Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-07-30

well looks just like any other, only
deeper; you'd better look out that you
don't break your neck like that fool
ish old woman, that Donna What's
Her-Name."
O'Reilly did indeed feel that he was
making himself ridiculous; neverthe-
less, he made the rope fast and swung
himself down out of the sunlight, leav-
ing Jacket to stand guard over him.
Perhaps fifteen minutes later he reap
peared. painting from his exertions.
He was wet, Shiny; his clothes were
streaked and stained with mud
Jacket began to laugh shrilly at his
appearance.
"Ha! What big lizard Is this
Your beautiful garments are spoiled
And the treasure? Where is itT The
lad was delighted. He bent double
with mirth; he slapped his bare legs
and stamped his feet in glee.
O'Reilly grinned good-naturedly
and replaced the planks which had
covered the orifice, then hid the rope
in some nearby bushes. On their way
back he endured his young friends
banter absent-mindedly. but as they
neared Asensios house he startled
Jacket by saying, "Can you manage
to find pickax or a crowbar?"
Jackets eyes opened; he stopped in
the middle of the dusty road. what
did you see down there, compadrei
Tell me-"
Nothing much. Just enough to
make me want to see more. Do you
think you can steal some sort Of a
tool for me?"
81 can try"
"Piease do. And remember, say
nothing before Asensio or his wife.
Rosa met O'Reilly just inside the
door. and at sight of her he uttered
an exclamation of surprise, for during
his absence she had removed the stain
from her face and discarded that dis
figurement which Evangelina had fit
ted to her back prior to their depart.
ure from the Pan de Matanzas, She
stood before him now, straight an6
slim and graceful-the Rosa of his
dreams, only very thin, very fragile
Her poor tatters only enhanced hel
prettiness, so he thought.
Rosa, dear! Do you think this is
quite safe?" he ventured, doubtfully
Evangelina, who was bending over
her husband, Strengthened herself and
came forward with a smile upon hel
black face,
"Ste IS beautiful, Ell? Too beautiful
to look at? What did I tell your
Rosa was in delightful confusion al
O'Reilly's evident surprise and admit
ration. "Then I'm not SO altogether
ehangedW she asked.
"Why, you haven't changed at all
exceRt to grow more beautiful. Evan
gelina Is right; you are too beautiful
to look at. But waitw He drew hel
aside and whispered. 1--WE been dowr
in the WELL" Some tremor in his
voice, some CLINT in his eyes, caused
the girl to seize him eagerly, fiercely
81 may be wrong he said hurriedly
''there may be nothing In it-and YET
I saw something"
"What?"
"Wooden beams, timbers of some
sort, behind the stone curbing." Il
was plain Rosa did not comprehend
so ne hurried on. "At first I noticed
nothing unusual, except that the bot
tom of the well is nearly dry-filleG
Up, you know, with debris and stuff
that has fallen in from the curbing
above, then l saw that although the
well is dug through rock, nevertheless
it Is entirely curbed up with stone:
laid In mortar. That struck me a:
queer"
"Yes?
81 noticed, too, in one place tina
there was wood behind-as if timber:
had been placed there to cover thu
entrance to cave You know thi.
Cuban rock is full of caverns."
Rosa clasped her hands. she begar
to tremble. "You have found 1t
O'Reilly. You have" she whispered
mo, no, I've found nothing yet. Blu
I've sent Jacket for a pick or a bal
and tonight I'm going to pull dowr
those stones and see what is behind
them"
"To night? You must let me go
too. want to help"
"Verye well. But meanwhile yor
mustn't LET your hopes rise too high