nsensibly he
quickened his pace Until he was
hasting blindly through a maze of
tunnels and cross driftings, deeper
and still deeper into the bowels OF
the mountain. Coming suddenly at
the last into the chamber 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
crumbled 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:
"Jibbeyi"
The sodden heap bestirred itself
slowly and became a man sitting up
to blink helplessly at the light and
supporting himself oil one hand.
rs that you, Monty" said voice
tremulous and broken, and then: "I
can't 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 stiffiy to his feet. Never
much more than physical weakling
and with his natural strength vast
ed by life Of dissipation, the blow
on the head withe pistol butt 'and
the forty eight hours OF sharp hard
ship and privation had cut deeply
into his scanty reserves.
'Did-did Verda send you to do
it?" he queried.
NO; she doesn't know where you
are. She thinks you stopped over
somewhere on your way west. Come
along, If you want to go back with
me-"
Jibbey STUN bled away a step or
two and fattened himself against the
cavern wall. His eyes were still star
ing 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 tell you
right now. that one or the other OF
us is going to stay here-and stay
dead"
Don't be fool" Smith broke in.
Il didn't come here to scrap with
YOU"
You'd better-and you'd better