Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-08-19


road station. There could be no doubt
of tit was Cobo
The men stared at each other silent
ly, and of the two Cobo appeared to be
the more intensely agitated. After n
moment his gaze fixed itself upon the
opening into the treasure chamber and
remained there. AS if to make entirely
sure of What he had overheard, he
stretched his body farther, supporting
it by his outflung arms, then moved
his head from side to side for a bet
ter view. He seemed to rock over the
mouth of the we'll like huge, fat,
black spider. He was the first to speak.
cam I dreaming? Or-have you
really discovered that treasurer" he
queried. s8g
O'Reilly's upturned face was ghast-
ly. He wet his lips. He managed to
whisper Rosa's name.
'sThe riches of the .Varonas! What a
find !" CobO'S~teeth shone white in the
grin of avarice. Eyes, see nova
cavern in the rock. Well, well! And
you are the spirit of Sebastian, chained
in the bowels of La Cumbre. Fla !!
These are the ghosts" He began to
chuckle. but the. sound of his maleyo-
lent merriment was like the hiccough-
ing of a drunken man.
"Rosa What have you done"
Cobo ran on unheeding: st must be
a great treasure, indeed, from all ac-
Al, sx,f
That's what Cueto said, The ransom Of
dozen kings!' Those were his very
words"
The fellow continued to sway him
self back and forth, peering as If his
eyes were about to leave his head. For
4 long moment or two he utterly disre-
garded O'ReilH, but finally as he
!. gained more self-control his gaze shift
ed and his expression altered. He
changed his weight to his left arm and
with his right hand he drew his re-
volver.
.What are you doing?" O'Reilly
cried, hoarsely. ~
The colonel seemed vaguely sur
prised at this question. "Fool! Do you
expect me to share It with yqu?' he in
quircd. s III
await! There's enough-fer all OF
u.s." oRellly feebly protested; then, az
he heard the click of the cooked
weapon: "Let me out. I'll pay you
well---make you rich" In desperation
he raised his shaking hand to dash out
-. ha 1i1 1n
colonel spoke, at the same time care
| fully lowering the revolver hammer.
"You are right. What am | thinking
about? There mast he no noise.
Carainba a pretty business that
! would be. wouldn't it? With my men
running up here to see what it was
all about. No, no! No gunshots, no
| disturbance of any kind. You under
stand what / mean, chi"
His face twisted into grin as he
tossed the revolver aside, then under
took TO detach, 4 stone from the crum-
ollng curb. mo noise." he chuckled.
"No noise whatever
/ OReilly, stupeied by the sudden ap-
pearanceJ. of this monstrous creature,
stunned by the certainty of caIas-
! trophe to Rosa. awoke to the fact that
this man intendedvto brain him where
he stood. In panic he cast his eyes
about him, thinking to fake shelter In
the treasure-cave. but that retreat was
closed to him. for he had wetiged the
wooden timbers together 1.-The first
alarm. He was like rat in pit, ut.
terly at the mercy of this maniac. And
Cobo was maniac at the moment; he
had so far lost control of himself as to
allow the stone to Slip out of his grasp
1t fell with thud at O'Reilly's feet
causing the assassin to laugh once
more.
'Ho, ho!" he hiccoughed my fin
gers are clumsy, Ell? But there is nc
need for haste" He stretched out his
arm again, laid hold Of another missile
and strained to loosen 1t from its bed
"Jewelsl Pearls the size of plums
And | a poor man! can't believe Il
yeti He could not detach the stone
50 lie fumbied farther along the curb
ing. Pearls, indeed would send {
dozen men to hell for one
Continued tomorrow